We can all agree that your CV is one of the most crucial tools in your career toolkit, whether you’re applying for a full-time work soon, a seasonal position for additional money to buy holiday gifts, or an internship for next summer.
But are we creating them the right way?
We don’t want potential employers looking at your resume with this reaction!
A resume should highlight your relevant experience and accomplishments, as well as your skills and abilities that are relevant to the job you are seeking. It is important to choose the right type of words for your specific needs and to use clear, concise language and formatting to present yourself in the best light. That’s when the action verbs come into picture.
Action verbs, also known as power words, can help make your resume more dynamic and impactful. Action verbs describe specific tasks, skills, or responsibilities that you have held or achieved, and they can help to make your experience and accomplishments sound more impressive.
By using action verbs effectively, you can make your resume more dynamic and showcase your skills and achievements in a clear and compelling way.
How to use them?
0. Choose strong, specific action verbs:
Instead of using vague or generic words like “worked” or “helped,” try to use more descriptive verbs that accurately reflect the tasks you performed. Some examples of strong action verbs include “developed,” “implemented,” “managed,” “increased,” and “initiated.”
1. Use them at the beginning of bullet points:
Action verbs are most effective when they are used at the beginning of a bullet point, as this helps to grab the reader’s attention and clearly communicate the main point of the sentence.
2. Use active voice:
Use active voice when describing your responsibilities and achievements. For example, “developed a new marketing strategy” is more impactful than “was responsible for developing a new marketing strategy.”
3. Choose a tense
Choose a tense (e.g., past tense or present tense) and stick with it throughout your resume. This helps to create a cohesive narrative and makes your resume easier to read.
Use past tense verbs when describing your responsibilities and achievements in previous positions. For example, “developed a new customer service protocol” is more effective than “develops a new customer service protocol.”
4. Vary your choices:
Don’t use the same action verb repeatedly or in every bullet point.
5. Avoid using “to be” verbs:
“To be” verbs like “is,” “was,” and “were” are generally weaker and less descriptive than action verbs. Try to use action verbs whenever possible to make your resume more active and engaging.
Action verb list:
Here are some examples of action verbs that you can use on your resume:
Hold tight it’s going to be a really long list
- Accomplished
- Achieved
- Adapted
- Administered
- Analyzed
- Assisted
- Built
- Calculated
- Completed
- Conducted
- Conserved
- Constructed
- Contributed
- Coordinated
- Created
- Decreased
- Designed
- Developed
- Directed
- Enhanced
- Executed
- Improved
- Increased
- Influenced
- Initiated
- Innovated
- Instituted
- Led
- Maintained
- Managed
- Moderated
- Monitored
- Operated
- Organized
- Oversaw
- Performed
- Pioneered
- Planned
- Presented
- Produced
- Programmed
- Projected
- Promoted
- Protected
- Provided
- Published
- Reduced
- Rehabilitated
- Represented
- Researched
- Restored
- Reviewed
- Simplified
- Solved
- Specified
- Streamlined
- Studied
- Suggested
- Supervised
- Supported
- Synthesized
- Trained
- Translated
- Upgraded
- Utilized
- Validated
- Wrote
Bonus tips to make your resume stand out:
- Don’t use the same resume for every job you apply to. Tailor your resume to the job or industry you are applying for.
- Don’t use font that is too small or too large. Use a clear and professional font, such as Calibri or Arial.
- Keep your resume concise and to the point, focusing on the most relevant and impressive information.
- Use bullet points to make your resume easy to read and skim.
- Include numbers and statistics. Use measurable results to demonstrate the impact you had in your previous positions.
- Don’t use cluttered or hard-to-read layout. Consider using a resume template to help you organize and format your information.
- Update your resume regularly to reflect your most recent experience and achievements.
- Don’t use an unprofessional email address.
- Don’t forget to save your resume in a professional file name, such as “FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf.”
- Proofread your resume for spelling and grammar errors.
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