Create a Perfect Résumé Through the Clever Use of Action Verbs

Attention span is waning more than ever. It's not that people are less capable, intelligent, or considerate. The world has just become a more chaotic place! Cutting through the noise, standing out, and retaining a person's attention is critical if you want to land your dream job. Put your best foot forward by crafting a résumé that commands attention!

Even in the professional world, multitasking has become the thief of efficiency. If you are applying for a new job, you should know that your résumé will likely be given a minute or less to review... so does your résumé make the cut?

Although the aesthetics of the résumé are important, your use of words is really what will help you stand out. (If you're looking for a blog post about formatting and how long your résumé should be—this isn't it)

Writing mistakes will grant your résumé a ticket straight to the bottom of a trash bin. So listen up! Do your research, pay attention to industry lingo, dot your i's and cross your t's, and be ready to rewrite your résumé a few times.

Research: a clear way to present yourself as the "perfect candidate".

Before you ever sit down to craft a résumé or cover letter, you should do a bit of research on your intended industry, and more specifically the company you are applying to. Look at job postings from multiple companies for the same position. What words stand out? Which ones are used over and over again? Are there any responsibilities you are unfamiliar with? If the lingo seems foreign, you should take it as a sign that either: 1) you aren't a good fit for the position, or 2) you are close to being a good fit, but you should be ready for a bit of growth.

With an understanding of the common expectations for the job, you are better prepared to tweak the position descriptions on your résumé.

Of course, I am assuming that you've already created a comprehensive résumé that shows your chronological work history. (If you haven't done that yet, sit down and write out your work history. It should include all of the jobs you've had [at least for the past ten years], as well as volunteer experience, and your educational background. Once you've done that, keep it as your master list). Okay, now that you've done that we can move forward.

Engage recruiters with the right words on your résumé.

Keep a list of all the common responsibilities as you are doing your research. Star the ones you have experience with. Identify the core values and mission of the company you're applying to by looking at their "About" page. Does their "why" resonate with you?

Another great resource would be to look at their ratings and reviews on a platform like Glassdoor. You'll be able to see what they are praised for, and what gaps they have within the company. Do you have talents that could help them with the problems they are facing?

Once you have an idea of the basic lingo for your industry, the values of the company, and any potential problems you can solve, you are ready to make some tweaks to your résumé!

Ideally, you will want to use your previous work experience as evidence that you are a great candidate for the future.

As you review your work history sprinkle in some of the words and lingo you recorded as "most common" for your industry. Make sure it's accurate of your previous work history, and not just a bunch of BS. If you are making up stuff, you'll be found out either in the interview or shortly after you are hired. So don't lie!

For instance, if you have experience as a shipping coordinator, and you're applying for another job in logistics, you'll likely want to mention your accuracy percentages and the shipping software you are familiar with. You'll want to show that you know how to solve problems with quality or on-time delivery.

Alison Doyle mentioned in one of her blog posts the importance of keywords: “Most companies use recruiting management software to screen candidates for job openings. To get found, your résumé needs to contain keywords that directly target the jobs you are interested in.”

If you miss the step of including industry lingo, your résumé may be automatically filtered out of consideration before it even meets the eyes of a human being. Don't skip this step!

Polish your résumé by using the Boston College Action Verbs.

This might drive you crazy, but a great résumé requires a few rewrites.

It's important to remember that a recruiter usually already knows the basic job description of most positions. That's their job. Writing about what you did day-in and day-out isn't going to impress them—they know it already. The only benefit that gives them is the knowledge that you've worked a few jobs before.

But you can't settle for that! You're not just trying to avoid rejection—you are trying to convince strangers that they can trust you with the big stuff.

So pull out your plethora of grammar hacks, and wow them with your words!

First, avoid passive verbs. If you don't know what I mean by that, check out this list of examples from yourdictionary.com.

Essentially, you want to show that YOU are the one who made it all happen in your previous jobs. Rather than saying you "helped shipments to be delivered on time", say you "coordinated the shipments quickly and accurately to ensure timely delivery". Be specific!

If something amazing happened because of you, don't let it appear that it happened on its own. Show some ownership and your specific role in that achievement!

The best resource I've found to help with this is the Boston College Action Verbs. They have categorized verbs according to specific industries or job functions. Skills of management, communication, research, and a whole host of others are listed here. Download this list, print it, and use it!

Once you've done this, your résumé will open doors you didn't have before. These verbs will set you apart as someone thorough and dedicated. It will also show how intelligent you are! Remember, it's always better to show than to tell.

Proofread it!

Make sure there are no errors! You may think I'm just suggesting this because I am a proofreader, but I can't stress its importance enough! Because some of the information will be familiar to you, such as your phone number, your major, or your job title it will be easy to skim over it thinking it looks great.

While I was in school I studied public relations. During that time, one of my professors mentioned the unfortunate experience of a previous student. This student had applied for quite a few jobs after graduation. Without realizing it, he had distributed a dozen résumés noting that he got his degree in "Pubic Relations".

Now—you don't want to miss something like that! It will give the recruiter a great laugh, but won't give you a job. The student in this story received a reply from one of the agencies he had applied to, noting his typo. It was embarrassing but ultimately was a kind gesture so he could have a better chance of landing a job elsewhere.

Review everything! Make sure that the formatting is consistent throughout, and that color schemes are not too "loud".

A résumé should be easy to read, with the most important information at the top. If you feel it needs to appear unique, you can always list hard and soft skills at the top, along with some of your accomplishments.

Once you've reviewed it, have a loved one or friend review it. They will catch things you don't. They may also have some additional ideas on how you can better "sell yourself".

Implement the feedback you find pertinent, save it for records, and you're set to send out an impressive résumé!

Happy job hunting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connie Hilton is a content creator, copywriter, and business owner. She loves to better the world by offering tips on communication and professional development. You can email her at chilton@lettersetword.com with inquiries or requests for upcoming blog posts.