150+ Good Resume Buzzwords to Use in 2024
You’ve spent hours perfecting your resume, making sure it showcases your accomplishments while being tailored to the job you want. But how can you be sure your resume will be noticed in a sea of others with similar credentials? Resume buzzwords are the answer.
We’ll explain how to use buzzwords to spice up your resume, capture a hiring manager’s attention and demonstrate your capabilities in specific terms.
What are resume buzzwords?
Resume buzzwords are attention-grabbing words and phrases used to demonstrate your experience and describe your qualifications for a role. They’re descriptive and action-oriented, helping your resume stand out to hiring managers.
It’s easy to spot resume buzzwords when you compare a sentence that uses them with one that does not. Here’s an example you might see in a candidate’s experience section:
Sentence A:
Responsible for planning marketing campaigns
Sentence B:
Developed and executed creative marketing campaigns to drive brand awareness
Sentence B, which contains the engaging, action-driven buzzwords developed and executed, along with additional details about the type of campaigns, is much stronger than sentence A, which is pretty bland. It’s easy to guess which resume might appear stronger to a hiring manager.
Why are resume buzzwords important?
Buzzwords make your resume stronger and more detailed. Not only do they capture the action, but they also add context and detail. For example, instead of saying you ‘planned’ something, you might choose one of these more descriptive words instead: brainstormed, strategized, collaborated, produced, constructed, reimagined, or initiated. Each of these words has a slightly different meaning and gives additional context to your work.
Resume buzzwords help show that you meet the requirements for the job. Suppose a job description calls for a sales associate who can assist customers. In that case, you might describe your experience directing customers to relevant merchandise, clarifying product features, explaining store policies, and resolving service issues. Thanks to these descriptive words, it’s easy for a hiring manager to see how your experience aligns with the required duties.
What makes a good resume buzzword?
A good resume buzzword is:
- Descriptive. It sheds light on your skills, experience, or personality traits
- Action-oriented. The reader should be able to get a clear picture in their mind of the action being performed
- Industry-relevant. Choose buzzwords that have specific meaning for the industry or role you want
Tips for using resume buzzwords
Tailor them to the job listing
The job description is a great source of inspiration for buzzwords to use on your resume. One trick is to look for the keywords on a job description that describe the most important job duties, then make a list of words that have similar meanings.
For a job that calls for candidates with driving experience, your list might include alternatives for the word ‘drive’ like transport, deliver, chauffeur, commute, and travel, which you can then use to communicate your experience in a more relevant way: delivered packages in a safe and timely manner, commuted between key operating facilities, chauffeured clients to company events, and so on.
Incorporate them throughout your resume
Buzzwords shouldn’t be limited to the experience section of your resume. Use them in your resume summary to capture who you are as a candidate, in your education section to describe your formal learning experiences, and in your awards section to convey the recognition you’ve earned.
Avoid cliches
Cliches are words and phrases that have been used so frequently they’ve lost their intended meaning. Instead of saying anything significant about your capabilities, they mostly take up space.
Here are some of the worst offenders:
- Passionate
- Proactive
- Innovative
- Forward-thinking
- Team player
- Seasoned professional
- Change agent
- Move the needle
- Work well under pressure
Pair with specific details
Buzzwords are even more effective when they’re paired with specifics about your accomplishments. Numbers, percentages, dollar values, and sales figures work well:
Oversaw scheduling for 60 team members
Generated $1M in new business
Boosted satisfaction ratings by 23%
Don’t overdo it
You may have heard of keyword stuffing–the process of filling a web page with keywords solely to rank higher in search engines. While it sounds good in theory, it results in sloppy content and doesn’t actually work to improve search placement.
Buzzword stuffing is similar. Too many buzzwords can make your resume sound like it was written by a robot, which could throw you out of consideration.
Looking for a professional resume writing service to do the heavy lifting? We suggest using BeamJobs!
150+ good resume buzzwords to implement
Descriptive buzzwords
- Accurate
- Adaptable
- Attentive
- Committed
- Competent
- Confident
- Creative
- Data-driven
- Diligent
- Efficient
- Enthusiastic
- Experienced
- Flexible
- Focused
- Imaginative
- Organized
- Original
- Perceptive
- Personable
- Persuasive
- Practical
- Qualified
- Resourceful
- Strategic
- Talented
- Thorough
- Unique
Communication buzzwords
- Advertised
- Articulated
- Conveyed
- Described
- Disseminated
- Documented
- Illustrated
- Interfaced
- Interpreted
- Networked
- Presented
- Recorded
- Relayed
- Reported
- Transmitted
Teamwork buzzwords
- Aided
- Aligned
- Assisted
- Bolstered
- Collaborated
- Contributed
- Cooperated
- Participated
- Supported
Achievement buzzwords
- Achieved
- Acquired
- Advanced
- Attained
- Completed
- Delivered
- Earned
- Executed
- Exceeded
- Gained
- Generated
- Implemented
- Landed
- Perfected
- Performed
- Provided
- Reached
- Secured
- Surpassed
- Yielded
Creative buzzwords
- Authored
- Built
- Conceptualized
- Created
- Customized
- Designed
- Discovered
- Drafted
- Established
- Fabricated
- Generated
- Initiated
- Launched
- Produced
- Published
- Revitalized
Leadership buzzwords
- Assessed
- Assigned
- Chaired
- Coached
- Coordinated
- Delegated
- Directed
- Enacted
- Encouraged
- Guided
- Hired
- Influenced
- Managed
- Mentored
- Mobilized
- Motivated
- Oversaw
- Recommended
- Recruited
- Spearheaded
- Strategized
- Supervised
- Trained
Problem-solving buzzwords
- Adapted
- Adjusted
- Alleviated
- Boosted
- Diagnosed
- Elevated
- Enhanced
- Identified
- Improved
- Increased
- Modified
- Optimized
- Recovered
- Reduced
- Resolved
- Restructured
- Revamped
- Revised
- Simplified
- Solved
- Standardized
- Streamlined
- Transformed
- Upgraded
Technical buzzwords
- Analyzed
- Calculated
- Classified
- Complied
- Configured
- Connected
- Consolidated
- Defined
- Forecasted
- Investigated
- Maintained
- Monitored
- Operated
- Processed
- Researched
- Tested
- Translated
- Validated
- Verified
A good rule of thumb when using resume buzzwords is to choose words that feel natural to you. If it’s a word that feels overly formal, boastful, or embellished, select a different word that feels more authentic to you.
By choosing buzzwords that are relevant to the job and your qualifications, you’ll build a resume that’s more engaging to read and more likely to prompt a hiring manager to get in touch.
Looking for more help crafting the perfect resume? We have an entire library of resume samples and recommendations!
