140 Active Words to Use in Resume to Grab Recruiter's Attention

Knowing active words to use in resume will spice up your CV and get you a higher chance of getting an interview with the hiring manager.

Let's start with statistics.

For each job position, a recruiter receives an average of 250 resumes. Consequently, the recruiter only spends an average of 5-20 seconds looking at one CV.

You need to grab the recruiter's attention within those first seconds, or you'd be out of the picture.

The first impression is essential.

There are several ways that you can do to stand out from the other candidates and land your dream job. One of them is by using active words.

We are going to look at some examples of active words to use in your resume and how they can help you.

What are Active Words?

Related to your resume or CV, active words are words that describe what you have done or are doing. They are typically action words or verbs.

But why active words? There is some evidence to suggest that people generally prefer active verbs to passive verbs, especially in written communication. Active verbs convey a sense of directness and clarity, and they can help to make sentences more concise and engaging. Passive verbs, on the other hand, can make sentences longer and less direct, which can make them less appealing to readers.

For example, a study by Jennifer Lombardo - a professor of marketing at Rowan University - published in the Study.com states that Impactful writing in business usually consists of action verbs. Other research has also suggested that active verbs can make written communication more reader-friendly and easier to understand.

With most resumes, the recruiters are more likely to have read similar things over and over. They will skim reading the hundreds of resumes they receive every day. So they will be more attracted to something different, something that is attention-grabbing. That's where active words come in.

Your resume you should add active words to give clarity and a detailed job description in order to make a strong resume.

How Can Active Words Help You?

Using active words or verbs like "coordinated" or "managed" in your resume shows the readers (the recruiters) that you're not only "responsible for your job", but you also achieved something or showing accomplishment in the process or in the past job. So, action verbs help you to spice up your resume.

You can also communicate that you are a motivated and driven individual. You'll also be able to show that you are proactive and have the initiative in the past job. A study by Finances Online even mentioned that using action verbs for a resume can increase your chances of getting an interview by 140%.

Instead of using repetitive words in your resume or making long sentences that won't capture attention or interest, make shorter sentences with action verbs. Because they have more impact and are a persuasive language tool that allows you to be concise.

Action verbs also make for easy skim-reading. Most recruiters won't spend much time on each resume. And if your resume is filled with active words, the recruiter will find what they're looking for more effective and will prompt them to spend more time reading through your skills and past job description.

What Should You Include As Active Words In Your Resume?

Because active words represent an action, they'll help the hiring manager to picture you in the role. You can use them to further describe your soft skills, analytical skills, and other relevant skills.

If you use strong action verbs, it will help the hiring manager to visualize you doing the job duties you're applying for. In other words, you give them a concept of how you'll be doing on the job. And of course, to be able to do this, you need to choose the right words. For example, if you've had many achievements during your past work, you can use the action verb, "achieved".

Sometimes in your resume, you put a lot of repetitive words such as "also" or "in addition". If you use action verbs to show your achievements and responsibility in past jobs, you will give your resume a greater flow. One of the goals of using action verbs in your resume is to make your employer read and understand every bullet point you place. It also has the power that other words don't. A resume with action verbs stands out from the other applicants.

Using the right action verbs on your resume effectively to accurately showcase your abilities, skills, and achievements. They will also help steal your future employers' eyes from other job seekers.

Some examples of active words that you may want to include in your resume are “managed,” “developed,” and “created.”