Professional experience is the most important section of your resume. Based on it, a hiring manager evaluates your performance in the past and whether the company will benefit from hiring you.
When describing your experience, it is important to use specific examples, be concise and use effective language. Many job-seekers use cliches like responsible for and experienced in, and words like these can spoil the first impression your resume makes. On the flip side, using strong resume action verbs conveys your initiative and in-depth understanding of the company's processes.
In this post, we will share strong resume words that you can use to instantly strengthen your resume, make it more convincing and attract more attention from recruiters.
According to one survey, 68% of job-seekers with professionally written resume got hired in 90 days. A professional resume can effectively position you as the right candidate for a specific job description. At ResumePerk, you can get your resume written in just 24 hours, and your dedicated writer will work on your document until you are satisfied! Contact us on chat to get your personalized discount offer.
When it comes to writing a powerful resume, every word matters. So, it is important to eliminate repetitive words, weak language like responsible for, and passive language. Resume buzzwords and weak words communicate a lack of confidence and enthusiasm.
Action verbs mean all words that assume physical or mental actions. To strengthen your application, replace weak language with proactive, powerful words that show your initiative, and leadership, and highlight your active contribution. Using strong synonyms when listing experience livens up your resume language, moreover, it communicates your understanding of the company's processes and the industry.
Here is a list of resume power words that you can use for any career level and industry:
Did your job duties include managing the project, organizing the work of a group of people, replacing your boss while he was away, or orchestrating the company sales processes? Then, replace words like led and managed with these resume power words alternatives:
If the job posting requires strong teamwork skills, take advantage of these resume action verbs to prove your ability to cooperate effectively with others:
Designers, software engineers, illustrators, copywriters and other professionals who create new things or come up with inventive solutions can use these words in their resumes and cover letters:
To impress hiring managers, you need to include professional achievements next to job duties. Here are the power words that you can use in a resume summary or in a work history section to emphasize the significance of what you've accomplished:
Are you an engineer, programmer, technical support representative, or other technical professional? The best tech resume examples use these power words to describe technical skills:
If your job involves extensive research, analysis, calculations, and problem-solving, use these action words to convey relevant skills:
These action verbs convey initiative and active contribution, so using them at the beginning of your bullet points will catch the attention of a recruiter. In addition to hard skills and expertise, they communicate the candidate's personal qualities - the ability to take initiative, business acumen, and strong written communication skills.
Now that you have plenty of power verbs for your resume, make sure that you are using them effectively and appropriately:
Buzzwords are overused resume words that irritate hiring managers. They do not say anything specific and sound like vague statements. The examples of buzzwords are: responsible for, experienced in, go-getter, leadership skills, and similar ones.
Moreover, it is difficult to accurately describe your experience using vague language. If your resume still has buzzwords, consider replacing them with action verbs suggested above. Here's an example:
Quite often, recruiters receive resumes where each bullet starts with managed or responsible for. Needless to say, the reader gets tired of repetitive language very fast. Plus, they can interpret your inability to use appropriate synonyms as a lack of written communication skills.
The solution? Alternate the resume power words and don't use any of them twice when describing one job. Above, we have suggested 70+ action verbs, so you can pick ones that best reflect your contribution. Active, powerful language not only describes you as a result-driven, proactive professional, but also helps create an engaging document.
Using power words surely adds value to your resume. Yet, strong language alone is not sufficient to wow the hiring manager and land an interview. You need to impress them with measurable, specific contributions you've made in your previous roles.
Add context and details to your duties and achievements. Don't just write "Managed a team of 5 employees". Instead, say "Coordinated work of 5 software engineers on the development of mobile app solution". Employers love specifics, as your past performance helps them evaluate your potential and ensure that you'll be a good fit for the role.
If you have written a resume on your own, consider showing it to a professional resume writer or HR manager. An expert who works with resumes daily can critically evaluate your document and tell if it's strong enough to land an interview.
At ResumePerk, we help all job-seekers by providing a FREE resume review service. Send us your resume, and the writer will respond you with a detailed evaluation. We will check the use of power words, achievements, structure, length and writing style, providing you with comprehensive feedback. Don't worry - all your personal data is confidential with us.
After you've chosen the best resume action verbs, it's time to polish your Experience section in general. Here's how to describe your work history so that it draws attention:
For each job, include the job title, company's name, and dates of employment. This is the must-have information, so check that you have included everything and spelled the titles correctly. Hiring managers also recommend adding a one-line caption describing the company's industry, number of employees, and key customers/vendors. This will help access your experience more accurately.
Unless you are changing careers, opt for reverse chronological or combination format. List jobs starting with the most recent one and include a detailed list of responsibilities. Employers prefer these formats, as they showcase your career progression.
Using paragraphs on a resume is outdated, moreover, paragraphs look bulky. On the flip side, bulleted lists are easy to read and look through. Format your professional experience in bullets, starting each one with power words. Make sure each bullet is no longer than 1-2 lines. Thus, the reader will easily grasp the key points from your experience.
When listing your achievements and projects, focus on those that are most relevant to your target position. Read the job listing carefully to understand what the employer is looking for, and adapt the job descriptions according to their expectations. You can omit irrelevant duties or obvious facts. If you used industry-specific software or tools, be sure to indicate this either in your job description or a dedicated Skills section.
Add relevant keywords to pass applicant tracking software. You can find these keywords in the job posting and the company's website.
Experts recommend that you include at least one achievement per role. Avoid generic statements like "increased efficiency" or "brought new customers". Here's a good example of a resume accomplishment:
Specific achievements with figures will help you stand out from candidates with similar qualifications. Figures and percentages add credibility to your statements. Plus, based on the achievements, employers can predict your future performance and see you as a desirable person for the team.
Not sure what to list as an achievement? Think about how your efforts positively impacted the company, team, or projects. Specify how many people you managed or trained, how many hours saved for the team, how many clients brought in, or how you helped grow the revenue.
If you received a promotion, got a prestigious industry award or recognition from top management, be sure to include that on your resume as well.
To land more interviews, some candidates add non-existent jobs to their work history or exaggerate their accomplishments. While this strategy can bring results in the short run, remember that employers perform background checks. So, they will quickly find out that you never worked for that company or did not triple the revenue in the first year.
Resume lies can lead to negative consequences, you can even get fired even if you got a job offer, so it's best to be honest.
59% of hiring managers can reject your application if a resume has typos and grammar mistakes. Proofread your Experience section accurately to exclude any errors. Use an online spell checker to streamline the process, or ask a trusted friend or colleague to review your resume for issues. Make sure punctuation is consistent and the document is neatly structured to make a good visual impression.
Using power words can give your resume a quality boost, emphasizing your contribution to previous employers and positioning you as a proactive candidate.
If you're not sure what action verbs to choose or need help describing your experience persuasively, we're here to assist. Work one-on-one with our resume writer who can prepare a strong resume, a customized cover letter, and other documents to help you land more interviews.
Our experienced writers can create a powerful resume suitable for each position. However, you may also request a specific resume depending on the job you are applying for, thus it will be tailored individually for your profession:
Send us your resume for a professional review.
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