Action Verbs for Resumes

I am going to be honest with you for a moment. Is that okay? Too many candidates in the job market today undervalue the importance of a well-written resume. They mistakenly think that the resume is just a job application and not a sales brochure. A resume sells someone about you. yes, the overall presentation and resume format is important. However, it is no mystery that certain words and phrases in the English language call us to action. Action verbs for resumes are very important to you landing the interview. Follow these 3 tips to better improve your wording on your resume.

1. Eliminate the use of “responsible for” all together. If I look at 10 professional resumes I find this phrase in 8 out of the 10. There is nothing compelling about just spouting off what you did everyday. The words that you write on a resume should provide the resume’s impact. This is why action verbs for resumes are so very important.

2. Be very aware of words that will not get caught in the spell check. This is an important point that many people fail to realize is an issue. They trust the spell check in their word processor and they never take the time to read their own resume word for word. Now granted, most potential employers are not going to read your resume like a book, but you still do not want to tarnish your written presentation. Some examples include using knew instead of new, do instead of due, massage instead of message, manger instead of manager, and form instead of from. Be aware of these and always print off your completed resume and read over it two or three times. It is even wise to have someone else read it as you might be reading over the misspelled word every single time you read your own resume.

3. Always use short bullet statements that begin with action verbs. Action verbs sound just like it is stated. They are designed to stir the emotion of the reader and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call. Let me

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share with you some of my favorite action verbs for resumes. Some of my all-time favorite include: executed, accelerated, launched, motivated, built, negotiated, orchestrated, originated, pinpointed, reduced, eliminated, and coordinated. I also like to use this same technique when building cover letters. You can find some good cover letter examples by perusing online.

Remember this: employers are looking for problem solvers and not just another cog in the wheel. Your resume needs to convince them that you are a solution provider and love to take action. If you can do that, you will get more calls for job interviews.