Crafting a compelling resume goes beyond avoiding tired clichés and misspelled words. The words you choose to showcase your skills, competencies, and credentials play a crucial role in capturing the attention of hiring managers and impressing them from the get-go.
To help you rise above the competition and land that coveted job interview, here is my advice on the best words to use on a resume, enabling you to create a resume that stands out from the rest.
- Numbers: Demonstrate your results-oriented nature and hard work by showcasing specific achievements and quantifiable data. Instead of merely claiming to be excellent at something, prove it with concrete evidence, such as "Grew online sales and revenue by 200% in one year."
- "Redesigned": Incorporate action verbs that highlight your leadership skills and problem-solving abilities. Words like "redesigned" convey your capacity for big-picture thinking and improving processes.
- "Launched": Opt for simple yet powerful words that demonstrate responsibility and have a meaningful impact. "Launched," "solved," "transformed," and "optimized" are action verbs that add value to your resume without resorting to clichés.
- "Modernized": Words like "modernized," "conceived," and "revitalized" showcase your ability to transform work environments and drive positive change, resulting in tangible benefits for your company.
- "Value" or "Valuable": Demonstrate your business mindset by choosing words that show how your activities contribute to the improvement of a company. Terms like "hard-working" fall short in conveying your ability to produce better results. Instead, focus on being productive, adding value, and making progress, as these resonate more with hiring managers.
- "Orchestrated": Instead of using generic terms like "led" or "managed," opt for verbs that vividly illustrate the specific tasks you undertook. "Orchestrated" exemplifies your ability to arrange and direct, captivating the hiring manager and providing a deeper understanding of your accomplishments.
- Get specific: Rather than relying on buzzwords, be specific about the actions and goals you achieved. Highlight the actual work you did, such as tirelessly working to meet an impossible deadline or influencing and improving outcomes. Using precise verbs like "influenced," "improved," and "achieved" ensures clarity about your qualifications.
- Provide examples: Don't just list soft skills; substantiate them with concrete examples. Describe projects, accomplishments, and initiatives that showcase your teamwork, problem-solving, or leadership abilities. Tangible evidence sets you apart from other candidates and lends credibility to your claims.
- Be skimmable: Recognize that recruiters and hiring managers often skim through resumes. Ensure your resume is impactful and easy to navigate, allowing key information to be quickly absorbed. Assume the reader will skim your resume during the interview process and structure it accordingly.
- "Spearheaded": Don't shy away from using strong words that emphasize your level of involvement. Highlight instances where you took the lead and drove projects forward, distinguishing yourself as an instrumental contributor rather than a mere participant.
- "Committed": Demonstrate unwavering dedication and steadfastness in your work, from beginning to end. Dismissing the significance of diction and word choice as inconsequential is a mistake, as managers can glean valuable insights about your aptitude, preparedness, and even leadership abilities from your resume alone. Your choice of words holds substantial weight in conveying your commitment and professional prowess to potential employers.
- "Edit expertly": Reading and revising your resume is just the beginning of the editing process. Improve your word choice by reading your resume out loud. This technique can help catch potential issues before others see it. Additionally, seek the input of a friend or family member from a different industry. If they find your resume confusing, consider refining the wording to enhance clarity.
Word choice is of utmost importance. With limited resume space, every word counts! Highlight your achievements, quantify them whenever possible, and tailor your experiences to align with the target job. It's more effective to delve into fewer projects and responsibilities in greater detail rather than listing every single thing you've ever done. Concentrate on your most recent experiences and edit with the question in mind, 'Does this information directly support my qualifications for this role?' If not, remove it.
Remember, the right choice of words, meticulous editing, and thoughtful tailoring will elevate your resume and set you apart from the competition.
- ????Add a comment and share your thoughts
- ??Share this with a friend (DM, email, social post, etc.)
- ?? Follow me (Melanie Mitchell)
- ???Ring My Bell On my profile to be notified when I post
- #???Follow my hashtag:?#findsucceedachieve?to search old posts.
