There are many do's and don'ts when it comes to writing your resume, but one major do that career experts recommend is the use of action verbs like "led" and "executed."
"Action verbs are your secret sauce for your resume," says Octavia Goredema, career coach and author of "PREP, PUSH, PIVOT." "They speak volumes" because they really illustrate what you've done, she says.
An overwhelming majority, 93%, of resumes include one or more action-oriented phrases, according to resume writing site Kickresume, which recently analyzed 176,220 resumes written in 2022. So it seems job seekers are internalizing the message.
When it comes to where to use them yourself, they can be included in your summary or the proof points under each role you filled. "Start your proof points with an action verb because it immediately draws the reader in and conveys that you have a broad array of accomplishments," says Goredema.
Here are seven action verbs experts recommend.
- Improved
- Advanced
- Spearheaded
- Exceeded
- Grew
- Built
- Directed
"The best bragging points are demonstrating what you brought forth," says Amanda Augustine, a career expert at TopResume. That's why she recommends using verbs like "built" and "grew." "They're powerful because of what's attached after them" like a metric that illustrates your contribution, she says.
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Similarly, Goredema recommends using "improved" and "advanced" because "it immediately shows that you're making a positive impact," she says. Keep them relevant to your experience, of course. Don't make anything up. But choose the verbs that really prove you've contributed.
Plus, remember not to overuse any particular ones.
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"Use it once, use it twice, fine," says Augustine. "More than that, you need to start getting more creative." She recommends googling the verb you've been repeating to see if synonyms come up or even looking up it on a thesaurus for new ideas.
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