If you want to obliterate the glass ceiling and bolt to the very top of your industry, you need to be a woman of action. An attractive job posting gets hundreds and hundreds of applications. How do you make sure your résumé has a chance of catching the hiring manager’s eye? That’s where action verbs can swoop in and save the day. The language we use on our résumés shouldn’t be overwrought , but it should be vivid enough to put a polish on your accomplishments. By using a long list of clichés, you’re suggesting that you don’t actually feel strongly about what you’ve achieved — and maybe no one else should, either.