Why You Need to Use Action Verbs on Your Resume

Why You Need to Use Action Verbs on Your Resume Why You Need to Use Action Verbs on Your Resume In terms of grammar, so-called action verbs are no different from any other verbs. English has strong (or irregular, as in get/got) and weak (or regular, as in walk/walked ) verbs like many other European languages. However, strong verbs arent the same thing as action verbs.We also have active and passive voice, which sometimes gets mixed up in discussions of action verbs. In active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action, as in the sentence The girl pitched the baseball. Most of us write in active voice the majority of the time. In passive voice, the roles are reversed the action is done to subject. For example, The baseball was hit by the girl. While its a good idea to write in active voice when composing your resume not only is active voice more concise, but its also less confusing than passive voice it still has nothing to do with action verbs.So what are action verbs? T heyre verbs that clearly and vividly demonstrate an action. According to this surprisingly eloquent passage from CliffsNotes, An action verb animates a sentence, either physically ( swim, jump, drop, whistle) or mentally ( think, dream, believe, suppose, love). Verbs make sentences move sometimes dramatically, sometimes quietly.Action verbs are the opposite of linking or being verbs. Those are verbs like is that describe a state of being. For example, in the sentence, She is the queen of France, is functions as a linking verb. Its not very inspiring or specific. Notice the difference when we change is to an action verb She ruled France. Not only is the sentence shorter, but it makes more of an impact.What does this mean for your resume? You have a limited amount of real estate on the page and less than a minute to make a good impression. By using powerful, dynamic verbs, you can describe your experience very specifically and in fewer words. Not only should you avoid linking verbs wh en possible, but you should also ditch generic verbs like worked and did.I worked in advertising for fifteen years may be an accurate statement, but it doesnt tell the reader anything specific or interesting. I created a national advertising campaign that generated $120,000 in revenue during the third quarter of 2012 is specific, interesting and, even better, measurable.According to a 2013 study conducted by CareerBuilder, potential employers want to see action verbs. 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 clichs are seen as negative because they dont convey real information. For instance, dont say you are results-driven show the employer your actual results.The top verb choices from HR managers includeAchievedImprovedTrained/MentoredManagedCreatedGo through your resume and highlight any boring verbs. Replace them with act ion verbs. If youre stumped for ideas, start with this list of 185 verbs from The Muse, which is organized into categories of achievement and action.Any time you make a change on your resume, you run the risk of introducing an error. It doesnt matter how powerful your verbs are if you meant to type chaired and accidentally wrote chained instead, youre not going to make a good impression on HR. Always proofread Get a friend to look over your resume, or check out Grammarlys automated proofreading tool.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. 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.

5 Common Signs Youre Being Condescending at Work - The Muse

5 Common Signs Youre Being Condescending at Work - The Muse5 Common Signs Youre Being Condescending at WorkLets talk about those colleagues. Do you know the type Im talking about? The ones who have a knack for climbing up on their high horses while making you feel oh-so-small and unimportant?Nobody likes that condescending gruppe member. But, take a minute to think about this What if youre coming off as that patronizing person in your office? Even worse, what if- gasp- you dont even realize youre doing it?Im not big into scare tactics, but heres the reality Were all only human, which means its easy to slide into some arrogant and superior habits every now and then. Here are five signs thats the case1. You Arent Choosing Your Words CarefullyThere are two words that have a way of sneaking into our vocabulary and kicking everyone around us down a couple of pegs. What are they? Actually and just.Think about the last time you uttered a sentence like one of unterstellung in the officeI act ually think thats a good idea.You just need to do it this way.Inserting these words into your sentences immediately makes you sound condescending. Actually indicates surprise- as if the fact that your colleague made a decent suggestion managed to knock you back in your chair. And, just implies simplicity- as if your co-worker is a total moron for not coming to that solution on his own.2. Youre Always Putting Yourself FirstYour boss explicitly approved your request for a long lunch. So, even though you know the rest of your team is scrambling to finish up a shared project, youre still heading out and taking that lengthy break you believe youre entitled to. You give your colleagues a wave and a brief smile as you breeze past that crowded conference room and out the office door. Yes, sometimes in your career you need to put yourself first- and, hey, you deserve a break However, theres a fine line between managing your own needs and treating your colleagues like doormats.Nobodys saying you need to transform into an office martyr. But, theres also nothing wrong with lending a helping hand or stepping up in a crisis every now and then. 3. Youre the Master of Backhanded ComplimentsYou might think youre always showering your co-workers in praise. However, its worth some reflection to make sure you arent dishing out too many backhanded compliments.What do these look like? Here are two classic examples This presentation turned out way better than your last one.I could tell you didnt have a ton of time, but that project still looked good.Your intentions to offer a commendation are pure. But, youre going about it all wrong. When doling out a compliment, stay focused on the positive- anything else can make you come off as snide or even snobbish. 4. Youre Always Equating Your ExperiencesWhen a colleague vents to you about a frustration or a problem, you think the best way to be supportive is to talk about your own experience that you deem similar. But, guess what? Your co-w orker whos stressing about that report that was just annihilated by your boss likely wont be comforted by the fact that the cafeteria screwed up your sandwich that day.While demonstrating empathy is one thing, attempting to equate your own experiences- particularly when they arent at all relevant to your colleagues situation- will always come off as condescending.On the flipside of that coin, responding to your team member with a relieved, Im so glad Ive never had to deal with that or Thats never happened to me isnt helpful either.Instead, focus on actively listening and offering help in any way that you can. Thats really all your co-worker needs. 5. Youre a Conversational SteamrollerYou pride yourself on your ability to maintain a lively discussion with anyone in your office. But, ask yourself this Is it really a discussion, or are you carrying the bulk of that exchange? Are you giving your colleague adequate space and time to speak?By not letting other people chime in- whether its in a team meeting or even in a one-on-one conversation- being a conversational steamroller sends the message that you deem whatever you have to say as far more important.Theres really nothing more demeaning than that. So, the next time youre chatting with a colleague, make a conscious effort to listen just as much as you speak. Nobody likes a conversation hog. Nobody wants to be condescending to their co-workers. But, unfortunately, it has a way of happening without you even realizing it. Keep your eyes peeled for these five symptoms, and youre sure to decrease your likelihood of inspiring groans from your team members. And, when in doubt? Offer to pay for a round of drinks at happy hour- that alone can go a long way.

ISFP - Your Myers Briggs Personality Type

ISFP - Your Myers Briggs Personality TypeISFP - Your Myers Briggs Personality TypeYou just found out youre an ISFP and you may be wondering what to make of this news. Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Is it even information you can use? No, no and absolutely yes. It is neither a good or bad thing. ISFP is your personality type, according to a theory formulated by a psychiatrist named Carl Jung. According to this theory, your personality type is simply a matter of the way in which you prefer to do certain things, namely energize, perceive information, make decisions and live your life. You have little control over it, but, if you know what your type is, you can use that information to help you make career-related decisions. For example, you can choose a career and work environment that is suitable for someone with your type. Many years ago Jung identified 16 personality types, each made up of four preferences. These preferences came from the four pairs of opposite preferences Ju ng believed every individual has. The pairs of preferences are Introversion I and Extroversion E How you energizeSensing S and Intuition N How you perceive informationThinking T and Feeling F How you make decisionsJudging J and Perceiving P How you live your life Every individual favors one preference from each pair, according to Jungs theory, and the letter representing it is assigned to ones personality type code. A career counselor or other professional can administer a self-assessment instrument like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to help you learn what your personality type is. The MBTI is based on Jungs theory. That may have been how you learned your type is ISFP, which stands for Introversion I, Sensing S, Feeling F and Perceiving P. I, S, F, and P What Each Letter of Your Personality Type Code Means I While the word introversion may conjure up images of someone who keeps to himself or herself, as an individual who favors introversion, you simply prefer to energiz e from within. You dont need other people or outside forces to motivate you.S When you receive information, you use only your five senses to decode it. You are attentive to what you can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. You live in the present and dont care about what the future holds in store.F You make decisions based on what is in your heart. Relationships are important to you, and you tend to understand people. You are adamant about the things in which you strongly believe. P As someone who has a preference for perceiving, you are flexible and spontaneous. You adapt to change easily but prefer not have to deal with deadlines. Here are some things to consider as you think about your preferences While you may prefer to do things a certain way, you can adapt and use the opposite preference when required to. Your preferences may change over time, as you go through your life. Finally, each preference in your type is affected by the other three. Using Your Code to Help You Make C areer-Related Decisions When you are in the process of choosing an occupation, your personality type can be very helpful, particularly the middle two letters, S and T. As someone who lives in the present and is practical, an occupation that requires you to solve concrete problems can be gratifying for you. Lets not forget your preference for feeling, though. You need to believe in your work, and it must be in line with your personal values. Here are some occupations for you to explore cosmetologist, veterinarian, occupational therapist assistant, and interior designer. When you are deciding whether to accept a job offer, you should consider the work environment. Use the outermost letters in your type to help you determine what work environments are right for you. As someone who prefers introversion, you should look for employers who encourage independent decision-making. You will be most comfortable in a flexible environment that de-emphasizes strict deadlines.