IDM 1010 IN-CLASS EXERCISE

WRITING IMPACT STATEMENTS

In today's competitive job market, your resume is your chance to stand out and make a positive
first impression with potential employers. One of the most important elements of your resume is your
skills statement. This section is your opportunity to showcase the unique experiences and abilities that
make you the ideal candidate for the job.

The challenge in writing effective skills statements is to be both specific and impactful. To help
you achieve this, we've developed a formula that you'll be using in this exercise. The formula will guide
you through the process of transforming your experiences into compelling, impactful statements that
will catch the eye of recruiters and hiring managers.

Start by thinking about your past work, volunteer, or extracurricular experiences and reflect on
what you learned and how you grew from each experience. Then, use the formula to turn those
experiences into powerful skills statements that accurately reflect your abilities and showcase your
value to potential employers. By the end of this exercise, you'll have a set of skills statements that you
can confidently include on your resume. Once you have crafted solid impact statements, look at adding
adverbs and adjectives to provide even more depth/substance to your statements.

FORMULA:

WHAT/ACTION SKILL/METHOD RESULT

What did you do, What skill, method, What was the IMPACT
what was the task, strategy, tools, result, impact,
activity, project, attitude did you importance, STATEMENT
problem? use, etc. contribution, etc.

TIPS:
 Describe the detail of your task; quantify to demonstrate your ability to use the skill. Ask yourself:
o How many? (i.e.: people, items, customers, table, etc.)
o How often? (i.e.: daily, monthly, weekly, etc.)
o How much? (i.e.: money, inventory, grade earned, etc.)
 Use a strong action verb to describe the “what” or action you took.
 Highlight skills you used or developed that are also relevant to your career goals.
 Include the outcome or results of your work, articulate what changed because of your work.
 Do not write in full sentences or use personal pronouns.

EXAMPLES:
 Processed transactions and responded to customer concerns utilizing reflective listening skills to
resolve customer concerns for an estimated 50 patrons daily.
 Demonstrated adaptability and flexibility by transitioning between 4 different departments during
high traffic holiday hours to deliver quality customer service to patrons.
 Collaborated efficiently with 6-8 staff members utilizing strong interpersonal communication skills
to provide an excellent experience for our guests.
 Demonstrated customer service skills by developing relationships with estimated 10 clients daily
resulting in a personalized shopping experience and returning customers.

Writing Impact Statements

IDM 1010 – Communication for Career Management
*IMPORTANT: Upload the completed document onto UM Learn in the corresponding folder
 IDM 1010 IN-CLASS EXERCISE
WRITING IMPACT STATEMENTS
PRACTICE (fill in the following fields to build your own impact statement):

Statement 1q

Action:

Skill:

Result:

Action + Skills + Result:

Customer Engagement: Experienced in engaging with customers and providing exceptional service to
meet their needs. Sales: Proficient in sales techniques and achieving sales targets through effective
communication and persuasion. Store Operations: Well-versed in all aspects of daily store operations,
including inventory management, merchandising, and cash handling. Adaptability: Quick learner who
easily adapts to new environments and responsibilities, ensuring seamless transitions between different
roles. Teamwork: Collaborative team player who thrives in a cooperative work environment and
contributes to a positive team dynamic.

Statement 2

Action:

Skill:

Result:

Action + Skills + Result:

Statement 3 (optional for additional practice)

Action:

Skill:

Result:

Action + Skills + Result:

Statement 4 (optional for additional practice)

Action:

Skill:

Writing Impact Statements

IDM 1010 – Communication for Career Management
*IMPORTANT: Upload the completed document onto UM Learn in the corresponding folder
 IDM 1010 IN-CLASS EXERCISE
WRITING IMPACT STATEMENTS
Result:

Action + Skills + Result:

Writing Impact Statements

IDM 1010 – Communication for Career Management
*IMPORTANT: Upload the completed document onto UM Learn in the corresponding folder