This document provides guidance on including achievements in a CV. It recommends listing 3 key achievements that demonstrate what you value and have accomplished. Achievements can be from academic or extracurricular pursuits, and should be successes you are proud of. Examples of student achievements include participating in charitable fundraising, earning academic honors, and taking on leadership roles in school activities. The document advises selecting recent achievements from the last 2 years and providing enough detail for readers unfamiliar with the activities to understand your successes.

1. Achievements

2. What exactly does ‘achievement’ mean?
I don’t know what to write about ……..
Why can I only include 3?
I was the milk monitor in year 2 –
can I include that?
I haven’t got any.

4. On a good CV, a future employer wants to see a summary of
your key achievements.
The things that you are most proud of achieving.

5. This can include anything from an academic achievement to an
extra-curricular achievement or even something more
personal that that.
By outlining your achievements, you are letting others know
what you value. Those things that are most important to you.

6. 3 is the magic number
We’ve limited the achievement section to 3 entries because we
want you to be selective. These will be printed on your CV and
they give a second reader an idea of your priorities and your
key successes to date. The achievements that make your top
3 have to be special.
Be honest about what is most important to you.

8. I just don’t know where to start
Start by thinking about successes you’ve had in education.
These might include holding a particular position in school or
being awarded a certificate for some work you have completed.
It might not be an achievement that someone else has validated
but it might be that you tried especially hard for a test or piece of
coursework and beat your target grade.
This is something that should be celebrated!

9. Next, consider something that you’ve done outside the
classroom. This might be linked to a super-curricular activity or
might be something in your time (away from school or college).
Still struggling?
The next slide gives you some examples of what students in
another institution have included.

10. • Walked the Appalachian Trail
• Completed DofE
• Raised £450 for a local charity by
organising a Talent Show
• Runner up at ‘Print It’ design competition
• Grade 7 on cello
• Represented county in U16 cricket
• Cycled Coast to Coast route
• Performed in Dance show at Lowry
Theatre, Salford
• Carer for sister with M.S.
• Member of Senior Gospel Choir
• Player of the Year award
• Ran a 10K for Cancer Research UK
Some examples of Achievements you might include:
• Had poetry professionally published
in anthology
• Member of Student Council
• Qualified as a Referee
• Mastered Photoshop
• Qualified as a bike mechanic
• Member of school’s Young Enterprise
scheme
• Visited Borneo as volunteer in local
community
• Ran the Architecture society
• Run monthly Fairtrade Cake Bake
• Coach at Trampolining club
• Gold award in LAMDA (Distinction)

11. How much do I need to write for each Achievement?
Each entry requires sufficient explanation. Remember that a
second reader might not have much knowledge about the
activity, so you will need to explain your success to a
‘beginner’ in your chosen field.

12. One rule: Keep each ‘Achievement’ recent.
Perhaps within the last 2 years.