One trap that many job seekers fall into is using the same tired verbs over and over again on their resume. One bullet point blends into the next and there is not much to make accomplishments stand out or pack a punch. Why stick with the boring “Responsible for …” that leads into a laundry list of tasks without much support when you can emphasize your abilities in more captivating ways?
Take Ownership
You have worked hard to get where you are, so don’t downplay your accomplishments. If you led a project, make that clear. Start off your sentences with words such as spearheaded, directed, orchestrated, pioneered, or chaired. These verbs can help to emphasize your role and show leadership. At the same time, if you were not the point person, avoid verbs that overinflate your contributions as these discrepancies can come to light during the interview or reference checks.
Show Creativity
Were you the mastermind behind a new project or process? Do you bring your ideas to fruition and implement them into operations? Show your skills by using words such as designed, devised, created, crafted, formulated, strategized, or initiated. You weren’t just implementing what others came up with but taking the lead to develop your own ideas for improvement.
Demonstrate Results
Employers like to see measureable results. Even if you can’t put a specific metric on a project, show that you achieved positive changes. When referring to results, use powerful verbs such as increased, decreased, grew, generated, reduced, maximized, eliminated, capitalized, or expanded. These verbs could be used in reference to financial data, efficiency, customer engagement, or anything else where you are driving change.
Emphasize Change
Along the same lines as demonstrating results, you want to highlight change that you have enacted. Introduce these points with verbs such as reorganized, restructured, streamlined, trained, instructed, coached, consolidated, merged, expanded, launched, replaced, updated, or upgraded. You want to create a more powerful impression that shows you take charge and make improvements.
Watch your Tense
A good rule of thumb is to use past tense for all previous jobs and present tense for current positions. However, it is acceptable to use past tense in your current role if there are projects that you have already completed and are no longer actively working on. You do not have to put these in present tense if they are finished or were once and done events.
Mix It Up
Try to avoid redundancy by starting each bullet point with a different verb. If you get stuck, do a quick Google search or reference a thesaurus. You can find a lot of great synonyms to keep your resume fresh while emphasizing your experience and accomplishments. Your resume should be engaging and interesting to read rather than a dry rehashing of your career history. Be creative and show that you have a way with words as you capture the hiring manager’s attention with your skills. Your word choice could be what helps you stand out from other candidates and leaves a positive impression.
Revamp your resume today with help from the professionals at Chic Resumes. Make each statement pack a punch and more effectively emphasize your qualifications and accomplishments. Contact Chic Resumes today at (803) 831-7444 or resumewriting@grammarchic.net to schedule your consultation and revitalize your boring resume.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.
