A List of Action Verbs for When You Next Edit Your Resume
A List of Action Verbs for When You Next Edit Your Resume
Every resume needs punchy accomplishment statements.
(As a reminder, these are the bullet points beneath each of your jobs that detail your work achievements.)
One rule of thumb in the world of writing is to use vivid verbs to describe action. When you do so, it makes your sentences pop and the story more interesting to the reader.
The same can be said for writing resumes. Beginning each accomplishment statement with made or bought or managed can become redundant. None of these are bad verbs to use in a resume, but if you find yourself using them more than once or twice, try switching them out for a different verb.
For example:
made could turn into created,
bought into purchased, and
managed into facilitated.
The next time you’re editing your resume, use this list of ready-to-use, active verbs to make it more vibrant. And be sure to check out our resume coaching offerings on our site for more help with all things resumes.
achieved
accelerated
acted
active in
adapted
addressed
adjusted
administered
advised
advocated
allocated
analyzed
applied
appointed
appraised
approved
arranged
articulated
assembled
assessed
assigned
assimilated
assisted
assumed
attained
balanced
budgeted
cataloged
chaired
clarified
classified
collected
communicated
compared
compiled
completed
composed
coordinated
conceived
conducted
consolidated
consulted
contacted
contributed
controlled
corrected
corresponded
counseled
created
dealt-with
defined
delegated
demonstrated
described
designated
designed
determined
developed
directed
distributed
documented
drafted
edited
educated
effected
eliminated
encouraged
enforced
engaged
enlarged
enlisted
established
estimated
evaluated
examined
expanded
expedited
facilitated
followed-up
forecasted
formulated
founded
functioned
gathered
generated
guided
handled
helped
identified
illustrated
implemented
improved
improvised
increased
influenced
informed
inspected
instituted
instructed
integrated
interpreted
interviewed
initiated
introduced
investigated
involved
launched
led
learned
lectured
located
maintained
managed
marketed
mediated
modified
molded
monitored
negotiated
observed
ordered
organized
originated
participated
perceived
performed
persuaded
planned
pinpointed
prepared
presented
processed
procured
produced
programmed
promoted
proposed
proved
provided
published
purchased
received
recommended
reconciled
recruited
reduced
referred
reformed
reinforced
reorganized
reported
represented
researched
resolved
revamped
reviewed
revised
scheduled
screened
selected
setup
sold
solved
spoke
started
stimulated
structured
streamlined
studied
submitted
succeeded
suggested
summarized
supervised
supplied
supported
surveyed
taught
tested
trained
translated
tutored
updated
used
utilized
wrote