Ditch the Passive Voice: Use Active Verbs in Your Resume

Are you making this huge mistake on your resume? If you’re using phrases like “responsible for…” you’re using passive voice on your resume. To make your document stronger and more efficient, use active verbs in your resume.

What is the difference between active and passive voice?

The difference between active and passive voice can be seen in these two examples:

“Responsible for answering phones and directing calls…” (passive voice)

vs.

“Answered calls and directed lines to the appropriate individual…” (active voice)

See how the second option is stronger and packs a bigger punch? Instead of using qualifying words such as “responsible for,” make the verb active and use it as the first word in your sentence. Here is another example of active vs. passive voice:

“Work was recognized for efficiency…”

vs.

“Recognized for efficiency and work ethic…”

Instead of highlighting that your work was recognized in the first sentence, the second sentence shows that you were recognized for your work, which makes a much stronger statement and puts the value on you instead of the work you produced.

Why you should use active verbs in your resume:

“Hiring managers prefer strong action words that define specific experience, skills and accomplishments,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “Subjective terms and clichés are seen as negative because they don’t convey real information. For instance, don’t say you are ‘results-driven’; show the employer your actual results.”

You want to show what you actively did in your resume, and show how you can be beneficial to a company. Companies want to hire someone who will help them, and showing that you are a motivated and proactive individual will help you sell yourself through your resume.

How to use active verbs in your resume:

Start your sentence with a verb. Look at the examples above for a better idea of what this means. You want to ensure that the verb articulates that you were the one actively pursuing the opportunity or getting recognized.

Check out this article for a list of powerful verbs to utilize on your resume. Note that these are active verbs that articulate achievement and motivation which is extremely important. Don’t use the same verbs over and over again, but try to use different versions to make your document interesting and ensure that you don’t continually repeat the same information.

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When you’re writing your resume, it is extremely important to make it stand out and highlight your accomplishments. The best way to do this is to ditch the passive voice and use active verbs in your resume. For example, don’t say you are ‘results-driven’; show the employer your actual results with metrics and statistics!