How to Make Your Resume Stand Out With Action Verbs

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out With Action VerbsHow to Make Your Resume Stand Out With Action VerbsHow to Make Your Resume Stand Out With Action VerbsExcite potential employers with an action-packed resume.What is your resume, really? Its the story of your professional life. A room full of quiet applicants all vying for the same job is not unlike a stack of resumes that an employer faces when there is an open position. They all look similar. They say similar things. Many of them are just plain boring.Dont let your resume be one of the boring ones. Make your resume jump up and demand attention by creating dynamic action through the use of great verbs and resume wording.The power of resume action verbs.Verbs are action words. Run, hit, jump are all verbs. The reason verbs are so powerful is that they show a person doing something. Why is that important? Largely because in life, and in the professional world, you can either be doing nothing, having things done to you, or you can be t he one doing things.You obviously dont want your resume to display that youve done nothing. Nor do you want it to tell the story of someone who was along for the ride, letting the world dictate the rules. You want your resume to clearly show that you are in charge of your own career and you take the reins.Using action verbs in your resume shows more than where youve worked and for how long, it shows what you did and what you accomplished. But, not all verbs are created equal.Verbs vs. great verbs.There is a reason why the hero in a western novel never simply walks into a bar, takes a seat, and requests a beverage. Its boring. Yes, there are verbs in that sentence, but theyre as basic, plain and polite as they can be. They dont jump off the page and grab your attention. Thats why your hero in the white hat busts through the door, strides to the bar and demands his drink.When you are building your resume, you need to think the same way as that western writer with your resume wording. What did you do at your previous jobs? What actions did you take to create winning outcomes for your former employers? If you need to, go to a website like thesaurus.com to find more active and interesting verbs to replace the ones you have on your resume now.You dont want to go over the top and say that you did things that you didnt really do or use fancy words incorrectly. You simply want to say what you did and accomplished in the most interesting possible way.Active vs. passive.You can water down even the best of verbs by using passive voice. If you worked around the clock to get a project done in record time, make aya your resume says that you shattered that old record. If it says, Completed the project quickly. The old record was shattered. The easy way to do this is to get those great verbs up front and center at the start of the sentence.Dont forget to emphasize the result of your great work in your resume wording. If you shattered that record, what did that mean for the com pany? Shattered the company record for project completion time, which magnified the overall profits. A passive voice comes across as weak. Using active voice with strong, exciting verbs makes you (and your resume) exude confidence.Employers want to see great examples of what you have done, not empty adjectives that say how you see yourself. Describing yourself as punctual, dependable, or a number of other boring ways is a no-no on todays resume. Shouldnt they expect all employees to be those things? Thats why resume action verbs are so important, they dont describe you, they say what you have done. Thats what employers really want to know.Know your field.Regardless of your field of work, there is probably a list of killer action words out there that you want to use in your resume. How do you know which ones are right for you?Easy. Scour postings for jobs that interest you. Chances are, that job posting is telling you what kind of candidate they would like to find. Print out that ad and circle all of the verbs they use. How can you incorporate those words into the job experience on your resume?Another simple trick is to simply Google resume words for enter career field here. Youre sure to get a number of great suggestions. When you do that for sales, youll find lists that use words like collaborated, cross-sold, and doubled. Doubled? Whoa What hiring manager wont look twice when they see that a salesperson doubled something?If you dont find anything by Googling, take a look at sites like this one from Michigan State Universitys Career Services Network that lists great verbs by skill sets.Think about the whole story.Scan your resume to see if it really does tell the story of your career. Does it show learning and progress? Does it highlight your greatest accomplishments? Your resume should show just how you got to where you are and all of the battles you have fought and won to get there. Then, it needs to show why those amazing feats make you the best possible candidate for the job you want.Remember, an employer with an opening may be facing a stack (or an inbox) full of resumes and, yes, youre just one of the many. But if they have a job opening that means they want one of those resumes to jump up and make them take notice. In the humdrum of dozens of resumes littered with phrases like Partnered with manager to improve gruppe efficiency, that could put them to sleep, a resume that uses great action verbs and tells a vivid story of who you are as an employee will make them perk right up and reach for their phone.Your resume is your story and youre the hero. Make sure your story has plenty of action through your resume wording.Click on the following link for moreresume advice.Want to see how your resume stacks up? Try out ourfree critiquetodayRecommended ReadingHow to Write a Powerful LinkedIn SummaryAvoid the Resume Black Hole With These TipsHow to Format a Resume for Multiple Jobs at One CompanyPhoto credit Andy Roth/Flickr

8 hobbies to reignite your creativity

8 hobbies to reignite your creativity8 hobbies to reignite your creativityAs we move through our 20s and 30s,wedive into our careers and family life often with a focus on checking off key milestones as we go. We focus on moving up at our dream company, or building our own. Over time, the answer to What do you do? morphs fromourhobbies into our resume. Quickly our career becomes our identity, and our creativity only utilized as necessary at work.Were big believers in hard work and hustle, butbeing busy shouldnt be a rite of passageto prove your worth. Hobbies outside of your career are important for personal growth bedrngnis only to unwind from work, but also to keep your mind sharp and open to new ideas.From baking to ancestry, weve rounded up eight of our favorite ways to invigorate your creativity no matter what your interests and skill set.1. CollagingWe all spend so much time digitally pinning, saving, and liking images, but its easy for that to become a passive activity as you s croll through endless feeds of photos. Creating collages, whether pinned on an inspiration board or pasted in a notebook, is an easy way to tap into what resonates with you. Beautiful interiors, adorable dogs, and swoon-worthy shoes can live side by side in an inspiring (and ever-changing) moodboard.2. GenealogyIf youre less of a crafter and find inspiration from research, ancestry research is an amazing way to tap into your natural curiosity and creativity. Ancestry.com is a great way to start - add a couple of generations and the site will start prompting you with clues to trace farther back. In addition to learning about the people in your past, you can discover where they worked and where they lived.3. BakingWhether you already make your own meals or youve never turned on your stove, baking is a great way to de-stress. With only a few ingredients, you can create mouth-watering cookies, brownies, and cupcakes that your family members and co-workers will love to eat.Dont be afrai d to experiment with flavors, color, and decorations - or start withour favorite easy no-bake desserts.4. (Niche) InstagrammingUnlike traditional blogging and your personal Instagram, creating a secondary account dedicated to a passion or hobby is a great way to stay creative. Maybe youre a taco aficionado and love discovering new restaurants, or a new homeowner working on renovating your house - no matter how you spend your free time, a niche Instagram account is a fun project to reinvigorate your passion. elend sure where to start? Try pretty front stoops on your walk to work (a ladoortraits) or highlight the favorite parts of your living space likethecozyranch.5. ThriftingIf collecting piques your interest and DIY makes you weary, thrifting is a perfect outlet. Head out to an antique store or flea market and spend hours meandering up and down aisles of unexpected treasures. New websites, likeEverything But The House, have made it even easier to browse everything from vinyl reco rds to delicate handkerchiefs. Not interested in a collection? Swap out some of your existing decor for one-of-a-kind pieces that your friends will swoon over.6. CalligraphyThere arent many instances in our everyday lives that require cursive anymora. Were constantly typing, texting, or jotting down notes without a second thought. Calligraphy has become an Instagram and Pinterest favorite as more brides are penning their own invitations, signs, and menus. There arehundreds of lessons on Skillshareand more and more teaching events popping up around the country.7. Film PhotographyIn the same vein as calligraphy, film photography is another classic pastime that technology has eclipsed. Tap into your creativity by playing with lighting, color, and subject matter. The process of planning a route to photograph through development of the film is one that will render the images so much more meaningful than a quick iPhone snap - and require a lot more creativity.8. DanceAs we grow up, the t ime we spend dancing drops significantly. Remember dancing around your bedroom when you were younger? Or at sleepovers with friends? Dancing is one of the best ways to tap into a piece of your brain that you may not use on a typical day. And an hour of uninhibited dance is easy with more gyms starting to offer dance classes and boutique fitness studios like 305 expanding to new metro areas.This article was originally published on TheEverygirl.com.By offering detailed in-depth features, career profiles, relatable first-hand accounts, and how-to guides, The Everygirl inspires women toward leading a well-rounded, financially sound, and stylish life.

How to Job Search While Youre Still Employed

How to Job Search While Youre Still EmployedHow to Job Search While Youre Still EmployedEveryone knows that its better to search for a job while you still have one. You have the luxury of finding a position that truly suits your lifestyle without the pressure of finding a job- any job- because you have bills to pay. But searching for a job while youre employed can present its own set of problems. Heres how to job search for a new careerthat youre passionate about- without jeopardizing your current one.Keep it quiet.When youve finally made the decision to look for a better job, you might want to shout it from the rooftops. Or at the least, tell your best friend at work. Dont. While you might want to dish to your colleagues that youre planning on starting a new chapter, their loose lips can sink your battleship- and your career.Schedule accordingly.Clear your calendar and aim to schedule your interviews at the very beginning or the end of your workday. This way, youll still be able to get your work done and your boss wont be upset by your absences.Dress to impress.If youre a jeans and tees kind of employee and you suddenly show up to the office in a three-piece suit, youre going to raise eyebrows- and suspicion. If you have to change clothes before or after an interview, be sure to bring an extra outfit with you and change in the restroom.Line up your references. Sure, you have a great relationship with your current boss, but that doesnt mean you can ask her for a recommendation. Instead, find at least three former bosses or colleagues who you can use to give you a rec, should you need one. And if they are connected to your current boss, advise them to keep your job search confidential.Search on your own time. Think your boss cant see what youre doing on your computer? Think again. Never use your work computer for your job searches or any office equipment (like phones or faxes). Instead, hunt for your next position on your laptop on the way home from work and sen d out your resume during the evenings.It can be tricky to job hunt while you have a job but keep unterstellung tips in mind for a safe and smooth job transition.Readers, how did you job hunt while you were employed? Share your experiences in the comments below