Introduction

A CV (or a resume) is one of those things you just have to have - unless you’re not a descendant of a billionaire, at some point you’ll have to look for a job. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, men hold 12.8 jobs and women hold 12.5 jobs in a lifetime. 

While the hiring process may differ from company to company, one thing’s for sure - you need a CV for every application. Once you have it, the career world is yours for the taking. Join us as we discuss what strong resume words you should use in order to stand out from the crowd and get the job. 

‍What’s the difference between a CV and a resume

Both documents tell your professional story, but in a slightly different way.

A resume is a concise document that highlights your education, professional experience and skills. It’s usually tailored to a specific job you’re applying for and emphasizes skills and achievements relevant to that role.

A CV is a comprehensive document that details your entire academic and professional history. It’s longer than a resume and includes a thorough listing of your experiences, publications, certifications, and awards.

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Tips on writing a resume

Did you know that a recruiter usually spends less than 9 seconds looking at your resume? 

You probably know that you need to use a professional email address, list experience in reverse chronological order, put experience before education and highlight your skills. But what else can you do to make your resume stand out? Let’s go through some tips

‍Keep it simple

Keep the design simple and easily scannable. Write the most important parts in bold in order to make sure they’re catching the recruiters’ attention. Add bullet points to make reading easier, use an easy to read font.

A resume like that is ATS friendly. An Applicant Tracking System is what recruiters use to process a large amount of resumes - the system scans the text by converting them to plain text, so make sure to avoid using graphic elements and colors.

‍Add a professional summary

This can be a short and sweet text that sums up your prior experience, qualification, skills and, most importantly, your career goals. This summary provides recruiters with an overview of your career and job readiness.

‍Elaborate on your past responsibilities and accomplishments

When adding a section for a past work experience, make sure to provide insights on what your duties were and what achievements you accomplished. This will for sure make a good impression - it helps recruiters understand how you contributed to the success of your previous employer and demonstrates your effectiveness. 

Include both technical and soft skills

Yes, people are generally hired because of their ability to complete certain tasks, but having a job is so much more than that - you’re about to become a part of a team, work closely with your colleagues and find your place in the company’s unique environment. Recruiters may base their decision on your approach to work, on how well you collaborate with others, whether you’re empathic, adaptive and solution oriented. 

Both hard and soft skills are required in order to paint a better picture of who you are.

‍Use action words

Active verbs for resumes are the way to go as they are impactful and leave a long-lasting impression. They help readers better understand your past duties and helps them imagine you in the role you’re applying for. Instead of just listing “A successful campaign managed by me.”, you can say “Managed a campaign that increased sales by 45%.” This will for sure make an impression.

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101 resume power words that will help you stand out in 2025

You made it to the fun part! Let’s dive into the list of 101 resume buzzwords that will get recruiters’ attention and help you land your dream job.

⭐  Management

Spearheaded

Directed

Oversaw

Orchestrated

Chaired

Executed

Mobilized

Delegated

Facilitated

Supervised

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🥇  Achievements 

Boosted

Accelerated

Outperformed

Surpassed

Expanded

Achieved

Increased

Amplified

Doubled

Maximized

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🛠 Problem-solving 

Resolved

Streamlined

Improved

Diagnosed

Transformed

Overhauled

Consolidated

Remediated

Modernized

Troubleshot

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💡 Creativity 

Conceptualized

Designed

Engineered

Initiated

Innovated

Reimagined

Developed

Devised

Revamped

Launched

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🪴 Growth

Optimized

Forecasted

Scaled

Pioneered

Identified

Analyzed

Capitalized

Strategized

Targeted

Positioned

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🤝 Teamwork 

Collaborated

Partnered

Unified

Contributed

Engaged

Supported

Co-created

Assisted

Participated

Aligned

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💌  Communication 

Advocated

Persuaded

Presented

Conveyed

Negotiated

Mediated

Promoted

Reported

Educated

Articulated

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🧠 Analytical 

Programmed

Debugged

Evaluated

Synthesized

Configured

Monitored

Implemented

Mapped

Audited

Researched

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🔒 Auditing 

Secured

Mitigated

Verified

Enforced

Audited

Investigated

Assessed

Validated

Ensured

Complied

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🛒 Customer focus

Advised

Resolved

Assisted

Delivered

Informed

Guided

Listened

Responded

Engaged

Anticipated

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Great, we made it to a hundred! Last, but certainly not least, let’s add Sculpted - it can be used for both creative and technical projects and show how you helped shape a whole process.

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In conclusion

Whatever your professional occupation may be, these action verbs for resumes will help you attract attention and land your dream job in no time. 

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