Words to include in your CV to make it stand out

South African job searchers should include certain keywords in their CVs in order to get the attention of companies.

PwC, a financial services business, estimates just 200,000 new employment in 2023, reducing its economic growth predictions for 2023 to a baseline scenario of 1.6% in 2023 and an upside scenario of 2.0%.

According to PwC, the weak economic development is not keeping up with the expanding population and workforce, resulting in a decreasing trend in the unemployment rate.

So, job searchers face the difficult challenge of making their CV stand out amid the competitors.

Despite the fact that many people believe that experience is more important than the actual wording on a CV, employers will frequently go through CVs to uncover clues that the individual is qualified for the position. Otherwise, they may reject the application.

Glassdoor has produced a list of keywords and suggestions for resumes.

What your CV should include

To begin, a CV should always include numbers. Instead of merely stating that they were good at their work, job seekers should present numbers to back up their claims.

Moreover, action phrases that demonstrate leadership ability, such as ‘redesign,’ should be included in a CV to demonstrate to hiring managers that the job candidate can see the big picture.

Cliches should be avoided, and forceful, uncomplicated words, such as “launched,” should be used since they have more effect.

Words like ‘modernised,’ according to master CV writer Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, are “like a switch, powering up the candidate’s story, showing how they’ve improved, envisioned, and transformed their work environments.”

Also, rather than stating that they are hardworking, a candidate should focus on demonstrating what particular value they can contribute to a firm.

CVs could also have a storytelling element to help them stand out while still displaying a candidate’s qualifications. For example, instead of saying “led,” job seekers should say “orchestrated.”

Candidates should also get specific to ensure that there is no miscommunication with the hirer.

Furthermore, words that show a candidate came up and followed through with an idea – such as ‘create’, ‘led’, and ‘managed’ – are far better than words that show someone just executed a pre-conceived plan, reported Glassdoor.

Candidates should also include examples in their CVs. For instance, showing that they are team players by onboarding new hires.

The CV must also be skimmable, as hirers do not meticulously read through every CV they receive.

Applicants should also speak confidently. For example, ‘helped’ should be substituted with ‘spearheaded,’ as it demonstrates the candidate’s leadership qualities.

Hirers may also assess a candidate’s ability and preparedness through their CV, therefore employing terms like ‘comitted’ demonstrates a candidate’s management skills.

Thirdly, and maybe most crucially, CVs must be professionally edited. Because there is limited space on a CV, candidates should pay attention to their particular word selections rather than merely reading through their CVs. Reading it aloud is the greatest approach for applicants to confirm that their word choice is proper.

These easy actions might assist South Africans in their job hunt in a competitive market.