Category: Office

Office is a term used to describe a place where professional individuals conduct business. Types of professionals that are most often conduct their business in an office include, attorney, accountant, real estate agents, mortgage brokers and lenders, dentists and other healthcare providers, insurance brokers plus many others.

The Importance of Resume Action Words


The resume tone and style

It is often said, and sometimes repeated over and over again, that a well-written resume is a winning resume; and some might ask, what does that mean? And how can it be determined whether or not a resume is written in a tone and style that employers will respond to? Synthesizing educational achievements, years of professional experience, the numerous qualifications acquired since entering the job market and other inherent employable skills is not easy to document, I’m sure you will agree, if you have been in the position of having to do such synthesizing.

Every phrase or statement you write has to convince your potential employer that you are the candidate best suited for the job s/he is offering; and to do so, you would have had to use appropriate action and/or power words. Such action and power words are described as keywords (verbs) that add strength and positive implication to your job experience, performance, responsibilities and qualifications.

That having been said, however, if you are not familiar with such words, phrases and keywords, it is important to make a note of the following: When you submit your resume to a potential employer, there are two scenarios that will occur. First, your application will be ran through a computer software program that searches your resume for key terms as indicated by that employer; and if your resume contains those key words, it will be pulled aside for further review, as it could be deemed a well-written resume per that employer’s criteria.

Effect of action words on the resume

Second, a hiring manager – or sometimes a human resources associate – will receive a stack or resumes and scan through them quickly to pick out those that stand out most acceptably, based again on certain key words. It seems clear, based on such computer scans and separation of certain resumes containing specific keywords, that these action words in the resume are critical to your success in obtaining a particular job.

In view of the above you should be cognizant of the manner in which your employment history is listed on any resume document you’re sending to potential employers. In other words, your resume should list each job’s responsibilities in bullet point form with each statement starting with an action word.

Under this scenario, the use of power verbs and/or phrases will indicate to your employer that you are the type of individual (job candidate) who is driven by action and results; and that you can effectively articulate your professional experience, thus showcasing your communication skills. Such articulation of power verbs and phrases could look similar to this small sample of action words which might be helpful when formulating your own list:


Action words to personalize your resume

  • created
  • developed and implemented
  • managed
  • delivered
  • designed
  • facilitated
  • negotiated
  • coordinated
  • budgeted
  • acted
  • communicated
  • consulted, etc.

This is a very short sampling of action words, but there are many resources on the Internet containing extensive listings of action words and phrases which can be obtained with a little research; but be careful to use only those terms that are relevant to your field of experience. Your best bet would be to locate resume samples provided by professionals in your industry.

Review these resumes for ideas on how to list your responsibilities, but be mindful that you do not copy exact statements from another person’s resume; and while you can do your own research, you will want to make sure that your resume is personalized to your own professional experience.

Evaluate and review your resume action words

Also avoid falling into the trap of using the same action word(s) over and over; and if you have, in fact, managed multiple projects you may want to be a bit more specific about your role in each. For example, maybe you were the communication liaison in one project, while you were the project manager for another. If this is the case, simply begin the first bullet point with “communicated,” and the second bullet point with “managed.”

However, be aware of the words you are using and consider their value in your resume; but do not get carried away with the use of varying terms, especially those that may change your role or your responsibilities. Additionally, you can find key action words in job descriptions. Review your resume against a job description and make sure that all required qualifications are addressed in your statements.

The review will also help you identify action words that the employer uses, which you can in turn use to customize your resume or cover letter to that specific job. Always make sure that you are consistent in the way you list all your responsibilities and qualifications, and make sure that your statements exude positive attitude and focus on actions and results. By doing so, you are guaranteed to create a winning resume that will get you noticed.

About the Content and Formatting of Resume Headings


The basics of resume headings

The first and most prominent item on your resume is your name and contact information. Your name is typically in the largest font, standing apart from all other text on your resume. A common mistake made by many professionals is trying to emphasize their name in a special font type. As it is difficult to anticipate which software and version your potential employer is using, you run a risk of not knowing exactly how your name will appear on their screen.

In view of the above it is advisable to stick with basic font types like,– Arial and Times New Roman which are two of the most commonly used, and are least risky when it comes to formatting your resume, and you should also be mindful not to go overboard on the font size. For example, your name should be in point size 14 or 16 and all other headings should be in 12 or 14 point font, while the remaining text of your resume should be in the range of 10 and 12 point font.

Along with your name, the very top of your resume should contain your mailing address, your email address, and at least one phone number where you can be reached. It is best to include a physical mailing address instead of a P.O. Box, whenever possible; and you should never include an email address at your current place of employment (yes, it happens). A helpful hint about listing your email address is to make sure that it contains your name, as this helps you appear more professional.

Resume inclusions reflect professional image

You can create a free email account with one of the leading providers of such service, e.g. Gmail, MSN, Yahoo, etc. and it might be helpful to have one email address as a point of contact for your job search. At least one phone number should be listed; but make sure to indicate if you are listing a home or a mobile number. If you have a professional website, the site address can also be included along with your contact information.

Please note that you should only provide a website address if the website does not contain anything that is personal, or any personal identifiable information (PII) because the only reason a potential employer may want to look at a website is if your professional portfolio or a copy of your resume can be found there.

Whether you decide to create a chronological resume or a functional resume, you will need to separate the information by with the use of headings; and the best advice you’ll get anywhere is to keep the section headings professional and stick to the basics. Don’t try to come up with creative titles for your professional summary, or for your qualifications. If you use a chronological resume the following sections/titles should be featured:

Contrast in resume heading styles

  • career objective
  • professional summary (optional)
  • professional experience/work experience/experience
  • education
  • publications/special achievements (if applicable)
  • qualifications/skills
  • references/references and portfolio

A functional resume is slightly different, and the headings you choose will really depend on the skills you’re trying to highlight. Features should include:

  • career objective
  • education
  • professional skills/professional qualifications (this section will include sub-headings as they relate to specific qualifications you want to promote, such as communications, customer relations, management positions, etc.)
  • work experience/work history (if applicable; should only include dates, titles, companies and locations without listing responsibilities)
  • volunteer work/activities (if applicable)
  • references

To conclude with…

The above mentioned features are typically those that are found in chronological and functional resumes; but you might want to do a little research on resume styles to find sample resumes of professionals in your industry; and if the need arise, simply adjust these headings based on your field, but be mindful of keeping the content consistent across industries.

Stick to the basics, and don’t try to be creative in order to stand out, because a professional and polished resume will get you noticed. So do your best to create a resume that is error free, and which best supports your career objective.