When you’re writing a resume (and other job application materials), it’s critical to mention your achievements and rewards, which help convey your skills, ability to complete projects, and excel at tasks. That’s not to say you should mention a commendation or award in every resume bullet in your job description; but mentioning a few awards and achievements, and using power verbs to heighten their importance, can impress hiring managers and help you stand out in a crowded field of applicants.
As you’re writing your resume, also keep in mind that achievements and power verbs alone won’t sell your prospective employer on your abilities; you must tailor every element of your cover letter and resume for the job. Customize your work experience section (and other sections) to reflect the skills that prospective employer wants; highlight the achievements you think will play an important role in this potential job.
If you’re unsure of a framework for your resume, take a look at Dice’s extensive list of templates for various tech professional resumes, including business analyst, data analyst, data scientist, DevOps engineer, technical support manager, and many more.
Where to Insert Power Verbs
In your work experience section and branding statement, take care to begin each statement or phrase with a power verb. Remember to use present-tense verbs in your profile and qualifications summary and when describing your current position. Whenever you’re describing an achievement or award, position it as the culmination of your effort. For example:
- “Built a mobile app that increased company revenue by 25% y/y, which earned me the company’s Silver Lion award.”
- “Revitalized the company’s data analytics team with the introduction of new workflows and tools.”
- “Generated substantial cost savings by streamlining procurement processes, outperforming goals and winning several internal commendations.”
Use past-tense verbs to describe prior positions and experience in your work history. Here are just a few you can consider in the context of achievements and awards:
| • Accelerated | • Generated | • Prescribed |
| • Accomplished | • Grew | • Produced |
| • Achieved | • Honored | • Prevailed |
| • Arose | • Improved | • Raised |
| • Attained | • Increased | • Realized |
| • Awarded | • Introduced | • Reduced |
| • Chosen | • Lessened | • Revitalized |
| • Completed | • Mastered | • Streamlined |
| • Consummated | • Maximized | • Surpassed |
| • Circumvented | • Minimized | • Topped |
| • Established | • Outperformed | • Transformed |
| • Exceeded | • Overachieved | • Won |
| • Founded | • Overcame |
The Role of A.I. in Power Verbs for Resume-Writing
We’ve mentioned this before, and it bears repeating: while generative A.I. tools such as ChatGPT are making it easier to craft resumes and application materials in seconds, it’s important that you review any A.I. output and tweak it as much as you can by hand. Dice’s Optimizing Your Tech Career e-book breaks down how to use this new generation of A.I. tools in a responsible way, with an emphasis on re-reading and editing your resume for maximum impact. Generative A.I. doesn’t understand the power verbs that will work best in a given section.
