50+ Power Words That Make Your Resume Stand Out to Employers
We all know the undeniable power of words. A word can breathe life into you, motivate you to reach new heights or put you down in no time. That's why we pick words carefully when communicating with co-workers, boss and people outside of work. We know that our choice of vocabulary heavily influences the way we are perceived by others, the impression we make as well as the success of our communication.
When it comes to writing your resume, the descriptive words you choose to use eventually determine its success as well. Paradoxically, the same information in resume given in other words can totally change the HR's perception of the candidate. Before you send out your resume, make sure you've used the strongest words possible to highlight your accomplishment and focus the HR's attention on your key selling points.
Descriptive words and action verbs you use on a resume not only influence the recruiter's impression about you, but also help you pass the ATS filters. Below, you will find powerful resume words that impress hiring managers and strengthen your professional image. Learn how harness the power of words to impress recruiters and secure more interviews today.
Master List of the Best Words to Use on Your Resume
To help you choose power words that will take your resume to the next level, we've prepared the top 15 must-have words for your resume. These standout resume words and phrases will illustrate your impact, give a clearer picture of your achievements, and help you sound assertive.
Achieved
Among the good words to use on resume, achieved is the #1 because it signifies your professiona accomplishments. This word instantly captures the hiring manager's attention, helping communicate the results you delivered for the previous employer, be it an increase in sales, cost reduction, or fixing something. It highlights your focus on the result and the willingness to do even more for a future employer. If you're not sure what your accomplishments are and how to illustrate them better on your resume, hire our resume writer to have your career beautifully presented on paper.
Redesigned
The word redesigned signals two major traits employers value: leadership and ability to transform company processes. It is particularly recommended to use on middle to top level management and engineering/IT resume. This word showcases your ability to see the big picture and use the problem solving skills to improve processes and procedures. Moreover, it demonstrates that you have a clear vision of how to improve things, which is important in a leader.
Launched
If you were the one who stood behind the release of successful product from the concept phase, why do you need to be shy about it? And the second thing which shouldn't be done is diminishing your contribution by using weak action verbs such as ‘was responsible for'. Use one of the power words for cv which are simple but highlight your personal contribution at a glance. Words like launched, optimized, organize work great for showing your responsibility. Are you ready to take personal responsibility for your future career?
Trained or mentored
Most of strong action verbs are aimed at maximizing your personal competence and impact. Nevertheless, the ability to supervise and mentor others (either new team members or those from other departments) is valued highly by employers. It means that you are competent enough to share your expertise and communicative enough to be heard and understood. Moreover, it means that you're willing to take responsibility for others and success of the team. But, more importantly, 47% of hiring managers surveyed stated they would like to see these verbs on candidate's resume
Modernized
Just like redesigned, this word is used to showcase your practical impact on the department or the entire company. It assures the hiring manager that you had the vision and leadership necessary to initiate the change, implement it and gain measurable result in form of higher revenue, new customers, new process or procedures, etc. As soon as you add this word to your resume, nobody will say it lacks accomplishments, as employees capable of conducting modernization are rare treasures. Your resume might need modernization, too.
Volunteered
Volunteered is one of the standout resume words even though it has nothing to do with paid experience. The fact that you volunteered to do something - either for the charitable organization or your previous employer - shows that a paycheck isn't your only motivator, and you are driven to contribute your efforts towards a bigger goal. Plus, volunteering and community projects convey such compelling quailties as strong work ethics and reliability, which are the traits of a perfect employee.
Orchestrated
Orchestrated is a strong alternative to led and managed which are much overused on an average candidate's resume. And, although it sounds less-than-typical for a business document, don't be afraid to use it on your resume. A strong verb like this highlights your ability to concentrate the power over all aspects of management and direction in your hands and deliver desired results. Followed by a solid statement, i.e. Orchestrated an advertising campaign resulting in increased brand recognition and 20% revenue growth it can work wonders on your resume.
Created or initiated
These power words describe the creative process you contributed to. Maybe, you came up with a new idea for the marketing campaign, did something great from scratch, or suggested the initiative that improved the work of the entire department. It takes initiative and analytical thinking to transform an idea into a viable action plan, so the fact that you created something is something that hiring managers respect. Emphasize your contribution with these descriptive words.
Communicated
Verbal and written communication is one of the most sought-after skills in job postings. If you can foster open communication within the company and with clients, connect with people from diverse backgrounds, and clearly articulate your point, it makes you an invaluable employee in any industry. In addition to starting a bullet point with Communicated, you can also use Negotiated, actively listened, and provided constructive feedback – depending on what your responsibilities involved.
Revenue/profit/under budget
Make sure to use power words and phrases like budget or revenue to demonstrate financial impact you've made. Your ability to manage a limited amount of money or other resources will surely draw the attention. The major reason to mention the financial outcome, even if your job has nothing to do with finance, is demonstrating your business orientation. Highlighting revenue growth or cost reduction will help you look like an individual who is aimed at achieving tangible results and brings value to the company.
Spearheaded
Participation in a group project or activity should be reflected on your resume with the use of strong verbs as well. Often, applicants see the fact of participation as the excuse to shy away from their real contribution. Instead, choose the verbs which will highlight your active role and willingness to take leadership and be initiative. Spearheaded, initiated and facilitated are good examples.
Improved
Improved sounds like a softer alternative for redesigned and modernized. Yet, it is worth including on your resume. It sounds especially well with minor or non-technical accomplishments, when your initiative and effort helped something work better. Improved indicates your focus on making the difference to how things work rather than just do things within your scope of responsibilities. Along with trained, this word is also one of the top cv power words hiring managers expect to see on a successful candidate's resume. Is it your resume that needs improvement? Check the expert tips on how to format your resume to improve its visual appearance and readability.
Dedicated
The candidate's accomplishments, leadership abilities and willingness to improve and modernize processes matter a lot. Nevertheless, what also matters for hiring managers is your dedication to the company's success and not only your focus on advancing your career. And, to achieve that, using dedicated or committed is highly recommended. Just like with all of the above good words for a cv, these two shouldn't be isolated – i.e. statement committed to project success sounds fluffy if not supported by facts. However, if used right, these two good words to use in cv can transform the tone of voice of your resume and show your positive work attitude and dedication.
Resolved
Does the prospective job requires troubleshooting skills? If so, you can easily highlight them with this verb. Resolving customer complaints, workplace conflicts and technical issues of any kind takes initiative, soft skills and utmost knowledge of subject matter. Moreover, it screams your ability to work independently and troubleshoot as any issue arises, which is a rare quality valued by managers of any level. Looking like a ‘go-getter' rather than ‘do-er' adds you points in comparison with other candidates, so add resolved or troubleshot if you have the relevant experience.
Won
If you won an annual company award, an industry contest or your performance gained recognition in any other way, be sure to let the hiring managers know. Everyone likes hiring stars, especially for the roles that require customer cooperation, development or complex products or extensive contact with public. If you didn't actually win the competition, awarded or nominated are worth mentioning in your resume as well. All good action verbs encourage you to add more detail, so it goes without saying that this word should be followed by the name of organization/contest and figures, if any.
Not sure which resume impact words to choose to strengthen your resume? Get personalized resume help from our writer. Work one-on-one with a resume consultant who will emphasize your skills, showcase achievements, use the best format and pick the powerful words to help you beat the competition.
How to use power words on your resume
Simply picking the power words which appeal to you is not enough. Here's how to use them to make your resume shine:
- Start your bullet points with action verbs. When your job description starts with orchestrated or designed rather than led or was responsible for, it makes the difference for a reader in no time. Longer and high-impact words catch the reader's attention, thus securing you more chances that your resume will be read. As you probably know, each bullet point should be no longer than 1-2 lines, with 5-6 bullets for each job you had.
- Add numbers and context. If your resume says "Initiated a new transition project", it won't impress the reader much. However, if you write "Initiated the transition to a new content management system that reduced posting time by 20% and streamlined further content updates", it is likely to get the recruiter intersted. Be as specific as possible - add figures, description of the situation, and more details for context.
- Use easy-to-read formatting. Whether you like it or not, your resume in 2018 needs to be skimmable, i.e. easy to look through and navigate the necessary details. Even if it's perfectly written and informative but formatted as one plain block of text, hiring manager is unlikely to read it as they're too busy. Career experts recommend that you use bulleted lists, indents, and plenty of white space – no more than 300-400 words per page.
- Make it focused. Must-have words help you strengthen your resume, but you also need to take care of the rest of the text. It's no surprise that targeted resumes are the most effective ones; so be sure to adapt resume content for the specific job posting. Before including something in your resume, ask yourself: “Does it help me sell my skills as the best candidate for the role? Will it help me get the job?” And, if the answer is no, cut it away.
Resume Verbs and Adjectives That Make You Sound Like a Top Candidate
Resume action verbs are the words you use at the beginning of each bullet point when you speak about your responsibilities or achievements. Another type of words your resume will benefit from are adjectives. The key difference between resume verbs and adjectives is that adjectives describe your personality and attitude at work, for example, dependable, proactive, or driven.
Use powerful adjectives to accurately describe your strengths in the resume summary or objective and a cover letter. Adjectives are also the best words for interview where you need not only to list your skills, but also to give a sense of your personality. Unlike the resume verbs, adjectives should be used sparingly, otherwise your resume summary will sound cliche.
Other Words for Objective on Resume: How to Rephrase and Stand Out
An objective statement is the first paragraph in the resume where you briefly describe yourself and what type of role you're targeting. However, having the objective statement is considered out of date these days. It's best to replace it with the summary that focuses more on the needs of the employer rather than yours.
Other words for objective on resume include:
- Summary
- Career summary
- Summary of qualifications
- Career profile
- Personal statement.
As you update the section title, rewrite the objective content as well. Use power words to describe your key achievements and strengths to the employer quickly. You can start the summary with an adjective and then use action verbs as you illustrate your areas of expertise. Make your summary section 3-4 sentences to keep it focused and catchy for the reader. Include important credentials or achievements early on to quickly communicate your value as an employee.
Must-Haves in a Resume That Recruiters Actually Want to See
Choosing power words is only the first step in writing a persuasive resume that generates interviews. To make sure your resume makes the right impression on a recruter, check that it contains all the must-haves that employers look for. Here's a breakdown of what your resume must include:
- A catchy summary statement. Your summary is an elevator pitch - if you can grasp the recruiter's attention from the first seconds, you have a great chance for success.
- Neat and organized structure. The resume should use a consistent formatting and clean layout, making the document comfortable to read and locate the important details.
- Recent and relevant experience. List jobs reverse chronologically so that your most recent experience is near the top. Hiring managers are mostly interested in your recent jobs and projects. If you don't have paid experience yet, put education near the top.
- Accomplishments. Add at least 1-2 achievements with number for each role you had. Quantifying your achievements shows that you are proactive, result-oriented, and eager to make a contribution. Moreover, it's the achievements that distinguish you from other similar candidates.
- Professional language. Use power words, spell out abbreviations, and make sure that everyone can understand your resume content. Avoid slang or too complex jargon.
- Skills. Many recruiters pay attention to your Skills section in the first place. Format your skills as a bulleted list, including both hard and soft skills for the best impact.
How to Insert Good Words Into Your Microsoft Word Resume
Once you’ve chosen the best words to use on your resume, it’s time to apply them in your document. If you’re building your resume in Microsoft Word, here are a few tips to make your power words stand out effectively:
- Start each bullet with a power word. Open Microsoft Word, go to your Experience section, and rewrite your bullets starting with strong action verbs like Orchestrated, Achieved, or Spearheaded.
- Keep formatting clear. Use bullet points, consistent font, and spacing to make sure your impactful wording is easy to read.
- Save with a clear file name. For example, "Resume-Jane-Smith-Marketing.docx", so hiring managers can easily find and remember your resume.
Looking for templates? Our team offers free Google Docs resume templates to help you structure your achievements and choose the best words to describe yourself. Get started today!
How to Find the Best Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
To choose words that best describe you in a resume or during a job interview, follow these strategies:
- Follow the job posting. If the company is looking for someone who is proactive, dependable, and focused on delivering specific results, use these words in your self-presentation.
- Reflect on your strengths. Before writing your resume, think about your biggest strengths, what others admire about you, what your supervisors praise most about your performance, and details like these. Write it down on paper and you'll find it easier to look for a word that best describes you.
- Use words to describe values. When describing yourself in a cover letter or resume, use adjectives and action words to talk about your values, for example, integrity, accountability, dependability, respect, empathy, or transparency.
- Avoid buzzwords. When writing a resume, avoid overused buzzwords, such as hard worker, go-getter, responsible for, synergy, or thought leader. They are used so often that their original meaning means nothing to recruiters.
By adding strong words as suggested above, you can significantly improve your resume content and make it persuasive for recruiters.
The difference between resume action words vs. keywords
When writing a resume on their own, job-seekers often confuse between action verbs (also referred to as strong resume words) and keywords. A career coach from our company is going to describe you the difference below.
Action words, or power verbs, are verbs used at the beginning of each bullet point. People use resume action words to describe one's job duties in previous jobs, professional achievements, and in a resume summary. The purpose of these powerful resume words is to highlight your contribution and impact on the processes.
Their purpose of resume keywords is to get your resume through an applicant tracking system that is used in the hiring process. This software scans the resume for education, qualifications and specific skills that matter for a specific job description. The more keywords a resume has, the higher is your chance to get shortlisted for a dream job.
Resume keywords can be found in job postings, and most job-seekers copy them from there. The resume examples of keywords are: “Bachelor's degree in Bioengineering”, “project management”, and “team player”.
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Additional FAQ: Boost Your Resume Strategy
What are resume buzzwords to avoid?
Resume buzzwords to avoid include vague phrases like “hardworking,” “team player,” and “go-getter.” Instead, use specific action verbs and measurable achievements to make your resume more impactful.
How do I improve my resume wording to impress hiring managers?
To improve your resume wording, focus on action-driven phrases, power words, and measurable achievements. This shows recruiters exactly how you added value in previous roles.
What are some resume headline examples that grab attention?
Examples include “Award-Winning Marketing Expert” or “Sales Manager with 10+ Years Driving Revenue Growth.” A strong resume headline highlights your unique value in one sentence.
What are resume summary adjectives and why are they important?
Resume summary adjectives like “dynamic,” “dedicated,” or “innovative” help create a powerful first impression in your resume summary. Use them to reinforce your professional identity.
How do I craft a winning resume with professional vocabulary?
Craft a winning resume by using industry-relevant terms, action verbs, and results-focused language. Avoid generic phrases and tailor your wording to each job description.
What words can boost your resume visibility in search results?
Use keywords from the job description, power verbs, and skills-specific terms to boost your resume’s ATS compatibility and visibility to recruiters.