Resume Power Words: 120 Words That Will Get You Hired
Resume power words are strong action verbs and descriptive adjectives that can enhance your resume and make it more impactful and compelling to potential employers. These words help to demonstrate your skills, accomplishments, and experiences in a dynamic and engaging way. Using resume power words can help you stand out from other candidates and create a positive impression.
Table of Contents:
- What are resume power words?
- Strategies for using powerful words in your resume
- What types of power words are best for your resume?
- How to choose job-related power words?
- List of resume power words
What are resume power words?
Resume power words are action verbs or descriptive phrases that are used in resumes to highlight achievements, skills, and experiences. These words are chosen to make a strong impact on the reader and convey a sense of accomplishment and capability. Resume power words help to grab the attention of hiring managers and recruiters, making the resume more engaging and memorable. They can be used to describe various aspects of a candidate’s professional background, such as leadership, problem-solving, communication, organization, and more.
Strategies for using powerful words in your resume
To effectively use powerful words in your resume, consider the following strategies:
- Tailor your words to the job description: Analyze the job posting and identify the key skills and qualifications required. Use powerful words that align with those specific requirements to demonstrate your suitability for the role.
- Start bullet points with action verbs: Begin each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong action verb. This not only grabs the reader’s attention but also conveys a sense of accomplishment and proactivity. For example, instead of saying “Assisted with project management,” use “Coordinated and executed project management tasks.”
- Quantify your achievements: Whenever possible, provide specific details and quantify your accomplishments. This adds credibility and demonstrates the impact of your work. For instance, instead of saying “Contributed to sales growth,” say “Achieved a 30% increase in sales within six months.”
- Use industry-specific buzzwords: Incorporate relevant industry-specific buzzwords and terminology to showcase your familiarity with the field. This helps to establish your expertise and understanding of the industry.
- Highlight transferable skills: If you are transitioning to a new industry or role, emphasize transferable skills that are applicable to the position. Use powerful words to showcase how your skills can be effectively utilized in the new context.
- Be concise and impactful: Use powerful words to convey your achievements and responsibilities concisely. Avoid using generic or overused words and focus on specific, impactful language that sets you apart from other candidates.
What types of power words are best for your resume?
When it comes to choosing power words for your resume, it’s important to select words that effectively highlight your skills, achievements, and qualifications. Here are some types of power words that are commonly used in resumes:
- Action verbs: Action verbs are dynamic words that convey a sense of action and accomplishment. They help to demonstrate your proactive approach and showcase your achievements. Examples of action verbs include “achieved,” “implemented,” “led,” “managed,” “developed,” and “resolved.”
- Results-Oriented Words: These words emphasize the outcomes and results of your actions. They showcase your ability to deliver tangible results and make an impact. Examples include “increased,” “improved,” “generated,” “optimized,” “maximized,” and “accelerated.”
- Leadership Words: Leadership words highlight your ability to lead and manage teams, projects, or initiatives. They demonstrate your leadership skills and ability to take charge. Examples include “mentored,” “guided,” “supervised,” “orchestrated,” “influenced,” and “delegated.”
- Communication Words: These words showcase your strong communication skills, both written and verbal. They highlight your ability to effectively convey information, collaborate, and build relationships. Examples include “presented,” “negotiated,” “persuaded,” “collaborated,” “facilitated,” and “corresponded.”
- Problem-Solving Words: These words demonstrate your ability to identify and solve problems. They showcase your critical thinking and analytical skills. Examples include “analyzed,” “diagnosed,” “resolved,” “innovated,” “troubleshooted,” and “optimized.”
How to choose job-related power words?
When putting your resume together, focus on relevant experience first. Also, only include power words that relate to the position you are applying to. For example, including your experience with gardening will hardly help you land a sales position.
To identify relevant power words, read through the job description a few times. Focus on the requirements and company values and pay attention to how they are worded. Then, use similar language to describe your experience or skills. For example, the job description may include: “Develop and track performance and compile reports.” On your resume, you should then tweak that and relate it to your specific skills. You may describe your experience as “Monitored and compiled staff performance and sales reports.” By including job-specific power words, you will prove your field knowledge and make your resume stand out.
List of resume power words
Power words for administrative
- Achieve
- Advise
- Analyze
- Assist
- Check
- Complete
- Create
- Delivery
- Develop
- Edit
- Ensure
- Generate
- Help
- Improve
- Keep
- Manage
- Measure
- Monitor
- Operate
- Order
- Organize
- Plan
- Process
- Produce
- Provide
- Report
- Review
- Schedule
- Work
- Write
Best power words for leadership
- Allocate
- Approve
- Assess
- Assign
- Assert
- Authorize
- Chair
- Consolidate
- Convince
- Coordinate
- Cultivate
- Delegate
- Direct
- Encourage
- Enforce
- Guide
- Head
- Hire
- Inspire
- Lead
- Manage
- Monitor
- Motivate
- Orchestrate
- Oversee
- Recommended
- Resolve
- Run
- Supervise
- Teach
Power words for teamwork
- Acknowledge
- Arouse
- Assemble
- Balance
- Brainstorm
- Budget
- Coach
- Compile
- Collaborate
- Contribute
- Coordinate
- Cultivate
- Develop
- Demonstrate
- Distribute
- Embraced
- Fix
- Identify
- Implement
- Innovate
- Launch
- Organize
- Participate
- Prepare
- Resolve
- Represent
- Sanction
- Supervise
- Verify
- Wove
30 Power words for customer service
- Accommodate
- Advertise
- Assist
- Answer
- Advantage
- Assure
- Boost
- Build
- Communicate
- Change
- Charming
- Clever
- Comfortable
- Deliver
- Distribute
- Document
- Enhance
- Earn
- Exhibit
- Explain
- Handle
- Help
- Interact
- Listen
- Promote
- Resolve
- Support
- Target
- Welcome
- Win
Using power words can improve the first impression your resume makes. Choose from the list above to make your resume come alive and become more attractive. Remember to replace most repetitive or generic words with strong action verbs. This can make the difference between getting lost in a pile of other applicants and getting invited for an interview.