The Power of Power Words in Your Resume.

The Right Keywords can land you the interview – and the job.

Words have power. The power to start wars and, the power to end wars. Words also have the power to get your resume noticed from the ‘pile’ and when used correctly, highly increase your chances of being called for that interview and even help you land the dream job.

The key is to pay close attention to the Keywords.

Today more than ever, there are select keywords which, if used correctly, will highly increase your chances of being called for that interview. The ATS (Applicant Tracking System) often searches resumes for relevant keywords within your job resume application in order to find the best match between the job ad and the job applications.

The two main types of keywords that recruiters or employers look for when first screening your resume are: ‘Job-related’ Keywords that explain what are your primary characteristics and qualifications for this particular job. There are also ‘Action Verbs’ that demonstrate what you can do to accomplish and succeed in your position. As an applicant, when you have a close match of keywords used in your job application with the ones used in the job Ad, you will have a higher chance of getting hired.

Once you have mentioned the right keywords specific to your job, make sure to start all your accomplishments/achievements with an action verb instead of only listing your tasks. The value of your resume will highly increase by focusing on your achievements.

It’s one thing to be good at your job and, at the same time, important to position yourself as a strong, ideal candidate. There are hundreds of words and phrases that you can put on your resume to show any hiring manager you’re a leader.

Here are a few of my favourite words and phrases that’ll help give those who review your resume or speak to you in an interview an immediate hint that you’ve got the firepower they seek.

When you wish to say you’re a pioneer:

Revitalized
Modernized
Spearheaded
Ignited
Piloted
Transformed
Optimized
Blazed
When you wish to imply that you are a finance whiz:

Reduced
Negotiated
Budgeted
Cut Costs
Drove growth
Invested
When you wish to convey that you can lead people:

Ignited
Motivated
Uplifted
Supported
Shaped
United
Galvanized
Advocated
Coached
Mentored
Words to demonstrate that you are influential:

Convinced
Prompted
Spurred
Propelled
Mobilized
Negotiated
A few more examples of Action Verbs to Use in Your Resume and Cover Letter – in Alphabetic Order – feel free to use.

Achieved, Advised, Acted, Accomplished, Adapted, Analyzed.
Built, Brainstormed, Boosted.
Communicated, Coordinated, Contributed, Created.
Developed, Discovered, Documented, Doubled, Directed, Distributed.
Empowered, Enabled
Formed, Focused, Financed, Formulated.
Guided, Generated, Granted, Gathered.
Hired, Helped.
Improved, Innovated, Inspected, Invented, Illustrated, Interviewed, Installed.
Judged, Joined.
Knit, Kicked-off
Lectured, Led, Located.
Managed, Motivated, Mastered, Minimized, Maximized, Moved.
Negotiated, Navigated, Noticed.
Observed, Oversaw, Organized.
Participated, Placed, Planned, Passed, Processed, Provided, Proposed, Prioritized.
Recovered, Recorded, Reduced, Replaced, Reviewed, Researched, Received, Rewarded, Redesigned.
Saved, Stabilized, Supplied, Standardized, Selected, Sent, Sold, Signed, Strategized.
Transformed, Tested, Targeted, Trained.
Updated, Utilized, Upgraded.
Verified, Validated, Visualized.
Won, Worked, Wrote.
And here is an ideal example of the kind of lines you could use on your resume.

Managed a $1.5 million budget project and exceeded marketing goals.
Initiated and implemented sales and marketing plans and the department strategy for the next 4
Organized, supervised, and coordinated daily activity of key business development representatives.
Here is what Workopolis has to say on the subject: “Remember the action words in your resume should define the results that they delivered for the employer. That’s what future hiring managers are going to want to see. Your ability to achieve.”

In summary, remember that words matter. They matter a lot. The right word used in the right context, helps you convey that you’ve got the skills, the aptitude and the readiness to take on the job.