Career & Employment Development

When writing a resume, it is important to keep in mind the types of keywords and action verbs that can help yours stand out!

Keywords are words that a hiring manager may be looking for when screening resumes. This allows them to single out the applicants that they want for the job. These keywords vary from position to position, but they can be pulled from the qualifications section of a job posting.

For example: if they mention they want someone who can work collaboratively with others, "collaborative" would be a keyword they are looking for.

Action verbs are words the specifically present your skills and experience in a confident matter. It is important to remember with a resume that you are trying to sell yourself to the employer. It's important to find new and creative action verbs, as some get overused over time (ex: assisted, oversaw and utilized).

(Graphic by Balance Careers)

Learn some excellent action verbs from the following websites:

The Balance Careers - Resume and Cover Letter Action Verbs
An explanation of keywords and action verbs, with an alphabetized list of verbs.

Indeed - 139 Action Verbs to Make Your Resume Stand Out
A list of action verbs for getting your resume recognized.