How to Use Power Words And Other Resume Tips You Need Now

Job vacancies in Singapore hit an all-time high in over two years last June, according to The Straits Times. Though this is primarily due to ongoing border restrictions, the growth sector still has a continued demand for manpower. Because of this, career advice has become a valuable resource for jobseekers these days. From resume tips to acing the job interview, getting noticed during your job application is crucial now more than ever.

The pandemic may have changed the landscape for jobseekers, but the basics of the application process remain the same. You need to highlight your skills and achievements, and show how these can benefit your future employer. All this information is what you will ideally include in your resume.

Sending resumes via email has been common practice since job posts specified candidates to do so. To help you catch the attention of hiring managers, consider the following resume tips.

Resume Tip No. 1: When Writing, Use Power Words

To help you stand out from the other applicants, it is necessary to use power words. These are words that highlight the professional strengths that you bring to the position.

When companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), your power words will influence the results of your job search. Using terms and keywords that are important to the employer will help you get past the ATS. As far as resume tips go, power words will get you optimal results early on in your application process.

If you are a first-time jobseeker, you can use these power words for your achievements in school, too.

The Four Kinds of Power Words

Keywords:

Words that employers use in job posts to describe candidates they want to hire are called keywords. In addition to getting this information, search websites in the same industry for occupational profiles for positions you are applying for. Use these keywords and add them to your resume.

Activity or Action Words:

These are verbs placed at the beginning of bullets to strengthen your achievements or skills. They show your ability to successfully see through the tasks required of your position.

Here are a few examples of action power words you could use:

Labels or Descriptive Words:

When you want to highlight the skills you bring to the job, using labels and descriptive words on your resume will be helpful. These adjectives will set the tone for your resume. Add them to the section of your resume that talks about your strengths or your attributes.

Listed below are some examples of descriptive words:

Here's a resume tip: before adding an adjective, ask yourself how they apply to you.

Numbers and Quantifiers:

These details will give the reader an insight into how impressive your achievements are. They are used to describe cost, length of time, quantity or even size.

For example, instead of saying "Led a project," you can add the duration of the project, the number of people in the team, and possibly a measurable result of the effort. Below are more concrete examples to guide you:

• Decreased average call duration from 5.21 minutes to 3.13 minutes within four weeks of project implementation
• Increased monthly revenues from SGD 57,000 to SGD 145,000
• Added 73 active accounts within 36 months

Why The Right Words Matter

Using the right words for your resume is an invaluable resume tip because it can help an employer decide whether to let your application progress to the next step— the job interview.

When your resume highlights your best personal qualities, you show your potential employer the value you bring to their organisation.

Resume Tip No. 2: How Your Resume Should Look

The goal of your resume is to get to the next phase of your application: the interview. Though it is tempting to put details, like your entire work history or all the seminars you attended, it is important to customise your resume to make it relevant to the job opening.

Start by reading the job description several times, paying close attention to the qualifications and credentials identified. After doing this, review your resume and remove any information that is not relevant to the position.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to the length of your resume but a maximum of two pages would be safe. As long as it highlights your qualifications and fit for the role while making it easy for the hiring manager to pick up on the essential details, you don't need to think about the number of pages.

Customise Resume Templates

Using a template will make your resume look polished and organised. Again, make sure to fill in the details with information that is most relevant to the job opening.

Generally speaking, the ATS will look at your skills, education, work experience, and previous employers. If these four components match the job listing, the hiring manager will likely see your resume.

Another reason to customise resume templates is that it presents your information in the most efficient way.

The Cover Letter and the Personal Statement Explained

1. Content: The cover letter refers to the job, while the personal statement talks about you, concerning the company. Whichever one you will be writing, make sure that you do not repeat what is already written in your resume.

1. Length: Most often than not, the cover letter will be longer than the personal statement. The former will have three distinct sections—- an introduction, a pitch, and a formal close—- while the latter contains about five to six sentences.

The cover letter is expected to specify your career goals, as well as how your skills match the needs of the position.

Though the personal statement is expected to contain your professional goals, discussing where you are in your career journey is recommended.

1. Tone: Because it will reference the position a lot, the cover letter will take on a more formal tone compared to the personal statement. When you write your statement, you can be as creative as possible, even giving an anecdote that you think will summarise your character.

Resume Tip No. 3: Send Via Email And Stand Out In The Inbox

When you email your resume to a potential employer, think about making a good first impression. There are two things you can pay attention to so you can do that virtually. First is your email address and subject line, and second would be your cover letter and personal statement.

Your Email Address And Subject Line

When a job ad explicitly instructs applicants to email their resumes, check if your email address comes across as professional.

Your email address can say a lot about you, so make sure it represents you well.

If your email address has adjectives or a string of numbers attached to it, create another one for your job applications. Put yourself in the shoes of the person in HR. Will [email protected] and [email protected] really be a good candidate for the post? A new and more professional sounding gmail is easy to make, so take advantage of this free service.

Make sure to put a subject line, one that is appropriate and specific. If you forget to write a subject line, your email will most likely go straight to spam instead of the hirer's inbox.

Check if the company has given instructions on how to write your subject line and make sure to follow it. If the instructions are not given, include relevant details that will help the receiver identify your email correctly. You may also want to include relevant credentials to make your email more compelling to open.

Here are some examples of subject lines you can use, but only if they are not specified by the employer:

When applying directly from a job post:

• Digital Marketing Manager
• Junior Web Designer Role Application (Tan Andrea)
• Application for Sales Associate
• Regarding the research assistant position, applied August 28
• Senior Accountant- Mark Cho, CPA

When someone referred you to apply for the position:

• Recommended by Andy Liu
• UX Research referred by Priya Tihani
• Client Acquisition Supervisor (referred by Max Yeoh)

The Body Of Your Email

The body of your email needs to convey warmth and professionalism.

Make sure you personalise the email by using the correct name and details of the receiver in the salutation. Address them properly and use a formal greeting.

It is important to introduce yourself briefly in the first paragraph, by giving your name and stating the position you are applying for. It will be good to inform them how you came across the job listing.

In the second paragraph, explain in three to four sentences why you decided to apply for the position. You can start by writing giving the reason why you sent your application, then further explain why you are a qualified candidate for it. Be clear and concise about the value you will bring to the organisation.

Your last paragraph will direct the reader to the attachments you included. Enumerate what these are, and then thank the receiver for taking the time to read your email. You can also add that you are looking forward to hearing from them.

If you are applying for a position from a company that has posted its opening on JobStreet, you can send them a link to your MyProfile so they can easily view it from the website. Before you do so, make sure that your details are updated.

Additional resume tips before you hit the "send" button:

• Do a test run and send the email to yourself first. That way, you can make adjustments before sending your email.
• Click on your attachments just to make sure that you sent the right files.
• If you did enclose the correct files, check if they open properly.

Sample Email

Sample Resume

Sample Cover Letter