Values - goals - accomplishments

Assignment on Values, Goals, Accomplishments, and Self-Reflection

Part 1: Values, Aspirations, Goals, Strengths, and Areas of Growth

Answer the following questions to capture how you see yourself in terms of values, aspirations, key qualities, goals, strengths, and areas of growth:

1) Describe your values, motivations, or aspirations in your own words.

2) Describe some of your main personal, academic, and professional goals. Make sure to write five or more complete sentences.

3) What are some of your strength areas? Think about the top 2–3 skills you would advertise about yourself, or consider what others come to you for advice about. Make sure to write five or more complete sentences.

4) What are some areas you would like to grow and improve in? Make sure to write five or more complete sentences.

Accomplishments don’t have to be as large as climbing the top of Mount Everest or starting your own company. We accomplish many things in our lives every day that have meaning. For example, perhaps you organized volunteers for your school’s food drive or made an extremely profitable sale. Or, if you’re more advanced in your career, perhaps you’ve received a promotion or special recognition.

In this part of the assignment, you’ll identify two accomplishments from work, school, volunteering, or other activities. You’ll then practice communicating these in ways appropriate for a résumé.

To begin, brainstorm accomplishments from your work, school, volunteering, or other activities. Read the Accomplishment Categories section for a list. After you’ve identified two accomplishments, write statements for each accomplishment using the information below:

Step 1: Think about each of your accomplishments in these terms:

Challenge	Situation, problem, or requirement.
Action	Specific actions you took to resolve or meet the challenge.
Result	The benefit created in specific and measurable terms. Be sure to tie results to the organization’s goals when possible.
Details	Clarifying details, such as numbers or percentages, to provide context (consider answering how many, how much, how long, or how often).

Consider the example below of someone with experience as a retail manager:

Challenge	An increase in customer complaints about the helpfulness of staff.
Action	Developed a new training program for staff, got approval from district manager, and once approved implemented it with a regular review process.
Result	After 3 months, customer complaints decreased.
Details	Previously, customer complaints averaged 4 per week. After 3 months, complaints averaged 1 or less per week.

Step 2: Write two accomplishment statements to practice using this format:

Step 3: Now, try writing your two accomplishment statements concisely for a résumé (you will not be completing a resume). Use either example format below to write your accomplishments:

Accomplishment Statement 1: Result + action + brief description including clarifying details.

Example: Decreased customer complaints from 3 per week to 1 or less per week by training staff and implementing a regular review process.

Accomplishment Statement 2: Action + brief description with clarifying details + results.

Example: Trained retail staff in customer-service techniques and implemented a regular review process, decreasing customer complaints from 3 per week to 1 or less per week.

?Shortening a procedure
?Optimizing a process
?Establishing a new procedure
?Investing in new technology
?Retraining staff
?Identifying inefficiencies
?Changing a schedule
?Recommending new systems

?Using supplies more effectively
?Eliminating unneeded reports
?Contracting with a new vendor
?Reducing underperforming programs
?Properly scheduling staff
?Recruiting volunteers
?Creating something from scratch
?Finding cost-effective solutions

?Increasing sales/profits/market share
?Enlarging a market
?Finding a new market
?Expanding class offerings
?Developing new services
?Inventing something
?Winning a grant
?Enrolling new participants
?Retaining clients/customers/students
?Developing partnerships
?Upselling customers
?Extending contracts

?Meeting government requirements
?Improving testing
?Fixing a problem
?Ensuring safety standards are met
?Decreasing negative behaviors
?Increasing positive behaviors
?Protecting against a hazard
?Developing policies

?Upgrading a system or software
?Updating a course
?Facilitating employee training
?Instating best practices
?Implementing new procedures

?Winning an award
?Securing a promotion
?Achieving a certification/degree
?Boosting customer satisfaction
?Improving employee engagement
?Increasing teamwork
?Reducing errors
?Receiving positive feedback
?Earning a bonus
?Accepting a board position

?Implementing successful intervention
?Teaching life skills
?Observing behavioral change
?Fostering therapeutic relationships

1) How has reflecting on your goals, strengths, areas of growth, and accomplishments been valuable for you?

2) What are ways you can build in a regular practice of reflection?

3) In your current understanding of the 10 Skills, identify 1–2 skills that you believe have helped you reach the accomplishments listed in Part 2. Briefly explain how.

4) After practicing writing your accomplishments in a résumé-appropriate style, do you feel more confident in expressing your accomplishments to an employer? Briefly explain.

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