120 Powerful Resume Words

120 Powerful Resume Words For Your Next Job

Dictionary, Rich Words, Alternate Words, Resume, Resume Writing, Resume Text, Job Search

One word can indicate and describe many more; use the capability of one word to provide full explanations to crush the size of your resume text but remain rich in information

One of the issues I encounter, as a resume writer, when reviewing amateur job seeker’s resumes are descriptions loaded with subjective, misleading inclusivity, or passive language.  Examples are … performed ‘flawlessly;’ … conducted ‘all’ tasks; or ‘hand-picked’ to be (job title).  Or the resume owner adds filler terms … ‘in order to,’ and unnecessary words – ‘the’ or ‘that’, or ‘subject to all the policies and procedures of…’

One may perform a job to minimum standards, but no one is perfect. You may have completed tasks for which you are responsible, but you haven’t completed ‘all’ the tasks – you are part of a team. You were handpicked, but did you actually do the job?  These phrases and terms are ambiguous and misleading.

Even worse, the job seeker provides minor details about job tasks or talks about what the company does versus what they did.  A resume is supposed to be, first, a synopsis of a job seeker’s most vital achievements in the described position, and second, a teaser for the hiring manager to entice them to bring in the applicant.

Resumes are shorthand descriptions of metrics-based achievements for the company (employer).  Don’t regurgitate the ad words for the posted job. Keep the wording rich. Make one word equate to two, three, or four words.  The following list is power words and action verbs to start a resume bullet. Describe in one word what to hiring managers can interpret as job related achievements. Each of the rich power words should be followed with a brief description linked with a metric to ‘show, not tell.’

Here’s an example of a simple job – waitress – where the resume may initially read: Took food orders, served food, provided sales ticket, operated cash register, bussed tables, cleaned kitchen.  This is boring, and tells the hiring manager you were ‘just a waitress.’ By using power verbs and providing metrics, the hiring manager will be more interested in this candidate. Rewritten example:

  • Responsible for up to five tables, per six hour shift, four nights a week, with an average of two parties per table nightly
  • Served dinner menu to an average of four guests per table, for an average head count of between 25-30 dinner guests per shift, with sales tickets averaging $240 per table
  • Assisted nightly in register close-out, with 100% balanced drawer every shift
  • Bussed tables, cleaned table area (sweep, dust), wrap >100 sets of silverware, and clean >100 square feet of kitchen food station within 30 minutes of closing

This richly worded resume demonstrates the job seeker looking for a dinner waitress job has the proven capability to make the manager’s job easier and solve the problem of finding a qualified, and hard working, candidate.  Recruiters love these rich capability descriptions, and get excited about the metrics.

Use these power words and verbs in the next revision of your resume.  Crush the wording down to a minimum and save your white space to talk about how wonderful you are as a worker.  The more examples you can provide, the better.

 

Power Words 

Insinuation, Implication, and Assumption in Context

Absorbed … able to see where duplicity occurs and analyze where company assets can be better applied with less man-hours or increased productivity, as well as reducing redundancy; took over a duplicative department / staffing; reduced excess
Accelerated … able to creatively speed up processes or productivity
Achieved … accomplished unique goals versus fulfilling rote tasks
Adapted … the ‘same old’ didn’t work anymore, so you moved it up a notch with new tricks or techniques improving productivity or revenue (or decreased overhead); ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking
Advanced … moved (the company) forward in a positive direction achieving strategic objectives and/or goals
Announced … lead or teamed with public relations and marketing to launch new products or services
Appraised … supervised others or procedures where you were the subject matter expert
Assessed … able to analytically look at multiple viewpoints for advantages and disadvantages to the company
Assigned … shouldered new or addition tasking or you supervised others with new job responsibilities
Attained … department or division was able to achieve a milestone based on efforts and supervision/leadership of team
Attracted … marketing efforts brought in additional revenue
Balanced … problematic issues were addressed, solutions found, and resolution created – diplomatic capability
Bargained … saved money or reduced costs within department, division, or company by achieving better contracts
Beneficial … actions and decisions were of a positive nature to co-workers or to the company
Benefited … the company or a part of it moved in a positive direction financially or productivity-wise
Bolstered … exponential improvements to upcoming positive growth that was increased with more involvement
Boosted … revenue or productivity was increased with a ‘swift kick in the you know what’ to get it going again
Budgeted … in charge of money, a position of trust and capability of analysis in financial planning and fund disbursement
Built … you planned, organized, and managed an element for the first time within the organization
Closed … a negative gap or continuous loss was stopped, dammed, or prevented; or plans that were on hold were completed
Collaborated … showcases ability to get along with others, teamwork
Comply … awareness of existing demands or situations; ability to follow instructions or lead others to complete mandated tasks
Conceptualized … thinking out of the box and creatively to resolve or solve concerns or issues creating negative impact on the business
Critiqued … provided feedback and guidance to subordinates: offered constructive ideas to co-workers/supervisors
Delegated … undertook a leadership position to direct and guide others
Demonstrated … provided documentation or proof of capability for work-related responsibilities
Designed … using experience and creativity, provided a solution for a
Detected … awareness of potential issues, hazards, or liabilities to the business that others missed in the past
Developed … capability of building a program, training curriculum, project, from start to finish in a timely manner
Directed … able to delegate tasks to one or more and provide guidance and oversight to accomplishing responsibilities
Efficient … productive without wasting resources, assets, or manpower
Enhanced … took something that was good and made it better
Enriched … added or evolved something to make it produce more revenue, easier to use, more powerful, or reduce man hours
Exceeded … when perfection is demanded, went beyond the ceiling of acceptability
Excelled … when tasked, provided solutions or completion within deadlines far above the minimum standards
Financed … enabled funding for projects
Forecasted … analyzed and projected actions or future business activities to plan for positive or negative outcomes
Formulated … analyzed and developed a way to help others solve a problem, conduct future planning, or provide preventative actions
Fulfilled … capable of completing work, orders, tasks, responsibilities
Generated … produced income, funding, task fulfillment, and positive outcomes
Granted … as the point of contact and decision maker
Guided … delegated actions, provided oversight and leadership
Handled … able to accomplish or complete depth and breadth of tasking and responsibilities within acceptable timelines
Helped … capable of assisting others in addition to primary or secondary job parameters
Hosted … managed a unique set of circumstances, for a varied group size of co-workers or external clients
Implemented … can take a plan and put it in action for positive end-game
Improved … foresight to see potential improvements, and took action to get the improvements completed
Increased … improved revenue or productivity
Influenced … able to communicate in ways that influences others
Initiated … capable of starting actions without reluctance
Innovated … thinks creatively to find unique solutions
Instituted … understands environment and capable of analyzing / starting improvement projects or programs
Integrated … capable of blending, melding, or molding multiple states of existence into a more productive alternative
Introduced … brings in new processes, technology, or procedures to improve work flow or revenue
Investigated … analytical mind with ability to ask for details and obtain results using diplomatic methods and unbiased viewpoints
Justified … intelligently capable of explaining or providing valid points for a decision or action
Lead / Led … able to manage or supervise others in a fair, unbiased manner
Listed … able to get documentation into recognized forums (public or private)
Logged … documentation is available to prove that tasks and responsibilities have been achieved
Maintained … able to sustain momentum or completion of tasks
Managed … leadership qualities with supervisory tasks
Maximized … able to expand the productivity or positive aspects
Measured … analytical skills ensure required metrics
Mentored … capability of training and guiding others to additional work or life skills
Multiplied … increased assets or capabilities with exponential results
Negotiated … able to resolve concerns, obtain approval, influence others
Observed … able to see viewpoints of other’s work
Obtained … capability of attaining assets where others may have failed or creative ways of funding or finding alternative solutions
Operated … carried out responsibilities within a unique set of parameters
Organized … has the capability to plan systematically
Oversaw … has the ability to macro or micro manage without overstepping boundaries at the optimum amount of supervision
Persuaded … able to convince others to perform delegated tasks or responsibilities in a diplomatic or tactful manner
Planned … analyze / outline procedures in a logical manner
Positivity … ensure that environment is motivated
Presented … capable of training, mentoring, preparing to convince, and speak in front of others
Programmed … manage programs and ability to logically set up steps of progression
Projected … able to look into the future to predict actions, business environment, revenue, or assets based on current environment
Promoted … others saw the potential and provided greater responsibilities
Provided … work output enabled others to complete or perform their tasks and responsibilities
Qualified … education and training enabled additional task accomplishments
Quantified … able to analytically compile and provide metrics for work results
Quoted … part of sales team enabling revenue stream
Ran … describes actions that resulted in positive work outcome
Reacted … able to provide actions to certain events as they happen
Recommended … subject matter expertise used within the business environment
Recovered … saved money or prevented losses or waste
Reduced … identifies excess; analyzes and plans actions to eliminate
Refine … can take low-level states and improve upon them
Reinstated … able to put measures, policies, or procedures back into place
Rejected … analytical capabilities allows identification of negative impacts upon business
Responsible … sole person in charge for completing actions, goal setting, and reaching objectives for specific tasks, responsibilities
Retained … observations and SME opinion ensures positive impact environment remains a status quo
Revamp … creative thinking enables positive improvements
Saved … capable of retaining projects / programs when assets are devalued or removed
Scheduled … time management skills enable work productivity
Screened … talented at filtering through elements to identify best options
Secured … obtained funding, assets, or man-power that ensured business success
Segmented … analysis ensured projects, programs, or assets were separated into more productive units
Simplified … deconstruct a cumbersome asset and broke down the elements to more user-friendly environment
Skilled … has the year of hands-on experience that enables completion of tasks and responsibilities with best practice decisions
Solved … problem solver
Spearheaded … leadership capabilities
Streamlined … able to deconstruct programs or projects into simpler elements
Strengthened … provided insight, assets, ideas to improve current elements
Supported … work and responsibilities enabled others, subordinates or supervisors, to better complete their work parameters
Sustained … enabled the status quo by performing to minimum or higher standards
Taught … training, mentoring, or developing curriculum to improve understanding, skills sets, and work environment
Trained … teaching others new skills sets or providing review of past learning
Translated … enable better communications of language, understanding, or protocol to ensure better business interactions internally or externally
Triumphed … enabled the business to win valued awards, business, contracts, or improved revenue against competitors
Troubleshot … problem solver
Tutored … mentoring co-workers one-on-one to ensure business best practice and skill sets
Uncovered … analysis ensured potential issues were exposed and resolved before liabilities occurred
Unified … brought opposing elements together in a diplomatic meeting of the minds in opinion
United … brought competitive elements together to work in conjunction with each other for elevated business productivity
Updated … added new elements that provide better, more modern, productivity
Upgraded … enabled older ‘legacy’ systems, projects, or programs to improve in business environment for greater productivity or revenue
Validated … enabled confirmation of business statistics, planning, reports, special projects, or data
Viewed … reliable observer of processes or procedures
Witnessed … observed unique or vital event affecting business
Worldwide … familiarity with international business community

 

Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting – provides resume writing, social media management and training, business development, human resources consulting, and print-on-demand author coaching and consulting. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com or https://dboyerconsulting.com.

 

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120 Powerful Resume Words

120 Powerful Resume Words For Your Next Job

Dictionary, Rich Words, Alternate Words, Resume, Resume Writing, Resume Text, Job Search

One word can indicate and describe many more; use the capability of one word to provide full explanations to crush the size of your resume text but remain rich in information

One of the issues I encounter, as a resume writer, when reviewing amateur job seeker’s resumes are descriptions loaded with subjective, misleading inclusivity, or passive language.  Examples are … performed ‘flawlessly;’ … conducted ‘all’ tasks; or ‘hand-picked’ to be (job title).  Or the resume owner adds filler terms … ‘in order to,’ and unnecessary words – ‘the’ or ‘that’, or ‘subject to all the policies and procedures of…’

One may perform a job to minimum standards, but no one is perfect. You may have completed tasks for which you are responsible, but you haven’t completed ‘all’ the tasks – you are part of a team. You were handpicked, but did you actually do the job?  These phrases and terms are ambiguous and misleading.

Even worse, the job seeker provides minor details about job tasks or talks about what the company does versus what they did.  A resume is supposed to be, first, a synopsis of a job seeker’s most vital achievements in the described position, and second, a teaser for the hiring manager to entice them to bring in the applicant.

Resumes are shorthand descriptions of metrics-based achievements for the company (employer).  Don’t regurgitate the ad words for the posted job. Keep the wording rich. Make one word equate to two, three, or four words.  The following list is power words and action verbs to start a resume bullet. Describe in one word what to hiring managers can interpret as job related achievements. Each of the rich power words should be followed with a brief description linked with a metric to ‘show, not tell.’

Here’s an example of a simple job – waitress – where the resume may initially read: Took food orders, served food, provided sales ticket, operated cash register, bussed tables, cleaned kitchen.  This is boring, and tells the hiring manager you were ‘just a waitress.’ By using power verbs and providing metrics, the hiring manager will be more interested in this candidate. Rewritten example:

  • Responsible for up to five tables, per six hour shift, four nights a week, with an average of two parties per table nightly
  • Served dinner menu to an average of four guests per table, for an average head count of between 25-30 dinner guests per shift, with sales tickets averaging $240 per table
  • Assisted nightly in register close-out, with 100% balanced drawer every shift
  • Bussed tables, cleaned table area (sweep, dust), wrap >100 sets of silverware, and clean >100 square feet of kitchen food station within 30 minutes of closing

This richly worded resume demonstrates the job seeker looking for a dinner waitress job has the proven capability to make the manager’s job easier and solve the problem of finding a qualified, and hard working, candidate.  Recruiters love these rich capability descriptions, and get excited about the metrics.

Use these power words and verbs in the next revision of your resume.  Crush the wording down to a minimum and save your white space to talk about how wonderful you are as a worker.  The more examples you can provide, the better.

 

Power Words 

Insinuation, Implication, and Assumption in Context

Absorbed … able to see where duplicity occurs and analyze where company assets can be better applied with less man-hours or increased productivity, as well as reducing redundancy; took over a duplicative department / staffing; reduced excess
Accelerated … able to creatively speed up processes or productivity
Achieved … accomplished unique goals versus fulfilling rote tasks
Adapted … the ‘same old’ didn’t work anymore, so you moved it up a notch with new tricks or techniques improving productivity or revenue (or decreased overhead); ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking
Advanced … moved (the company) forward in a positive direction achieving strategic objectives and/or goals
Announced … lead or teamed with public relations and marketing to launch new products or services
Appraised … supervised others or procedures where you were the subject matter expert
Assessed … able to analytically look at multiple viewpoints for advantages and disadvantages to the company
Assigned … shouldered new or addition tasking or you supervised others with new job responsibilities
Attained … department or division was able to achieve a milestone based on efforts and supervision/leadership of team
Attracted … marketing efforts brought in additional revenue
Balanced … problematic issues were addressed, solutions found, and resolution created – diplomatic capability
Bargained … saved money or reduced costs within department, division, or company by achieving better contracts
Beneficial … actions and decisions were of a positive nature to co-workers or to the company
Benefited … the company or a part of it moved in a positive direction financially or productivity-wise
Bolstered … exponential improvements to upcoming positive growth that was increased with more involvement
Boosted … revenue or productivity was increased with a ‘swift kick in the you know what’ to get it going again
Budgeted … in charge of money, a position of trust and capability of analysis in financial planning and fund disbursement
Built … you planned, organized, and managed an element for the first time within the organization
Closed … a negative gap or continuous loss was stopped, dammed, or prevented; or plans that were on hold were completed
Collaborated … showcases ability to get along with others, teamwork
Comply … awareness of existing demands or situations; ability to follow instructions or lead others to complete mandated tasks
Conceptualized … thinking out of the box and creatively to resolve or solve concerns or issues creating negative impact on the business
Critiqued … provided feedback and guidance to subordinates: offered constructive ideas to co-workers/supervisors
Delegated … undertook a leadership position to direct and guide others
Demonstrated … provided documentation or proof of capability for work-related responsibilities
Designed … using experience and creativity, provided a solution for a
Detected … awareness of potential issues, hazards, or liabilities to the business that others missed in the past
Developed … capability of building a program, training curriculum, project, from start to finish in a timely manner
Directed … able to delegate tasks to one or more and provide guidance and oversight to accomplishing responsibilities
Efficient … productive without wasting resources, assets, or manpower
Enhanced … took something that was good and made it better
Enriched … added or evolved something to make it produce more revenue, easier to use, more powerful, or reduce man hours
Exceeded … when perfection is demanded, went beyond the ceiling of acceptability
Excelled … when tasked, provided solutions or completion within deadlines far above the minimum standards
Financed … enabled funding for projects
Forecasted … analyzed and projected actions or future business activities to plan for positive or negative outcomes
Formulated … analyzed and developed a way to help others solve a problem, conduct future planning, or provide preventative actions
Fulfilled … capable of completing work, orders, tasks, responsibilities
Generated … produced income, funding, task fulfillment, and positive outcomes
Granted … as the point of contact and decision maker
Guided … delegated actions, provided oversight and leadership
Handled … able to accomplish or complete depth and breadth of tasking and responsibilities within acceptable timelines
Helped … capable of assisting others in addition to primary or secondary job parameters
Hosted … managed a unique set of circumstances, for a varied group size of co-workers or external clients
Implemented … can take a plan and put it in action for positive end-game
Improved … foresight to see potential improvements, and took action to get the improvements completed
Increased … improved revenue or productivity
Influenced … able to communicate in ways that influences others
Initiated … capable of starting actions without reluctance
Innovated … thinks creatively to find unique solutions
Instituted … understands environment and capable of analyzing / starting improvement projects or programs
Integrated … capable of blending, melding, or molding multiple states of existence into a more productive alternative
Introduced … brings in new processes, technology, or procedures to improve work flow or revenue
Investigated … analytical mind with ability to ask for details and obtain results using diplomatic methods and unbiased viewpoints
Justified … intelligently capable of explaining or providing valid points for a decision or action
Lead / Led … able to manage or supervise others in a fair, unbiased manner
Listed … able to get documentation into recognized forums (public or private)
Logged … documentation is available to prove that tasks and responsibilities have been achieved
Maintained … able to sustain momentum or completion of tasks
Managed … leadership qualities with supervisory tasks
Maximized … able to expand the productivity or positive aspects
Measured … analytical skills ensure required metrics
Mentored … capability of training and guiding others to additional work or life skills
Multiplied … increased assets or capabilities with exponential results
Negotiated … able to resolve concerns, obtain approval, influence others
Observed … able to see viewpoints of other’s work
Obtained … capability of attaining assets where others may have failed or creative ways of funding or finding alternative solutions
Operated … carried out responsibilities within a unique set of parameters
Organized … has the capability to plan systematically
Oversaw … has the ability to macro or micro manage without overstepping boundaries at the optimum amount of supervision
Persuaded … able to convince others to perform delegated tasks or responsibilities in a diplomatic or tactful manner
Planned … analyze / outline procedures in a logical manner
Positivity … ensure that environment is motivated
Presented … capable of training, mentoring, preparing to convince, and speak in front of others
Programmed … manage programs and ability to logically set up steps of progression
Projected … able to look into the future to predict actions, business environment, revenue, or assets based on current environment
Promoted … others saw the potential and provided greater responsibilities
Provided … work output enabled others to complete or perform their tasks and responsibilities
Qualified … education and training enabled additional task accomplishments
Quantified … able to analytically compile and provide metrics for work results
Quoted … part of sales team enabling revenue stream
Ran … describes actions that resulted in positive work outcome
Reacted … able to provide actions to certain events as they happen
Recommended … subject matter expertise used within the business environment
Recovered … saved money or prevented losses or waste
Reduced … identifies excess; analyzes and plans actions to eliminate
Refine … can take low-level states and improve upon them
Reinstated … able to put measures, policies, or procedures back into place
Rejected … analytical capabilities allows identification of negative impacts upon business
Responsible … sole person in charge for completing actions, goal setting, and reaching objectives for specific tasks, responsibilities
Retained … observations and SME opinion ensures positive impact environment remains a status quo
Revamp … creative thinking enables positive improvements
Saved … capable of retaining projects / programs when assets are devalued or removed
Scheduled … time management skills enable work productivity
Screened … talented at filtering through elements to identify best options
Secured … obtained funding, assets, or man-power that ensured business success
Segmented … analysis ensured projects, programs, or assets were separated into more productive units
Simplified … deconstruct a cumbersome asset and broke down the elements to more user-friendly environment
Skilled … has the year of hands-on experience that enables completion of tasks and responsibilities with best practice decisions
Solved … problem solver
Spearheaded … leadership capabilities
Streamlined … able to deconstruct programs or projects into simpler elements
Strengthened … provided insight, assets, ideas to improve current elements
Supported … work and responsibilities enabled others, subordinates or supervisors, to better complete their work parameters
Sustained … enabled the status quo by performing to minimum or higher standards
Taught … training, mentoring, or developing curriculum to improve understanding, skills sets, and work environment
Trained … teaching others new skills sets or providing review of past learning
Translated … enable better communications of language, understanding, or protocol to ensure better business interactions internally or externally
Triumphed … enabled the business to win valued awards, business, contracts, or improved revenue against competitors
Troubleshot … problem solver
Tutored … mentoring co-workers one-on-one to ensure business best practice and skill sets
Uncovered … analysis ensured potential issues were exposed and resolved before liabilities occurred
Unified … brought opposing elements together in a diplomatic meeting of the minds in opinion
United … brought competitive elements together to work in conjunction with each other for elevated business productivity
Updated … added new elements that provide better, more modern, productivity
Upgraded … enabled older ‘legacy’ systems, projects, or programs to improve in business environment for greater productivity or revenue
Validated … enabled confirmation of business statistics, planning, reports, special projects, or data
Viewed … reliable observer of processes or procedures
Witnessed … observed unique or vital event affecting business
Worldwide … familiarity with international business community

 

Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting – provides resume writing, social media management and training, business development, human resources consulting, and print-on-demand author coaching and consulting. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com or https://dboyerconsulting.com.

 



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