The verbs you use set the tone for your resume. Strong action verbs convey a track record of accomplishment. Weak passive verbs convey mediocrity and a lack of success. If you want to make a good impression, use verbs that present your experience in a strong positive way.
The range of verbs varies greatly from resume to resume. I picked six resume at random and listed the start of each line under the most recent job:
|
Resume 1: Established… |
Resume 2: Provider of… |
Resume 3: Member, Executive Management… |
|
Resume 4: Promoted and grew… |
Resume 5: Manage and direct.. |
Resume 6: Management of… |
Many of the verbs listed are weak. In fact, some aren't even verbs. With only the few words from each resume, which resumes do you want to read? Which bullets are the most significant?
It may be impossible to eliminate all passive verbs. Phrases like “Management of” and “Responsible for” may be unavoidable. The important thing to do is review the sentence structure and make sure you create the strongest presentation.