185 Powerful Action Verbs For Your Resume

You Led a Project

If you were in charge of a project or initiative from start to finish, skip “led” and instead try:

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1. Chaired

2. Controlled

3. Coordinated

4. Executed

5. Headed

6. Operated

7. Orchestrated

8. Organized

9. Oversaw

10. Planned

11. Produced

12. Programmed

 

You Envisioned and Brought a Project to Life

And if you actually developed, created, or introduced that project into your company? Try:

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1. Administered

2. Built

3. Charted

4. Created

5. Designed

6. Developed

7. Devised

8. Founded

9. Engineered

10. Established

11. Formalized

12. Formed

13. Formulated

14. Implemented

15. Incorporated

16. Initiated

17. Instituted

18. Introduced

19. Launched

20. Pioneered

21. Spearheaded

 

You Saved the Company Time or Money

Hiring managers love candidates who’ve helped a team operate more efficiently or cost-effectively. To show just how much you saved, try:

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1. Conserved

2. Consolidated

3. Decreased

4. Deducted

5. Diagnosed

6. Lessened

7. Reconciled

8. Reduced

9. Yielded

 

You Increased Efficiency, Sales, Revenue, or Customer Satisfaction

Along similar lines, if you can show that your work boosted the company’s numbers in some way, you’re bound to impress. In these cases, consider:

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1. Accelerated

2. Achieved

3. Advanced

4. Amplified

5. Boosted

6. Capitalized

7. Delivered

8. Enhanced

9. Expanded

10. Expedited

11. Furthered

12. Gained

13. Generated

14. Improved

15. Lifted

16. Maximized

17. Outpaced

18. Stimulated

19. Sustained

 

You Changed or Improved Something

So, you brought your department’s invoicing system out of the Stone Age and onto the interwebs? Talk about the amazing changes you made at your office with these words:

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1. Centralized

2. Clarified

3. Converted

4. Customized

5. Influenced

6. Integrated

7. Merged

8. Modified

9. Overhauled

10. Redesigned

11. Refined

12. Refocused

13. Rehabilitated

14. Remodeled

15. Reorganized

16. Replaced

17. Restructured

18. Revamped

19. Revitalized

20. Simplified

21. Standardized

22. Streamlined

23. Strengthened

24. Updated

25. Upgraded

26. Transformed

 

You Managed a Team

Instead of reciting your management duties, like “Led a team…” or “Managed employees…” show what an inspirational leader you were with terms like:

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1. Aligned

2. Cultivated

3. Directed

4. Enabled

5. Facilitated

6. Fostered

7. Guided

8. Hired

9. Inspired

10. Mentored

11. Mobilized

12. Motivated

13. Recruited

14. Regulated

15. Shaped

16. Supervised

17. Taught

18. Trained

19. Unified

20. United

 

You Brought in Partners, Funding, or Resources

Were you “responsible for” a great new partner, sponsor, or source of funding? Try:

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1. Acquired

2. Forged

3. Navigated

4. Negotiated

5. Partnered

6. Secured

 

You Supported Customers

Because manning the phones or answering questions really means you’re advising customers and meeting their needs, use:

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1. Advised

2. Advocated

3. Arbitrated

4. Coached

5. Consulted

6. Educated

7. Fielded

8. Informed

9. Resolved

 

You Were a Research Machine

Did your job include research, analysis, or fact-finding? Mix up your verbiage with these words:

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1. Analyzed

2. Assembled

3. Assessed

4. Audited

5. Calculated

6. Discovered

7. Evaluated

8. Examined

9. Explored

10. Forecasted

11. Identified

12. Interpreted

13. Investigated

14. Mapped

15. Measured

16. Qualified

17. Quantified

18. Surveyed

19. Tested

20. Tracked

 

You Wrote or Communicated

Was writing, speaking, lobbying, or otherwise communicating part of your gig? You can explain just how compelling you were with words like:

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1. Authored

2. Briefed

3. Campaigned

4. Co-authored

5. Composed

6. Conveyed

7. Convinced

8. Corresponded

9. Counseled

10. Critiqued

11. Defined

12. Documented

13. Edited

14. Illustrated

15. Lobbied

16. Persuaded

17. Promoted

18. Publicized

19. Reviewed

 

You Oversaw or Regulated

Whether you enforced protocol or managed your department’s requests, describe what you really did, better, with these words:

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1. Authorized

2. Blocked

3. Delegated

4. Dispatched

5. Enforced

6. Ensured

7. Inspected

8. Itemized

9. Monitored

10. Screened

11. Scrutinized

12. Verified

 

You Achieved Something

Did you hit your goals? Win a coveted department award? Don’t forget to include that on your resume, with words like:

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1. Attained

2. Awarded

3. Completed

4. Demonstrated

5. Earned

6. Exceeded

7. Outperformed

8. Reached

9. Showcased

10. Succeeded

11. Surpassed

12. Targeted