For a Punchier Resume, Use the Active Voice

For a Punchier Resume, Use the Active Voice For a Punchier Resume, Use the Active Voice If your resume is full of phrases like was responsible for , then youre using the passive voice. A lot of people make this mistake. If you want a stronger resume, you need to replace the passive voice with theactive voice.The Difference Between Active and PassiveVoiceIn a nutshell, the passive voice describes things that happened to you the active voice describes things that you did.The difference between active and passive voice can be seen more clearly in these two examplesPassive Voice Responsible for answering phones and directing calls.Active Voice Answered calls and directed lines to the appropriate individual.See how the first example makes it sound like you were passively given responsibility, but the second shows you actually doing something i.e., you answered phone calls and directed lines.The second option is stronger and packs a bigger punch. Instead of using the passive voice, choo se an active verb and use it as the first word in your sentence when you can.Here is another example to help you get the hang of itPassive Voice Work was recognized for efficiency.Active Voice Earned recognition for efficiency and work ethic.The first example shows people gave recognition to your work, but the second example shows youactively earned recognition for yourself. The second example is a much stronger statement thatlocates the value of your work in your actions.Why You Should Use ActiveVoicein Your ResumeYour resumes purpose is to show potential employers what you have done in the past and can do in the future. You want to prove you are beneficial to a company. Companies want to hire proactive, motivated individuals, and the active voice makes you look like someone who takes charge and gets things done.As Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer of CareerBuilder, said in a press release about a study of the best and worst words to use in resumes, Hiring managers pr efer strong action words that define specific experience, skills, and accomplishments.How to Use the Active Voice in Your ResumeWhenever you can, start your sentence with a verb. You want to useverbs that articulate how you were actively pursuingopportunities or delivering results. If you need a little help finding good verbs, check outthis article.Dont use the saatkorn verbs over and over again. Try to vary your vocabulary to make your document interesting. Continually repeating the same information will bore people, even if youre using active voice.You want yourresume tostand out and highlight your accomplishments. The best way to do this is to ditch the passive voice and use the active voice instead. Dont just say you are results-driven show employers what actions you took to achieve resultsA version of this article originally appeared onWrite Styles.Michele Lando is a certified professional resume writer and the founder ofWrite Styles.Master the art of closing deals and making p lacements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.