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Whatarepowerverbs?

PowerverbsareactionwordsthathavepositivemeaningsinEnglish.Whenyouuseapowerverb,youcancommunicateyourmessagemorestronglyandconfidentlythanwhenusingotherverbs.Thisisespeciallyusefulwhenyouareapplyingforajobandwanttoappearasaconfidentandcompetentcandidate.Powerverbscanalsomakeyourwritingmoreinterestingandhelppreventyoufromusingthesamewordstoomanytimes.

ThefollowingsentencesareexamplesfromtheWorkExperiencesectionofaresume.Noticethedifferencesbetweenthesentences.

MadenewsoftwareforABCCompany.→Madeisaweakerverb.

DevelopednewsoftwareforABCCompany.→Developedisapowerverb.Yousoundmoreconfidentandinterestingusing‘developed’.

WherecanIusepowerverbs?

Powerverbsareusefulinmanysituations.Theyareespeciallygreatforresumes,jobinterviews,andacademicwritinglikeessays.

Beforeyouuseapowerverb…

Makesureyouunderstandtheexactmeaningofthepowerverbyouaregoingtouse.

Youdon’twanttomakeamistakewiththeword,especiallyonaresume.

Lookthewordupinadictionary,searchtheinternetforexamplesofsentenceswhereithasbeenused,andifpossible,findsomeonetocheckyoursentencetomakesurethatyou’veuseditcorrectly.

Makesureyouarecomfortablewiththewordbeforeyouuseit.

Weakverbstoavoid:?

Hereisalistofverbsyoushouldavoidonyourresumewherepossible:

did

make

use

get

look

take

keep

have

said

told

talk

change

start

finish

GENERALPOWERVERBLIST

Herearesomebetteralternativestocommonweakwords.

WeakWord:DID

act

activate

administer

apply

arrange

carryout

conduct

execute

facilitate

handle

perform

WeakWord:MAKE

assemble

compose

create

design

develop

devise

engineer

establish

fashion

formulate

generate

produce

synthesize

WeakWord:FIX

alleviate

amended

debugged

detected

diagnosed

investigated

remedied

repaired

revitalized

solved

synthesized

streamline

WeakWord:SHOW

demonstrate

depict

describe

exhibit

highlight

illustrate

portray

represent

WeakWords:TALK,SPEAK,WRITE,COMMUNICATE

addressed

advocate

briefed

communicate

composed

convince

consulted

collaborate

correspond

disseminate

edited

educated

explained

highlight

inform

instruct

interact

negotiate

present

publicize

report

specify

verify

welcome

WeakWord:KEEP

ensure

maintain

strengthen

WeakWord:USE

operate

WeakWord:GET

achieve

obtain

procure

WeakWord:CHANGE,MAKESOMETHINGBETTER,GETRESULTS

accelerate

accomplish

achieve

alter

award

attain

convert

decrease

eliminate

expand

excel

generate

heighten

improve

increase

minimize

maximize

receive

recognizefor(passiveverb=“is/wasrecognizedfor〞)

reduce

transform

WeakWord:HELP

aid

assist

bolster

enhance

enrich

help

provide

WeakWord:ADD

compile

strengthen

WeakWord:START

initiate

POWERVERBSFORSPECIFICINDUSTRIES

Herearesomepowerverbsweoftenusewhentalkingaboutourexperienceincertainjobsandindustries.Thisisnotacompletelistofpowerverbs.Ihavecoveredsomeofthemostcommonpowerverbsinthelistbelow,buttherearemanymore.Pleasenotethatthesamepowerverbscanbeusedformanydifferentjobs,soifyouseeapowerverbinonejobcategorysuchasmedicine,itmayalsoapplytoadifferentjobtoo.

CustomerService,Tourism,Hospitality,RetailStore

accommodate

address

advertise

advise

aid

anticipate

answer

assist

assure

clarify

communicate

distribute

document

exhibit

explain

handle

help

interact

listen

promote

resolve

support

target

translate

welcome

Law&LegalProfessions

advocate

amend

analyze

arbitrated

extracted

interviewed

investigate

lobby

mediate

negotiate

represent

specify

Leader&Management

allocate

approve

assess

assign

authorize

chair

consolidate

convince

coordinate

delegate

direct

encourage

enforce

guide

head

hire

lead

manage

monitor

orchestrate

oversee

recommend

resolve

run

supervise

spearhead

Business,Finance,Accounting

accountfor

anticipate

appraise

assess

audit

bargain

budget

demonstrate

distribute

estimate

evaluate

finance

forecast

fundraise

identify

implement

inventory

market

measure

negotiate

project

provide

purchase

record

report

streamline

tabulate

target

total

PublicSector&Government

accommodate

advise

allocate

appoint

authorize

budget

commission

consult

estimate

evaluate

finance

identify

implement

institute

issue

officiate

promote

negotiate

regulate

represent

sanction

specify

Administrative,Clerical,Receptionist,Secretary

administer

answer

aide

assist

arrange

balance

catalog

categorize

classify

collect

coordinate

distribute

edit

file

format

handle

issue

order

organize

prepare

record

retrieve

report

schedule

Teaching&Advising

assist

coach

encourage

evaluate

foster

educated

empower

encourage

explained

guide

highlight

inform

instruct

prepare

present

promote

supplement

taught

Researcher,Scientist,Academic

acquire

analyze

classify

collaborate

collect

compile

conduct

consult

discover

examine

formulate

identify

interpret

interview

lecture

measu