144 resume buzzwords that will help you get the interview (2024)

The language you use in a resume matters. Your resume might be a short, concise document, but with the correct descriptors, you can get a hiring manager or recruiter excited enough to want to meet you and discuss the role in person. This is where resume buzzwords come in.

Buzzwords used on your resume should be specific enough to highlight your unique skills and descriptive enough to help you stand out to potential employers. Use this list of 170 buzzwords to add specifics about your talents and experience to your resume.  

What are resume buzzwords?

Resume buzzwords are specific, powerful words or phrases used on resumes to catch the attention of hiring managers and applicant tracking systems. These terms often reflect the latest trends in industry language, emphasizing in-demand skills, achievements, and experience that are currently sought after.

Buzzwords can vary significantly across different professions and change as the job market evolves. For instance, words like “synergy” and “thinking outside the box” have given way to power words like “data-driven” and “user experience.” 

Resume clichés vs. resume buzzwords 

Avoiding overused terms or phrases can help keep your resume fresh. Words like “hard worker,” “team player,” or “go-getter” are dated and lack impact. In the end, they don’t truly say anything specific about you.

On the other hand, resume buzzwords highlight your resume skills and work experience and are tailored to match job descriptions. They also show an understanding of the field’s language, helping your resume stand out to recruiters who often use automated systems to screen applications. 

144 good resume buzzword examples in 2024

Adding new language to your resume can bring it up to date. These fresh phrases will help bring out the best of your professional qualities. Choose a category to find the best words to suit your needs, or use the list for inspiration.

Resume buzzwords for leadership and management

Leadership buzzwords should convey your ability to guide, inspire, and drive teams toward achieving collective goals. They should reflect your strategic thinking, decision-making prowess, emotional intelligence, and ability to innovate and adapt.

1. Strategic 
2. Team building
3. Change management 
4. Consensus
5. Change agent
6. Project management
7. Efficiency 
8. Engagement
9. Innovation
10. Risk management 
11. Mentoring 
12. Cross-functional 
13. Talent development 
14. Roadmap planning 
15. Executive communications

Resume buzzwords for showing strategy and planning skills

Strategy and planning buzzwords should showcase foresight, analytical skills, and management styles. They convey an individual’s proficiency in mapping out visions, setting achievable goals, and devising effective plans to navigate the complexities of business landscapes. 

1. Strategic planning
2. Analytical thinking
3. Forecasting
4. Market analysis
5. Competitive analysis
6. Goal-setting
7. Scenario planning
8. Business modeling
9. SWOT analysis
10. Risk assessment
11. Performance
12. Benchmarking
13. Financial modeling
14. Optimization
15. Capacity planning
16. Contingency planning

Resume buzzwords for demonstrating achievement

Achievement-focused buzzwords should convey tangible outcomes and efficiency gains. Demonstrate your achievements through leadership impact, innovation contributions, revenue growth, cost reduction achievements, and successful project completions under challenging circumstances.

1. Achieved
2. Exceeded
3. Surpassed
4. Delivered
5. Outperformed
6. Accelerated
7. Amplified
8. Enhanced
9. Optimized
10. Revolutionized
11. Spearheaded
12. Implemented
13. Generated
14. Facilitated
15. Drove
16. Secured
17. Expanded
18. Streamlined
19. Innovated
20. Elevated

Resume buzzwords for showing off your skills

Skills-focused buzzwords should communicate proficiency, adaptability, creativity, and teamwork. They should highlight your technical skills, leadership qualities, and ability to innovate and collaborate effectively in diverse environments.

1. Proficient
2. Skilled
3. Competent
4. Knowledgeable
5. Talented
6. Versatile
7. Creative
8. Collaborative
9. Adaptive
10. Innovative
11. Technical
12. Reliable
13. Communicative

Resume buzzwords for collaboration

Collaboration-focused buzzwords should convey your ability to work effectively within teams. Emphasize leadership, empathy, active listening, and a commitment to achieving common goals through mutual respect and understanding.

1. Team-oriented
2. Cohesive
3. Interactive
4. Cooperative
5. Collegial
6. Situational leader
7. Unifying
8. United
9. Supportive
10. Interpersonal
11. Networked
12. Integrative
13. Partnering
14. Coordinating
15. Mediating
16. Negotiating
17. Fostering

Resume buzzwords for problem-solving

Problem-solving buzzwords should highlight your analytical skills, creativity, and initiative. They demonstrate your ability to identify issues, think critically, devise innovative solutions, and implement them effectively under pressure.

1. Analytical
2. Solution-focused
3. Critical thinker
4. Resourceful
5. Decision-maker
6. Troubleshooter
7. Creative problem-solver
8. Logical
9. Process thinker
10. Proactive
11. Diagnostic
12. Forward-thinking
13. Inventive
14. Objective

Resume buzzwords for process improvement

Process-improvement keywords should give the hiring agent clarity around your ability to enhance workflows and drive positive changes. They highlight your skills in optimizing operations to achieve better productivity and quality outcomes.

1. Workflows
2. Quality
3. Lean 
4. Six Sigma
5. Process engineer
6. Automation
7. Cost reduction
8. Value stream
9. Systems
10. Best practices
11. Standardization
12. Kaizen 

Resume buzzwords for innovation and creativity

Creativity-focused buzzwords are useful to highlight many types of innovation, fresh thinking, and the ability to transform ideas into reality. They underscore a talent for thinking of unique solutions to challenges and fostering an environment of artistic expression.

1. Creative thinking
2. Design-focused
3. Ideation
4. Content creator
5. Visual storytelling
6. Conceptual
7. Inspiration
8. Aesthetic
9. Imagination
10. Trendsetter
11. Culture leader
12. Campaign design

Resume buzzwords for research and data analysis

Research and data analysis buzzwords not only highlight technical proficiency but also demonstrate your capability to drive evidence-based decisions. They give the impression you can fuel growth and innovation in various sectors.

1. Quantitative
2. Statistical
3. Research-focused
4. Pattern-focused
5. Strategic leader
6. Predictive modeling
7. Big data
8. Evidence-based 
9. Advanced [tool] user
10. Database architect
11. Metrics
12. Problem-solving
13. Empirical
14. Insightful

Resume buzzwords for business development and growth

Buzzwords that highlight business development skills should convey a commitment to progress. They should demonstrate your skills in scalability, adaptability, and vision. 

1. Growth strategist
2. Scalability
3. Continuous improvement
4. Agile
5. Work performance
6. Continuous improvement
7. Transformation
8. Business expansion
9. Organizational thinker
10. Development-driven
11. Capacity-building

10 tips that go beyond adding some buzzwords

To use buzzwords most effectively, combine them with other elements of strong presentation and self-promotion. These can make ideas flow easier when you’re drafting or updating your professional skills or functional resume.

Tailor your resume to the job description: Scan the job listing for emphasized keywords and phrases, and incorporate these into your resume. This shows you’re qualified for the position and have the skills required to do the job. Even if you’re writing your first resume in anticipation of your expected graduation date, you can still personalize it with skills learned and practiced during your studies or internships.

Write in an active voice: Employ action words to make your accomplishments stand out. For example, instead of saying “Responsible for leading a team,” say “Led a team.” This conveys action and direct involvement in your achievements.

Incorporate quantifiable terms: Buzzwords are great, but you need numbers to back them up. Whenever possible, use numbers to quantify your personal achievements. For instance, “Increased sales by 20%” is more impactful than “Responsible for increasing sales.” It gives the reader a specific example of how your skills produce outcomes.

Use industry-relevant keywords: Use industry- or field-specific terms to showcase your familiarity with professional jargon, without overusing them. Leverage this tip wisely to ensure that the terminology you use is accessible to the HR rep, hiring manager, recruiter, or reviewer.

Use bullet points and skimmable content: A job posting can get hundreds of job applications. Only a few may get a job interview for each new job, and the selection process is often based on time crunches. If you’re writing a chronological resume, use bullet points for easy reading.

Avoid overused or fad phrases: Steer clear of vague and overused phrases, even if they appeared on previous versions of your resume. Instead, show how you embody these qualities through specific quantifiable examples. Show your personality where you can, but always lead with professionalism.

Show off your different skill areas to demonstrate your range: Employers look for a combination of hard skills and soft skills in candidates. Don’t be afraid to show off a wide skill set as far back as your resume goes. Here are some specific examples you can use for inspiration:

• Office skills
• Human resources skills
• Marketing skills
• Professional leadership skills

Highlight soft skills strategically: While it’s important to showcase technical skills, incorporating key soft skills (like leadership or communication skills) and other transferable skills can differentiate you from other job candidates. Choose the right buzzwords that align with the job description and company culture.

Focus on results-oriented language: Emphasize the outcomes of your work using action verbs that highlight your impact on previous projects or roles (such as “transformed” or “revitalized”). Be sure to share the honors and awards you’ve earned throughout your career.

Optimize for applicant tracking systems: Many companies use applicant tracking software (ATS) to screen the best resume options before they reach human eyes. Ensure your resume contains keywords from the job description, as some systems rank based on keyword matches. 

Another important consideration is that hiring managers and recruiters often search for candidates beyond the resume. They may also search for candidate social media profiles through their LinkedIn summary or profile, website portfolios, or CVs. Roughly 70% of hiring managers report having success when hiring using social media. Use relevant job search terms to your advantage when crafting a resume. 

20 resume buzzwords to avoid

Hiring managers see hundreds of resumes, so there are always some resume dos and don’ts. Repetitive buzzwords fail to differentiate one candidate from another. Moreover, they may suggest a lack of tangible experience without concrete examples. Avoid using these resume buzzwords to ensure your resume resonates with authenticity: 

1. Synergy
2. Results-driven
3. Motivated
4. People person
5. Team player
6. Guru
7. Growth hacker
8. Dynamic
9. Go-getter
10. Think outside the box
11. Hard worker
12. Detail-oriented
13. Experienced
14. Focused
15. Specialized
16. Passionate
17. Expert
18. Excellent
19. Dedicated
20. Best of breed

Aim for clarity and precision to give hiring managers a favorable view of your abilities. Focus on specific achievements and examples of your resume skills using action verbs to help your resume stand out. 

Attract the right job prospects with BetterUp

While you want to hit the right notes, buzzwords won’t make up for the substance of your resume. The best strategy is to showcase yourself with quantifiable data, detailing how you achieve results. Share specific accomplishments and moments where your skills have made a difference. 

Build your professional presence by teaming up with a BetterUp Coach to attract the right job prospects to land your dream role.