Your Dictionary of Resume Keywords

Today, we are going to go over the ABC’s (and all the other letters!) of resume keywords, by giving you a dictionary of commonly sought-after terms!

You probably already know that choosing certain words and synonyms can greatly affect your ability to get a job.

Whether it’s by using the right words to get passed ATS software that helps recruiters quickly eliminate irrelevant resumes, or by showing recruiters themselves that you most closely fit the job requirements, how you say what you say says a lot about you!

First, we’ll discuss how to know what keywords are right for you. Then, we’ll give you a list of powerful words and action verbs that you can borrow from when customizing your next job application. Let’s take a look!

Tips for choosing the right keywords

When it comes to knowing what words to write, start with the words that you read. Job posts typically use the exact type of vocabulary that they want to see in your resume and other correspondence.

By paying attention to repeated, highlighted, or powerful words that the employer uses to describe the job, you can rephrase your resume to include these and similar words that describe why you’re the best person for the job!

Another important thing to keep in mind is that you always have an opportunity to upsell yourself by using action verbs.

Action verbs are words that don’t just say what you did, they say what you accomplished.

For example, let’s say you’re applying to a company that says they are in a production-focused environment, like a marketing agency that creates TV commercials. When describing your last job in marketing, you could say:

“Made over 100 commercials”

Or you could say:

“Produced over 100 commercials”

The latter speaks better to the type of mindset that recruiters (and ATS software) are looking for.

Our final tip is to make sure your resume is always up to date with the latest jargon and terminology. More often than not, certain types of jobs (and the skills required) have evolving names. For instance, “secretary” is no longer in fashion, and the modern version of the job is referred to as an “administrator” or “administrative assistant”.

So be sure that you use the latest lingo, whether for job titles, skills, licenses, or the tools that you use.

Now, read on to see a list of the best keywords that you can use to make your resume the best it can be!

250 Keywords and Action Verbs for Your Resume!

Accelerated
Achieved
Acquired
Adapt
Adherence To Policies And Procedures
Adjudicated
Administered
Advanced
Advised
Advocated
Algorithm
Aligned
Amplified
Analyze
Analyzed
Arranged
Assembled
Assessed
Asset Management
Attained
Attentive to detail
Audited
Authored
Authorized
Back Office Operations
Blocked
Boosted
Briefed
Built
Calculated
Campaigned
Capitalized
Cash management
Centralized
Chaired
Charted
Clarified
Clean
Closed
Coached
Collect
Communication skills
Competitive Analysis
Compiled
Completed
Composed
Concierge
Conserved
Consolidated
Consulted
Converted
Conveyed
Convinced
Coordinated
Corresponded
Counseled
Created
Creativity
Critiqued
Cultivated
Customer Service
Customer-facing
Customized
Data
Debug
Decreased
Deducted
Defined
Delegated
Delivered
Demonstrated
Designed
Developed
Devised
Digitized
Directed
Discovered
Dispatched
Documented
Drafted
Dynamic
Earned
Edited
Educated
Enabled
Enact
Enforced
Engineered
Enhanced
Ensured
Established
Evaluated
Event Coordination
Examined
Exceeded
Executed
Expanded
Expedited
Explored
Facilitated
Fielded
Finished
Fix
Flowcharts
Forecasted
Forged
Formalized
Formed
Formulated
Fostered
Founded
Front Desk Operations
Furthered
Gained
Generated
Guided
Headed
High-quality
Hired
Identified
Illustrated
Implemented
Improved
Incorporated
Increased
Industry
Informed
Initiated
Inspected
Instituted
Integrated
Interpreted
Interviewed
Introduced
Investigated
Itemized
Launched
Leader
Led
Lifted
Lobbied
Managed
Mapped
Marketed
Maximized
Measured
Mentored
Merged
Mobilized
Modeled
Modernized
Modified
Monitored
Motivated
Navigated
Negotiated
Operated
Orchestrated
Organized
Outlined
Outpaced
Outperformed
Overcame
Overhauled
Oversaw
Partnered
Persuaded
Pioneered
Pitched
Planned
Portfolio Management
Positivity
Presented
Produced
Programmed
Projected
Promoted
Proposed
Publicized
Qualified
Quality
Quantified
Reached
Recommended
Reconciled
Recruited
Redesigned
Reduced
Refined
Refocused
Rehabilitated
Remodeled
Reorganized
Replaced
Reported
Resolved
Resolving Complaints
Restructured
Revamped
Reviewed
Revitalized
Saved
Scheduled
Screened
Scrutinized
Secured
Shaped
Showcased
Signed
Simplified
Software designing
Sourced
Spearheaded
Standard Operating Procedures
Standardized
Stimulated
Strategized
Streamlined
Strengthened
Succeeded
Suggest
Supervised
Supported
Surpassed
Surveyed
Sustained
Targeted
Taught
Team-based
Team-focused
Teamwork
Technical paperwork
Test-driven environment
Tested
Tracked
Trained
Training & Development
Transformed
Unified
United
Updated
Upgraded
Upsold
Usable
Validated
Verified
Visualized
Won
Wrote
Yielded

Conclusion

Remember that no one keyword is universally the best at beefing up your resume — you need to choose the right ones for the job, literally!

Want help figuring out how to say it best on your next application? META offers free resume, cover letter, and job search services to make it easy as ABC!

Book your free appointment today!

Your Dictionary of Resume Keywords