Enhance your resume with power or wow words

'Power' or 'wow' words (usually verbs) are a great way to put a finishing touch to your professional profile, the statement that describes who you are on your resume/CV, LinkedIn profile and in a job application cover letter. They are also great for adding variety to all your amazing accomplishments.

It's a good idea to do a stock-take of your current resume to ensure you are using action verbs at the start of each achievement statement, and also make sure you aren't using the same verbs over and over again. (My weakness is 'managed'! I like to manage people, projects, programs, problems...)

There are a multitude of websites and books dedicated to power verbs, but I thought I'd share a few of my favourites. These can make you sound more professional and your achievements sound more impressive.

Addressed

Adopted

Advised

Aligned

Analysed

Assessed

Attributed

Audited

Benchmarked

Calculated

Certified

Championed

Classified

Collaborated

Committed

Completed

Cooperated

Coordinated

Correlated

Deduced

Defined

Demonstrated

Detailed

Devised

Edited

Educated

Enforced

Engineered

Enhanced

Ensured

Established

Examined

Exceeded

Excelled

Focused

Forged

Formulated

Fulfilled

Gauged

Generated

Guided

Identified

Implemented

Improved

Increased

Influenced

Initiated

Integrated

Interpreted

Invigorated

Launched

Leveraged

Maximised

Mentored

Navigated

Networked

Nurtured

Orchestrated

Organised

Planned

Pre-empted

Presented

Published

Rationalised

Rectified

Redesigned

Researched

Scheduled

Solved

Taught

Transformed

Upgraded

Then once all your power verbs are in, add in some adverbs to really 'pimp' your resume.

Try these prior to a few power verbs: successfully, expertly, effectively, skillfully, accurately, confidently, creatively and thoroughly. You'll sound amazing!