By Laura Brothers
As you sit down to write or update your resume, you will probably find yourself reaching for the same words over and over again. We get it, you managed people, resources and teams. You planned calendars and meetings. You developed a project. But there have to be better words than the ones you (and everyone else) constantly use to describe yourself and your work experience.
So next time you want to talk about a win at work or your attitude when working on a project, try using one of these resume buzzwords instead. Below are a few examples of how to swap mainstream words with some unique ones:
Manage → Direct/Lead/Guide
Example: Led a team of 10 people, providing insight and guidance on marketing strategies.
Develop → Hone/Galvanize
Example: Honed my pitching skills by listening and participating in 15 client calls per month.
Plan → Arrange/Organize/Launch/Execute
Example: Organized a weekly email that brought multiple teams on the same page about cross-functional projects.
Collaborate → Unite/Integrate
Example: Unified two teams in order to accomplish a large project.
Other Words to Use to Describe Your Work:
-Enact
-Propel
-Spearhead
-Specialize
-Ideate
-Compile
-Resolve
-Execute
-Cultivate
Other Words to Use to Describe Yourself:
-Seasoned
-Adept
-Eager
-Inventive
-Motivated
-Efficient
-Diligent
As you start to implement some of these words into your brand new resume, remember these three things:
Make Yourself Stand Out
Use words that mean the same thing but are slightly different and more sophisticated. Recruiters skim multiple resumes in one sitting, so seeing a variation in verbiage will catch their attention — plus it’s automatic brownie points.
Always Use Action Verbs
Never, ever use passive voice, especially on a resume. Use action verbs (like the ones above) to show exactly the impact your specific action had on the end result.
Show Results
To that end, show how your work directly impacted the business/team/outcome using numbers. Quantifying your accomplishments makes them much stronger, and remember, you’re building a case for why someone should hire you.
Keep these words — and tips! — in mind the next time you update your resume and up your chances of catching the recruiter’s eye.
