Writing a winning resume is similar to producing an advertisement that actually makes consumers purchase the product, because in reality what you're doing when writing a resume is actually selling yourself to an employer.
Your resume must contain good resume words; these are used to capture the reader/ hiring manager to actually consider you for the position. Like TV ads you are given a limited time to convince a potential employer that you are qualified for a position.
The most important aspect of selecting the words to use in a resume is to make your content engaging and convincing. This can be achieved by using power resume words, like using action verbs that portray action instead of just regular adjectives describing your characteristics.
You need to incorporate these words in a way that shows your accomplishments and your previous experiences, an example of this is to write about what you have done, created, written, designed, achieved, solved and other accomplishments.
Let me show you a list of powerful verbs you can use in your resume, you can choose words from list to use in your resume to highlight your qualifications.
| Acted | Clarified | Dispatched | Identified | Operated | Repaired |
| Adapted | Classified | Drafted | Illustrated | Organized | Represented |
| Addressed | Coached | Edited | Implemented | Originated | Restored |
| Administered | Collaborated | Educated | Improved | Overhauled | Retrieved |
| Advised | Collected | Enabled | Increased | Oversaw | Revitalized |
| Advocated | Communicated | Encouraged | Influenced | Performed | Scheduled |
| Allocated | Compiled | Engineered | Informed | Persuaded | Screened |
| Analyzed | Computed | Enlisted | Initiated | Pioneered | Setgoals |
| Appraised | Conceptualized | Established | Inspected | Planned | Shaped |
| Approved | Consolidated | Evaluated | Instituted | Prepared | Solved |
| Arbitrated | Contracted | Examined | Instructed | Prioritized | Spearheaded |
| Arranged | Convinced | Executed | Interpreted | Processed | Specified |
| Assembled | Coordinated | Expanded | Interviewed | Produced | Spoke |
| Assessed | Corresponded | Expedited | Introduced | Programmed | Stimulated |
| Assigned | Counseled | Explained | Invented | Projected | Strengthened |
| Assisted | Created | Extracted | Investigated | Promoted | Summarized |
| Attained | Customized | Fabricated | Lectured | Publicized | Supervised |
| Audited | Delegated | Facilitated | Maintained | Purchased | Surveyed |
| Authored | Demonstrated | Familiarized | Managed | Recommended | Tabulated |
| Balanced | Demystified | Fashioned | Marketed | Reconciled | Trained |
| Budgeted | Designed | Forecasted | Mediated | Recorded | Transformed |
| Built | Developed | Formulated | Moderated | Recruited | Translated |
| Calculated | Devised | Founded | Monitored | Referred | Upgraded |
| Catalogued | Diagnosed | Generated | Motivated | Rehabilitated | Validated |
| Chaired | Directed | Guided | Negotiated | Remodeled | Wrote |
| Analyzed | Balanced | Capitalized | Coordinated | Documented | Expanded |
| Implemented | Mentored | Optimized | Proved | Pestructured | Spearheaded |
| Synthesized | Utilized | Volunteered | Widened | Withstood |
It is very important that you use these verbs in describing what you are capable of, and to show what you can do for a company. Quantify your qualifications, state the facts, you could also include samples of your work if possible, further proving your worth to the company.
Using these power words in your resume will prove invaluable in you landing the job. Most large companies today implement programs to scan through multiple resumes to search and filter out specific words and phrases in your resume to select the most qualified applicant suited for the position.
These programs usually search for action verbs that portray accomplishments requiring specific skills to achieve.
Even if you can convince the machine you still would need to convince the hiring manager before you can be selected for the job, so always remember that your goal here to sell yourself, use these words to engage and inform your employer of the achievements you have done and your potential to perform as well if not better if you are hired.
Show them that your worth it, and that they will not regret the decision if they hire you.
