Most people’s resumes are boring. I spent 14-years hiring and firing staff within the information technology sector. Over those years, I’ve read thousands of resumes. I threw most of them away within 10 seconds. They were dull and repetitive and most of them put me to sleep. The resumes I kept were impressive. They were tailored to the job opening, were free of typographical errors, and used powerful terminology that captured my interest and spoke highly of the candidate’s qualifications. It takes most hiring managers less than 20 seconds to decide whether or not to consider you for the position. This means your resume needs to put your best foot forward. To do that, make sure you’re using terminology that will resonate. If you want to boost your chances of getting the job, include these 8 power words in your resume today. Read: Your Resume Only Has 6 Seconds to Make It Into the “Yes” Pile (Free Resume Checklist) Boost Your Chances of Getting A Job With These 8 Resume Power Words1. LedThe word “led” implies something powerful. It means that you’re more than just a worker bee. For instance, instead of saying “Responsible for a department of 10 direct reports…”, say “Led a department of 10 direct reports…”. The difference might seem subtle, but using “led” instead of “responsible for” makes a crucial difference. Similar words include “Headed,” “Controlled,” “Chaired,” “Directed,” “Operated,” and “Managed.” 2. ImprovedFind an experience where you played a critical role in making something better and highlight that experience using the word “improved.” This power word is a great way to grab the hiring manager’s attention. They will notice. 3. LaunchedI love this word. Whenever someone used this word on their resume, I always took the extra time to read that portion of the resume closely. For example, instead of saying, “I started a new division…”, say, “I launched a new 25-person software sales division that generated over $2 million in additional annual revenue.” 4. InfluencedThis is an excellent word for those who don’t have direct management experience but want to step into a leadership role. Though you may not have led any direct reports, you might have influenced their direction. Or, maybe you came up with a brilliant idea to save a company money? In that case, you were “Influential in developing a new customer-retention strategy that saved the organizations over $5 million.” It’s a great word to describe your ability to lead without being in a leadership position. 5. TrainedMost businesses love it when employees can directly train other employees. This takes some of the pressure off of management and also implies that you know your job well enough to teach it to someone else. 6. NegotiatedThis term is a brilliant way to describe your ability to make deals happen. Though it may not suit every resume, try to include this term if you have experience working directly with customers, clients, or vendors in business relationships. 7. ResolvedIf you’re a problem-solver, you’re adept at “resolving” problems. This is a great word used to describe your ability to excel in your job role and tackle and fix big problems that organizations face. 8. DesignedThis is a more professional word than “Programmed” or “Built” (depending on the context). Using this term implies well-rounded knowledge and experience. It also means you were involved in the planning and requirements-gathering process, two key qualifications that most companies look for (but may not specifically list on the job opportunity). Bonus: Use keywords from the company’s job description.For instance, if a company uses terms like “forward-thinking,” “innovative,” and “multitasking,” include those terms in your resume. Note that this probably means that you need to tailor your resume for each job opening, which is generally a good habit to get into anyway. The more tailored your resume is for each position, the more likely you will get an interview. Terms to AvoidThose 8 words are excellent terms to include in your resume. But, many buzzwords should be avoided at all costs (unless they were mentioned in the job description). I’ve seen these words repeatedly, and they don’t impress the hiring manager. Trust me. Here are several terms to never include on your resume:
The problem with these words is they don’t tell the hiring manager anything that they don’t already know or assume to be true. And sometimes, the hiring manager may not understand what you are trying to say. For instance, everybody thinks they are “detail-oriented,” don’t they? Especially on a resume. And, nobody really knows what the term “synergies” means when included on most people’s resumes. These are meaningless buzzwords that you should avoid. Including these terms won’t improve your chances of getting a call in for an interview. In fact, they might ensure that your resume gets thrown into the circular repository instead. More Resume Articles
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks. Via https://mylifeiguess.com/resume-power-words/
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
ABOUT USMy Life, I Guess is a personal finance and career blog focusing on what it's like being in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, and surviving unemployment. We also offer advice and support for others in similar situations - including a FREE library of career & job search resources. We help others find jobs, facilitate career changes, and learn about money and self-care. Follow for financial tips, career tips, personal development, and more. Archives
April 2023
Categories |