Does Your Resume Say, “Responsible for…”?

This article was originally written by Nancy Segal and appeared on the blog of Solutions for the Workplace (www.solutions-workplace.com) and is shared with permission.

There are words you should use in your resume—and words you definitely should not. If your resume uses the words “responsible for,” you have work to do! Just because you’re responsible for something doesn’t mean you did it—it only means that you are supposed to do it! Other phrases that you should banish from your resume include: duties include, hardworking, objective, references available upon request, detail-oriented (unless included on the job posting you’re targeting), team player, phone (and email)—although you should certainly include your contact information, there’s no reason to label it. There are more but you get the idea.

Instead of using passive language—or words that are so generic as to be meaningless, your resume should use action verbs.

Here are some strong words to show your value:

• Delivered

• Identified

• Resolved

• Led

• Directed

• Oversaw

• Conducted

• Focused

• Reconciled

• Organized

• Presented

• Coordinated

• Delegated

• Orchestrated

• Built

• Planned

• Spearheaded

• Created

• Designed

• Formed

• Decreased

• Furthered

• Saved

• Clarified

• Modernized

• Streamlined

• Upgraded

• Aligned

There are many additional words to choose from; make sure the language you use on your resume is strong and represents what you bring to the table!

If you’re needing assistance with your resume feel free to reach out about our Resume Writing Services!