Articulating Outcomes

Responding to the Experience (Part 1)

Activity Time Estimate: Approx. 15-30 minutes

While you may have mentioned outcomes that were the results of your actions and decisions in the previous activity, let’s focus solely on the achievements of your experience and creating them into statements you can use in a resume.

Activity

Create three resume bullet point outcome statements that highlight your achievements in this experience. You may use the guide for writing resume bullet points on CareerHub, along with the prompts below, to support you in completing this activity.

You may use these prompts to support you in identifying which achievements to highlight:

What aspects of your experience were the most successful, and how did your actions and decisions contribute to that success? (e.g., Increased social media engagement by launching a video campaign on several platforms)
Which competencies that you applied in this experience are you proud of doing? (e.g., Communicated research findings to stakeholders to inform their decision-making on public health policy)
Which contributions that you made are the most significant to you and what you want others to do? (e.g., Improved satisfaction of patient experience through active listening and attention to their needs)
Were there instances you applied your values in a meaningful way that would be significant to highlight in a resume? (e.g., Successfully advocated for a sustainable solution to how e-waste is disposed of in the department)

Reflect

Note: This activity is for your own learning and reflection only; these responses will not be reviewed or marked.

Tip: Evaluating these outcomes are excellent for highlighting achievements in your resume, in addition to planning and answering interview questions like “What are you most proud of, and why?” or “Tell us about a time when…” Building awareness of the outcomes, even the less successful ones, of your work will also contribute to your career growth and competency development.

Responding to the Experience (Part 2)

Activity Time Estimate: Approx. 15-30 minutes

Now that you have really dug into how the experience has contributed to your career growth and development, let’s connect your experience to your career goals and how it will inform the next stage of your career.

Activity: Write 2-3 goals you’d like to work towards in the next 4-6 months. You may use strategies for setting goals like SMART or PACT, but it is not required. Consider the following prompts for goals you’d like to plan now that you have completed this experience:

What competencies would you like to develop or improve upon based on your recent experience?
What kind of healthy work habits would you like to implement in future work experiences?
What types of work are you interested in further exploring or pursuing?
What can you do to support your next career decision, such as researching employers, networking, and/or taking a course or workshop?
How might you discover employers or types of work that align with your values and interests?

Reflect

Note: This activity is for your own learning and reflection only; these responses will not be reviewed or marked.

Tip: Always reflect. Because this WIL experience is shorter term and you are going into it as a learning experience, it naturally lends to reflecting on the experience and what next steps are in store for you. But reflection and career growth doesn’t end there. Check in with yourself every now to evaluate where you’re at and what you’d like to work on next.

Further resources for creating a resume

The above exercises support you for both self-reflection, articulation in career contexts (such as interviews and networking), and career document preparation. For more information on career documents and how to craft responses in several career contexts, please consult the following resources:

CareerHub: Resources on career related items from resumes and cover letters to tips about interviews and networking, and everything in between.
Appointments: Book an appointment with a Career Advisor through WaterlooWorks
Workshops: Attend Centre for Career Development’s workshops on several career-related topics through WaterlooWorks

Conclusion

Thoroughly looking back on your experience opens future pathways for your career decision-making, from the skills you like to use and the skills you’d like to continue developing to the contributions you’d like to make in your career and the employers you’d like to work for. Moreover, the level of reflection on your experience you engaged with in this module supports you with identifying achievements and contributions that you can articulate in your resume, cover letters, interviews, and more! Reflection is an ongoing exercise, and you can apply this deep level of reflection to anything you’ve done in your career (and it’s encouraged to do so!). This type of reflection allows for improving your skills articulation and giving a sense of direction in your career and the actions needed to started on that path. Best of luck in your future career!