Essential Key Phrases to Use in a Resume to Get More Job Interviews

2024-10-21 by Amanda Sterling

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Your resume serves as more than just a document listing your work history—it's your personal marketing tool that must first survive digital scrutiny before reaching human eyes. The secret lies in the words—more specifically, the resume phrases you use. Understanding how to leverage resume keywords, action verbs, and power phrases for a resume has become an essential skill for job seekers.

ATS Is a Digital Gatekeeper

A corporate recruiter usually receives over 300 applications for a single entry-level position within just one week. Multiply that by the 15-20 roles she typically recruited for simultaneously, and you're looking at 6,000 applications to process at once. This overwhelming volume of applications has led to the widespread adoption of automated tools.

Before your resume reaches a human recruiter, it likely encounters an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)—software that scans resumes for specific keywords and phrases. Think of an ATS as a digital bouncer. It's programmed to look for specific resume phrases that match the job requirements. If it doesn't find them, it may not let you in.

What Are Resume Keywords?

Resume keywords are specific words or phrases that reflect the essential qualifications, skills, and responsibilities required for a particular job. In theory, these keywords help hiring managers, recruiters, and ATS quickly identify the best candidates for a role. In practice, ATS tends to filter out qualified job candidates applications because they didn't embed the right keywords—whether they’re job titles, skills, or certifications.

Examples of Key Phrases to Use in a Resume

Resume keywords typically include:

Tip for Resume Writing

Applicant Tracking Systems often require exact matches. Writing "LSW" when the system searches for "Licensed Social Worker" could cause your resume to be overlooked. The solution? Write out the full term followed by the abbreviation in parentheses: "Licensed Social Worker (LSW)."

The Power of Action Verbs

If keywords get you through the ATS door, action verbs help you impress human readers. These verbs are utilized to describe your past duties, responsibilities, and achievements in a way that highlights your potential to succeed in a new role.

Resume action verbs such as "managed," "created," and "improved" not only tell employers what you did but also how you did it. They bring your experiences to life and demonstrate your impact. Instead of saying you were "responsible for" something, tell the hiring manager why they should care: Did you "lead" others? Did you "transform" a business? Did you "pioneered" a new approach?

Here's how action words can transform common resume statements:

Weak: "Responsible for team management"

Strong: "Led a 7-person team to deliver $2M project under budget"

Weak: "Duties included customer service"

Strong: "Resolved 200+ customer inquiries monthly, maintaining 98% satisfaction rate"

Skill Phrases for Your Resume

The skills section of your resume serves as a crucial snapshot of your professional capabilities. With hiring managers spending an average of just 7.4 seconds on their initial resume review, this section needs to immediately convey your value proposition and your fit with the job requirements.

Not every skill you possess belongs on every resume you send. The key is relevancy. Consider a software engineer applying for a front-end developer position. While they might have experience with database management, their skills section should emphasize expertise in HTML5/CSS3 and JavaScript/TypeScript. To identify the skills a specific employer actually cares about, you can pass their job listing through our AI resume review.

How to Organize the Skills Section

Rather than presenting a wall of text, organize your skills into clear categories that align with your target role. Here's an example of effective structure for a marketing professional:

Key Competencies:

Analytics Tools:

Marketing Platforms:

Bridge between Skills and Accomplishments

The best resume skill phrases balance technical requirements with storytelling. Instead of simply listing skills, provide context that demonstrates your level of expertise. This can be done through brief parenthetical additions or by linking skills to specific achievements in your experience section. For example: AWS (Solutions Architect Certified, managed $500K monthly infrastructure)

Power Phrases to Communicate Your Achievements

Power phrases for a resume are combinations of action words and results-oriented language that demonstrate your skills, achievements, and value to employers. These are not just empty words—they are specific, impactful statements that highlight your expertise and accomplishments. Keywords and skill phrases clarify why your previous experiences are relevant to the position you're applying for. Strong action verbs breathe life into your accomplishments.

While including the right keywords is essential, simply stuffing your resume with buzzwords won't win you the job. Each phrase should serve a purpose and tell part of your professional story. The best place to tell your story is in the work history section of your resume—where you list your accomplishments.

Consider these examples:

These power phrases for resumes are concrete, measurable, and action-oriented, making them much more effective than generic statements like "responsible for managing a regional sales team."

The C.A.R. Formula: Challenge, Action, Result

One effective way to incorporate resume phrases that showcase your achievements is to use the C.A.R. formula—Challenge, Action, Result. This method ensures that each bullet point on your resume tells a compelling story about how you contributed to your previous employers’ success.

Here’s how it works:

For example, instead of writing "created a new marketing strategy," try this: "Faced with declining sales, developed and launched a new marketing strategy, resulting in a 25% increase in ARR."

This approach shows prospective employers that you’re someone who takes initiative, solves problems, and delivers measurable results.

How to Find Good Phrases for Resumes

Different jobs and employers demand different qualifications. That’s why tailoring your resume for each job application is crucial.

Start by examining the job description closely. Identify key qualifications, responsibilities, and skills listed in the posting. For example, if you’re applying for a marketing role, you might see phrases like "SEO," "content marketing," or "brand management." These are the keywords you need to integrate into your resume. Highlight them and use them strategically to describe your accomplishments.

Given the prevalence of ATS software, use the same words as the job ad. For example, if you're applying for a "Senior Project Manager" position, don't list your current role as "Project Lead" if your actual title is "Senior Project Manager."

Keeping a Thesaurus Handy

Remember, the goal isn't just to pass the ATS—it's to create a compelling narrative that showcases your value to potential employers. To avoid repeating yourself—and losing the hiring manager's attention, keep a thesaurus handy when crafting your resume. You don’t want to describe every job with the same tired verbs, such as "led." Mix it up with words like "scaled," "innovated," or "revitalized." These alternatives add variety and keep the reader engaged.

Examples of Good Resume Phrases

Let’s look at a few more examples of resume phrases that pack a punch. Can you recognize the pattern?

How to say you were in charge:

How to say you created something new:

How to say you improved important metrics:

How to say you successfully communicated, collaborated, or influenced:

These are specific, results-oriented statements that demonstrate your ability to contribute meaningfully to an organization. Use power phrases like the ones above in your resume or CV, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. If you want a job interview in today's competitive job market, you have to make every word count.