You've probably spent quite a bit of time figuring out exactly what content to put in your CV, but how long have you spent thinking about word choice? It seems like a minor detail, and is probably something you haven't given much prior thought to, so is it really necessary?

According to recruiters, it is. Finding a candidate that truly stands out in the current jobs market is getting tough as the standard of CVs has increased. Many jobseekers still choose to list their skills and experience, but fail to identify their achievements in the workplace; and by failing to do this, a candidate is missing the perfect opportunity to stand out. Look at the following two sentences:

-Filing company reports.

-Implemented a new filing system that was adopted throughout the office, replacing the old measures to improve the efficiency of filing company reports. 

Out of the top two examples, which stands out? The active verb 'implemented' in the second sentence allows you to assert ownership of the task, and show what you achieved. The first sentence gives the employer nothing- just saying that filing was part of your job is about as useful as copying and pasting your previous job description on your CV- it shows what you did, but not what you achieved. Using action verbs allows you to give an example of how you helped the company to change its way of working to accommodate your ideas. This is a far more useful way to convey your skills as it allows the employer to see the value of adding you to the workforce.


Action words speak louder than, err regular words!

Here are some examples of active, positive verbs that can be used to help describe your experience on your CV. Instead of focusing purely on the tasks you carried out in your role, try and relate these to what you've achieved. Think about projects or presentations you contributed to, ideas you had that were implemented, things you have accomplished etc, and truly sell yourself to your prospective employer.

-Introduced
-Implemented
-Developed
-Created
-Pioneered
-Increased
-Saved
-Supervised
-Achieved
-Evaluated
-Managed
-Completed
-Delivered
-Researched
-Co-ordinated

Your CV is your personal sales tool, so make sure it's working for you!