Your resume gives you as a potential candidate a chance to show companies all the important achievements that you have reached over the course of your career. Action verbs specifically give you an opportunity to increase the wow factor if you will. A lot of resumes tend to use vague or overused verbs. This can actually diminish the excellent work that you have done so choose action verbs that accurately reflect what you have done.

Utilizing industry-appropriate action verbs on your resume can highlight your skills whereas filler descriptions can downplay your contributions and expertise. It can mean the difference between demonstrating your leadership skills or being seen as an associate level.

What Is An Action Verb?

An action verb is a word that demonstrates how the subject of a sentence is taking action. For instance, I ran to the post office; the glass of water spilled on the floor. The opposite is a passive verb which means the subject is receiving the consequence of an action. Example: The clothes were washed and folded last night. However some words are a better description than others. 

Action Verbs You Can Use For Communication

Instead of: spoke, utilized, demonstrated, organized

Use: addressed, corresponded, persuaded, reconciled

You can present analytical data and host conference meetings but does that mean you got your point across to a diverse audience? Grab the interest of a recruiter by using words that show your unique personality. For example, instead of saying you "organized" a company off-site, say you "created" an off-site meeting. And instead of "conducting" the meeting, perhaps you "arranged" the meeting. "Persuaded" is another solid action verb to use because it describes your competency when it comes to influencing others. Descriptive words can add formality to your actions. Words like "addressed" or "corresponded" can carry meaning in a way that more obvious word choices would not.

Action Verbs To Represent Organizational Skills

Instead of: organized, created, filed

Use: strategized, executed, operated

Did you spearhead the beginning of a project, then reassign the work? Make sure to choose action verbs that demonstrate how you organized and followed through with a specific project from initial concept all the way to completion. For example, "executed" says that you saw it through to the end.When you focus on only the task instead of the specific purpose in relation to the organization, you end up limiting the overall value of your experience. Instead of "filed account paperwork" be more descriptive and say such as "monitored client accounts."

Action Verbs For Management Skills

Instead of: led, handled, oversaw

Use: consolidated, delegated, established

Leadership experience is excellent for your resume. However if you are only saying "led" a team, this is not as powerful as saying you "established" a team from the ground up, which indicates you took the lead to create something new within the company you previously worked for. Including a word like "oversaw" indicates that you are performing managerial work at a high level but that you are not actively participating in a project. Pick words that reflect the true nature of your contribution. For example, "Established a comprehensive productivity team and delegated tasks on behalf of a managerial team." These action verbs in combination give the hiring manager an overall impression of your work style which can reduce your resume’s initial impact. Utilize a dictionary or thesaurus if you get stuck and when you are done, be sure to have a friend or colleague proofread your resume to make sure it is a comprehensive read.

A crucial element involving your job satisfaction and happiness is getting paid what you are worth. If you are earning substantially less than what your skills, experience and contributions are worth, it can lead to less job satisfaction and a lack of commitment to the company over time. Knowing how to negotiate salary using an informed approach is essential to your success.

Receiving market level compensation for your work output can help increase your productivity and how you value yourself while providing you with the financial stability and security you need to plan for your future. However, if you are wondering how to negotiate a higher salary, there are numerous factors you need to consider including economic climate, timing and your current salary. You will also have to prove how your value is worth your current pay amount by quantifying your contribution to the company. I will provide practical salary negotiation tips that can help you make inroads in terms of securing your financial future. By doing research, assessing your worth, preparing yourself and being open to compromise, you can learn how to negotiate salary and reach an agreement that benefits both you and your employer.

How To Negotiate Your Salary When You Get A Job Offer 

Once you have received a written job offer from the company, most hiring managers will give you a chance to think about it before giving your response. If you do not negotiate, you could be leaving money on the table. I will describe how to negotiate a salary offer to help you confidently ask for the amount that you want. Before the negotiation begins, gather information about industry standards, pay ranges for similar positions and the company's financial state. In your salary negotiation email, acknowledge and express gratitude for the offer but explain to the recruiter that you would like to discuss the salary compensation further. Present your research, highlight your skills and experience that could potentially justify a higher salary. Be specific about your desired salary range while being flexible and open to compromise. If the company is unwilling to increase your salary, consider negotiating other benefits like flexible work hours, paid time off or professional development opportunities. If the employer is not willing to budge on salary, it is essential to walk away from the offer. You are negotiating for a mutually beneficial contractual agreement. If the salary is not what you are looking for, it may be best to continue your job search.

How To Negotiate Salary At Your Current Job

Whether you are planning for your annual performance review or want to ask for a promotion, the best way to negotiate salary is to build a problem free business case. In order to give yourself the best chance of getting a raise, take the additional time required to present a transparent and compelling demonstration of why you are worth what you are asking for by utilizing facts to back up your claims.

Learning how to negotiate a salary and asking for a raise can be an extensive process. With the proper preparation and  understanding of your worth, you will have what you need to move forward. 

Do Your Research!

Knowing how to negotiate your salary effectively starts with knowledge. Before entering into negotiations, you can gain key insights into what your market value is. Start by researching salary related data for your specific job title and location in order to determine the average pay for someone with your skills, experience and qualifications. This will give you a starting point for which you can base your salary expectations. You can use industry reports to find out if there is a high demand for skilled workers in your field. This information can give you additional bargaining power in your negotiations. You can also speak to other professionals in your industry for guidance and browse similar jobs online to help you in determining if you are being fairly compensated.

Quantifying Your Value

Determining how to negotiate your salary with your employer involves conducting an internal self-assessment and performance review. If you are negotiating a promotion based salary, consider how you can position yourself as an exceptional high performer who would be challenging to replace. What are the factors needed in order to even discuss a salary increase? The more information you have the better prepared you will be when it comes to answering questions from your employer. Write everything down and use these talking points to make the process simpler:

• Keep a record of your accomplishments, recent training, projects and contributions towards the company’s success. 
• Use real world metrics to prove you deserve the requested salary increase and show how you have surpassed your required metrics. 
• Take a closer look at your job responsibilities and identify areas where you have taken additional tasks and made significant contributions. 
• If you receive positive feedback from coworkers, customers or your superiors include this imperative information in your official request for a promotion or a raise.
• Discuss any future projects or initiatives they want you to take on as this can help demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to the company.

Benefits Package 

When it comes to negotiating your salary, it is essential to consider your entire benefits package as this can significantly impact your overall compensation. Personally you may value comprehensive health insurance coverage, flexible work hours and professional development opportunities in the near future. Make sure to research your company's benefits package and identify what is most important to you.

It is also a good idea to ask your employer if any benefits can be added as part of the salary negotiation process. In addition to the benefits package, it is crucial to consider the total amount of benefits and perks when determining your desired salary. For instance a flexible schedule, more time off or the option to work from home.

Practicing Your Salary Negotiation Conversation 

If you find yourself getting apprehensive about what to say, you can start off by writing a premade script. A well-designed script can be an excellent tool when it comes to learning how to be more confident. Once you have it written, you can practice with another person who can help you project a certain level of confidence and answer any last minute questions.

Keep in mind the following points when writing your script:

• Mention the research that you have done on the company's policies and market rates for similar positions. 
• Articulate your top skills, years of experience, essential qualifications and how they align with the company's needs and goals. 
• Make sure to include your salary figure by being as specific as possible.
• Let your current employer know that the specifics are open to negotiation or further discussion.
• End the conversation by showing gratitude and commitment to the company. 
• Be confident, professional and respectful when negotiating. 

Scheduling Your Salary Negotiation

After the meeting takes place, make sure to follow up with a thank-you email to your manager, reiterating your appreciation for the opportunity to discuss and confirm the agreements that were made.

Maintain A Positive Mindset

Remember that the outcome does not define your worth as an individual person. If you are ultimately unsuccessful, focus on your accomplishments and remind yourself of the achievements that in turn make you a more valuable employee. Seek additional support if needed.

If you are well on your way and about ready for a leadership position, you have most likely completed several rounds of job interviews. You probably performed well in those interviews in order to get to where you are now. This time, you will find a different vibe and many leadership interview questions may be new to you. You can expect interview questions geared specifically towards leadership positions that center around your ability to inspire and influence others, your project management track record in addition to your communication and decision-making skills. This article will describe what you can expect in a leadership interview as well as an outline for how you can answer questions.

When Must You Prepare For Leadership Interview Questions?

When an organization is considering you for a promotion, you will need to prepare to respond to interview questions in regards to the leadership skills you possess. Potential employers want to assess if you are the right fit for a future leadership role and how quickly you might be ready for one. Most people change jobs for better opportunities so the quicker they can identify and place someone internally into a leadership role, the longer they will stay with the company. Employees with leadership skills are usually loyal in the scheme of organizational ups and downs.

What Are Common Leadership Positions?

If you are applying to one of these leadership positions, you will need to prepare strong responses to questions about your leadership skills:

• Branch Manager 
• Contract Administrator 
• Engineering Manager
• Manager & Assistant Manager 
• Marketing Director
• Operations Manager
• Product Manager
• Project Manager 
• Sales Manager

Guidelines When It Comes To Answering Leadership Interview Questions

1. Avoid Copying & Pasting

Interview questions for leaders will include “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” question. Make sure you don’t say “My biggest weakness is that I work too much.” Be upfront and read the job description beforehand in order to craft a personalized response. 

2. Provide Examples

Be prepared to answer situational and leadership behavioral interview questions . Make a note of the interview questions for leaders’ behavior and practice answering them with personal stories from your past job or life experiences.

3. Work Leadership Skills Into Your Answers

Your interviewer will look for relevant leadership expertise. Find creative ways to include how you have demonstrated these skills in the past:

• Behavioral Leadership: Provide relevant examples of how you have influenced the behavior or decisions of other team members.
• Project Leadership: Focus on how you led project team members in order to complete tasks in a timely manner and within budget parameters.
• Decision-Making Process: Work in related examples of recent times that you had to make tough decisions or when conditions were not ideal.
• Communication Skills: The interview will test your communication skills and this is why it is a good idea to practice potential leadership interview questions so you can speak about them with ease.

Common Leadership Interview Questions

1. Can you walk me through a specific project you were in charge of and what made it successful in the end?
2. Tell me about a decision that was difficult and how it was resolved?
3. Can you name a particular scenario where you utilized your leadership skills?
4. How would you increase communication across various departments?
5. Do you establish priorities for yourself and your direct reports?
6. Who is your mentor and when was the last time you met with them to ask for advice?
7. What is your leadership philosophy?

Question #1: Can you walk me through a specific project you were in charge of and what made it successful in the end?

This leadership behavioral interview question addresses your organizational skills, ability to delegate tasks and demonstrating overall leadership capabilities.

• Describe the reason for the project and the desired outcome by upper management.
• Talk about the team members, how you identified their strengths and delegated tasks to them appropriately.
• Report on the results of the project.

Question #2: Tell me about a decision that was difficult and how it was resolved?

The interviewer will ask leadership interview questions in order to learn how you make decisions and if you collaborate with team members and management before making a significant decision.

• Describe the decision and all of the possible outcomes you considered.
• Discuss how you came to that decision and who you asked for input. 
• Reveal the decision you made and how it was a success.

Question #3: Can you name a particular scenario where you utilized your leadership skills?

Leadership interview questions can apply to someone in a management position as well as someone an employer is considering promoting into a leadership role.

• Explain a specific challenge you faced.
• Describe how you collaborated with fellow team members.
• Talk about the outcome of the situation.

Question #4: How would you increase communication across various departments?

When departments communicate and work together, things get done quicker and without delays. Department isolation is a common problem that adversely affects organizations. Listen for interview questions regarding cross-functional communication and how you contributed towards streamlining that process at previous places of employment.

• Use conversational language such as lack of communication.
• If you have experience managing cross-department communication describe the situation in depth and how your actions contributed towards a positive outcome.
• If you have not had experience within this particular area, acknowledge the lack of communication and provide an example of how it could affect an organization in the long run. Make sure to propose a solution in order to increase communication. 

Question #5: Do you establish priorities for yourself and your direct reports?

One of your leadership interview questions will most likely be about priorities. Leaders need to be organized, know how to prioritize multiple projects and delegate effectively to the right people. 

• Describe the criteria of a particular model that you know works best.
• Go in depth and explain how that model works.

Question #6: Who is your mentor and when was the last time you met with them to ask for advice?

An employee who has a good mentor is a better individual in the workplace. Leadership interview questions about mentors can show how well you take advice and whether you are ready to mentor someone.

• Talk about the importance of having a mentor.
• Briefly describe your relationship with your mentor, the last time you met and their advice.
• Provide details regarding if you are currently mentoring anyone or if you are looking forward to being a mentor in your next position.

Question #7: What is your leadership philosophy?

This is a leadership-style interview question where you can answer whether or not you have had experience managing a team.

• Read up beforehand on leadership roles and particular styles.
• Describe your specific style.
• Talk about why that philosophy or style works for you and your team.