How to Write a Resume with Power Words
How to write a resume involves creating power statements.
If you hear a guy say he is a great basketball player do you instantly believe him?
Even if you believe him and have never seen him play do you filter his opinion of great through your idea of what a great basketball player he is? Do you instantly equate him with Kobe Bryant? Probably not.
What if he adds that he is a great basketball player because he was offered three basketball scholarships after high school and went on to be the lead scorer on his college team averaging 29 points per game?
Now he is starting to sound great.
Here is the point: Your resume must offer measurable results to have believable value.
How to Write a Resume Power Statement
Use the Resume Dictionary Proven Results Formula to create power statements that make your resume believable. Yes there is a resume writing formula to create believability. How can you tell employers how great you are? You need to know how to blow your own horn. While blowing your own horn is one thing you need to do on your resume, don’t blow your own horn unless you can play music.
Typical Resume Statement Example 1:
- Competently obtained office equipment, supplies, and maintenance contracts for law firm of twelve attorneys.
While obtain is a power verb, this statement sounds flat. This is a description without melody. You must use facts of accomplishment to support your claims and generate the power for the power word.
- Competently obtained office equipment, supplies, and maintenance contracts for law firm while receiving regular praise and written recommendations of performance from all twelve attorneys.
The same statement is now compelling and the adverb “competently” now has meaning to support the power word that describes the action: “obtained.”
Example 2:
- Number one burger flipper at Skippy’s Eats.
That’s not playing music that is just blowing air. You must back up your statements with hard facts. If you were the best burger flipper at Skippy’s Eats state what made you the best:
- Number one burger flipper at Skippy’s Eats as burgers dropped were less than .01% and received zero customer complaints.
Now that’s resume music!
Example 3:
- Managed team of outside sales associates effectively.
What does that mean? You effectively took everyone to happy hour every day? Effective is an air blowing adjective with no meaning unless backed up by measurable results. Use specific instances to back your claim:
- Managed team of outside sales associates so effectively turnover was reduced by 20% and gross sales increased by $378,000. in the first year.
Hear the music?
The formula for resume writing statements is:
Relevant Knowledge/Skill/Ability + Specific Performance/Instance/Accomplishment (Proven Results) = Power Statement
The trick is to remember that power adjectives and power adverbs get their power from FACTS. Adjectives and adverbs usually have little or no power without FACTS to support them. FACTS do not have to be statistics.
Examples where supporting facts are not statistics:
- Demonstrated outstanding communication skills that resulted in three “customer service person of the year awards.”
- Management skills were recognized by superiors in the form of two promotions and three raises in two years.
- As a stickler to detail, discovered calibration mistakes in the production of airbags that could have caused serious injuries.
Use resume writing power words in the Resume Dictionary to show your relevant knowledge, skill or ability and support that with specific facts of performance or accomplishment. Master the music of the formula.
Also see how to custom write a resume for a specific job and company.
Use the Resume Dictionary Power Words that Impress Employers
Demonstrate Your Knowledge,Skills, and Abilities
The Free Resume Writing Dictionary is the power tool for resume writing.
- Words, keywords, and phrases are defined, demonstrated in formula. associated with synonyms and other power terms, shown in resume writing example statements and language
- Resume writing is easy with power vocabulary. Use the power words and examples to create a powerful resume that gets you the attention you need to get the job you want.
- Many words and examples have been submitted by Human Resource Directors. Each term includes: Definitions / Example Sentences / Usage Formulas / Synonyms Power Words and Phrases with: Definitions -Resume Writing Formulas - Resume Writing Examples - Synonyms
Start now by searching the power word categories at the top of the left sidebar on this page.
By Phil Baker
Copyright 2009 Resume Dictionary
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