Resume Wording

Here's how to do resume wording right.

• Use lots of action words, words that convey that you "did" something.
• Use bulleted, short phrases, rather than lengthy sentences and paragraphs.
• Use the correct buzzwords or keywords for the industry you want to get a job in.
• Emphasize the positive.
• Include enough information on each job to show your full breadth of knowledge.
• Be concise. This is not an academic essay. You want it to be easily digestible.
• Use symbols, such as "#", "$", and "%", and numbers. They'll stand out and grab the attention of the reviewer. For example, "Increased sales in a 5-state territory by $20,000 a month."
• Plug your qualifications by focusing on accomplishments and specific results, rather than a routine listing of your job duties.

The steps above outline how to do resume wording right. But there are some pitfalls to avoid with wording on resumes too...

Avoid vague wording such as "a few months." Specific dates are more powerful.

Leave out the "I's,' as in "I directed..." It's better to start each phrase with an action verb.

Leave out the negatives or any irrelevant information. If you have had job duties that aren't relevant to your current job goals, you don't need to include them.

Don't go into too much detail on each job; save that for the interview. Think "highlights."

Don't be vague or long-winded. Clear and concise will win the day. The "Baffle 'em with bull**" approach doesn't work well on a resume.

Don't use the wrong words or punctuation. Have someone with top-notch writing skills review your resume simply for grammar and clarity.

Don't write a meaningless or inane job objective. Many experts recommend that you avoid having an objective altogether on your resume, but objectives CAN be useful in some circumstances. But only if they actually say something.

Know which resume key words to include and which to stay away from on your resume. The results will be a powerful, effective resume that lands you the interview you seek.

The importance of using keywords on your resume cannot be overemphasized. There are words that work well to convey your unique talents and experience. But there are also others that will detract from your message. You HAVE to get this right if you hope to use your resume to gain entrée to the job of your dreams.

There are 2 kinds of words we refer to when we use the term resume keywords:

• Industry or recruiting keywords for scannable resumes
• Action words that are key factors in writing an effective resume

Many companies or recruitment firms today use resume scanning software. This software generally identifies and sorts resumes by looking at certain "keywords" in the document. This ranking system helps them to decide who is a good match for the advertised position and who isn't.

Using the right resume key words can get you the interview!

But how do you know which keywords are right for the position you're interested in?

Here are a few tips...

1. One way is to look closely at the job ad or posting. See which words are used. If you can, look at a number of other ads for that company and see if there are certain words that keep popping up.


2. Go to the company website and identify some of their key values. A good place to look is their mission statement. The annual report is another great source of key values.


3. Scan trade journals to identify key trends in your industry. Then, select resume key words from that list.


4. Try to use any keywords you select at least 3 times, in both your resume and cover letter.


5. Use the most important keywords within the first line or two of each job description section of your resume.

Besides the sprinkling of various job-related key words throughout your resume, it's also crucial that you make use of action verbs in all of your descriptions. Resume action words need to be specific and provide a clear, concise picture of your accomplishments, skills, and experience.

Some examples are: Analyzed, Budgeted, Conceptualized, Developed, Established and Instructed. You can find many more samples of great resume wording and action words at Powerful-Sample-Resume-Formats.com

There are also some words that can detract from the overall effectiveness of your resume. For one thing, you don't want to use confusing jargon or vague phrases. Cliches are out too. Unless you're trying to convey your ability to function as an integral part of a team, words like assisted, contributed, and supported are not going to be very effective.

These words basically say you helped, but not how. If you must use these words, follow them with a more complete description of your role.

Successfully is another meaningless resume key word. Rather than using it, give concrete examples of your accomplishments that prove your success at your past jobs.

The phrase, "responsible for", takes up unnecessary space on your resume and should be avoided. Besides, your resume is the place to list your accomplishments, not your job duties or responsibilities.

You also need to avoid "flowery" speech and words. By trying too hard to sound intelligent or "in the know," you may convince your reader of just the opposite-or even worse, confuse them.

The key with resume wording is to say what you mean, plainly and simply, using powerful resume action words. Stick to these resume key word rules and you can't go wrong!

Follow these few simple resume wording tips when you write your resume and the result will be a document that markets your abilities effectively. And that will get you the job!