Editing For Impact
Here is where the fun begins. You have the perfect framework for your résumé. Now you are going to use this framework as a basis for creating an image of yourself by carefully choosing power words and phrases that fit you.
Combining these words with other words and phrases that you picked up during your pre-interview, phone call and/or face-to-face pre-interview with your future boss will certainly make your résumé most exceptional. (These specific details are covered in Chapter 12.)
As you go back over your Selected Accomplishments and your Skills Summary Highlights try to focus on making your statements more readable by removing unnecessary words that provide no additional meaning. Read each line out loud to see if you stumble over any words or phrases.
Your words must paint a picture of who you are in a concise and powerful manner. Remember, if you use words that imply you are an expert, be prepared to back it up.
As you re-evaluate your résumé and look for ways to simplify your message, include appropriate words from the following lists. Your sentences and statements should flow naturally and contain just enough of these words to add impact without making your résumé difficult to read.
The following list is used primarily for your Selected Accomplishments but not strictly limited to that section.
Power Words for Personal Achievement
| Administered Advised Analyzed Arbitrated Arranged Assembled Assisted Audited Built Calculated Charted Collected Completed Compounded Conducted Conserved Consolidated Constructed Consulted Controlled Coordinated Counseled Created Delivered Designed Detected Determined Developed Devised Diagnosed Directed Discovered Dispensed |
Distributed Drew up Edited Eliminated Evaluated Examined Expanded Formulated Founded Identified Implemented Improved Increased Installed Instituted Instructed Interpreted Interviewed Invented Lectured Leveraged Logged Maintained Managed Navigated Negotiated Networked Observed Obtained Operated Ordered Organized Oversaw |
Performed Planned Prepared Prescribed Presented Processed Produced Programmed Promoted Protected Provided Purchased Realized Received Recommended Recorded Reduced Referred Represented Researched Restored Reviewed Rewarded Selected Served Sold Solved Supervised Supplied Tested Trained Translated Wrote |
This list of descriptive words will do wonders to add meaning wherever your résumé needs to show off your personal traits.
Power Words For Personal Traits
| Accurate Adaptable Agreeable Aggressive Ambitious Assertive Attentive To Detail Bold Brave Broadminded Businesslike Calm Capable Careful Cheerful Clear Thinking Clever Committed Competent Competitive Conservative Considerate Cooperative Creative Deliberate Determined Disciplined |
Discreet Driven Easygoing Efficient Energetic Enthusiastic Fair Farsighted Firm Flexible Frank Friendly Generous Good Natured Helpful Honest Hardworking Imaginative Independent Individualistic Leader Likable Logical Loyal Mature Open-Minded Optimistic |
Organized Outgoing Painstaking Patient Perceptive Persistent Pleasant Political Practical Precise Quiet Realistic Reliable Resourceful Responsible Self-Confident Sensible Serious Sincere Sociable Stable Tactful Thorough Tolerant Trustworthy Understanding Versatile |
Be cautious with this list. Strong words like aggressive, assertive, serious and firm may not be appropriate for some environments. If some of these words were used by your future boss during your pre-interview, then by all means consider using them in the appropriate places. Be somewhat conservative however, your future boss may not realize the impact of his/her own words. You will learn more about this in the section on Rapport Building.
The same is true for weak words like agreeable, likeable, quiet and friendly. If the job does not call for these characteristics, leave them out of your descriptions.
Using Power Words Successfully
Let's examine the difference between two
Selected Accomplishments:BEFORE
Involved in the introduction and release of two products. This required root cause analysis and a lot of personal time.
AFTER
Assigned to assist in the start-up and release of two major products, which required thorough root cause analysis, extreme sense of urgency and incredible time commitments.
Let's examine the difference between two skills from the
Skills Summary Highlights:BEFORE
Work Group Facilitator with recent experience developing four teams simultaneously over 18 months.
AFTER
Skilled Work Group Facilitator with recent success developing four teams simultaneously over 18 months.
See the difference. It can sometimes be subtle but very powerful. The "BEFORE" messages are just straight facts. Nothing unique. While the "AFTER" messages have compelling language that paints your character.
When you have completely gone through your résumé, made your edits and trimmed wordy sentences. Do it again.
My suggestion is to repeat this process four times. Each time, read it out loud to check for word flow and readability. After the fourth time ask someone else to look at it and read it for content.
You are looking for a positive response of readability and clarity not suggestions on how to improve it. Most people don't know how to build a résumé and are not familiar with your field of expertise.
Chapter 6 Review
- Remove unnecessary words that provide no additional meaning.
- Use the Power Words for Personal Achievement where appropriate.
- Look for opportunities to plug-in Personal Trait Power Words.
- Make four editing passes to trim wordy sentences and put in Power Words.
- Read out loud to check for readability
- Have someone else read it for clarity.
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