Many resumes begin with familiar phrases like "tasked with," "responsible for," and "experience in," which hiring managers worldwide see repeatedly.
These terms often fail to highlight your true achievements. Instead, shift to using dynamic action verbs that showcase your contributions more effectively.
This guide provides alternatives that will help you present a stronger, more impactful profile to hiring managers worldwide.
Action Verbs: What Are They?
Action verbs demonstrate action and include terms like:
- "achieved"
- "designed"
- "implemented"
These are most effective at the start of bullet points on your resume.
According to professional resume writer Clair Levy, resumes are generally written in an implied first person, meaning pronouns are omitted.
Instead of saying, "I developed marketing strategies," you should start bullet points directly with the action verb: "Developed marketing strategies."
If you need ideas on which words to use, the list provided below is a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their resume and appeal to a worldwide audience.
Why Are Action Verbs Important on a Resume?
Action verbs are essential for making your resume more impactful and engaging. They emphasize your achievements and demonstrate your capabilities in a clear, compelling way.
Research shows that resumes using strong action verbs have a higher chance of securing interviews. Here's why they matter:
- Make Accomplishments Stand Out: Action verbs bring your achievements to life, showing measurable impact and results.
- Capture Attention Quickly: Hiring managers skim resumes, and action verbs immediately grab their focus.
- Convey Confidence and Enthusiasm: They reflect a proactive attitude, showing you take initiative.
- Highlight Skills and Strengths: Action verbs emphasize your abilities without overloading the reader with unnecessary details.
- Improve Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Compatibility: Many action verbs align with keywords sought in ATS scans, increasing your resume’s visibility.
How to Use Action Verbs on Your Resume
Action verbs strengthen a resume by showcasing achievements and abilities directly. Follow these five tips to use them effectively:
1. Avoiding Commonly Used Action Verbs
Using generic action verbs can make your resume less impactful. Words like "managed," "led," and "created" are too common and may not capture a recruiter’s attention.
Replace these with specific and dynamic alternatives to make your accomplishments stand out. Consider these examples:
Replace "managed" with:
- "Orchestrated"
- "Directed"
- "Oversaw"
Replace "led" with:
- "Spearheaded"
- "Mentored"
- "Guided"
Replace "created" with:
- "Engineered"
- "Designed"
- "Developed"
Targeted action verbs make your resume more engaging and memorable to recruiters worldwide.
Using resume optimization tools or industry-specific keyword lists can help identify the most impactful verbs to match your role and industry. Tailoring your language can give you an edge in competitive job markets.
2. Using Numbers to be More Specific
Combining action verbs with measurable outcomes adds clarity and impact to your resume. Specific numbers demonstrate the value of your contributions and highlight tangible results, making your achievements more compelling worldwide.
Avoid simply listing responsibilities. Instead, quantify your accomplishments to provide context and significance. Here are some examples:
- Increased sales revenue by 30% through strategic marketing campaigns.
- Reduced customer wait time by 50% by implementing a new customer service queuing system.
- Streamlined inventory management processes, cutting overhead costs by 20%.
This approach ensures recruiters understand your direct impact and helps your resume stand out.
Incorporating metrics aligned with action verbs can strengthen your application’s appeal, especially in competitive global job markets. Using tools like Jobscan or similar platforms can further optimize your resume for success.
Powerful Action Verbs to Use on Your Resume
Using active voice makes your resume concise and impactful. For example, say “Achieved targets” instead of “Targets were achieved.”
Active voice typically uses single-word verbs like "led," "managed," or "developed," while passive voice often includes multi-word phrases like "was managed."
Avoid the latter to keep your statements direct. Tools like HemingwayApp can help identify the passive voice in your resume.
Incorporate Industry-Specific Verbs
Choose verbs that resonate with your field of expertise. For example:
- Finance roles: Use terms like “audited,” “calculated,” or “invested.”
- Marketing positions: Opt for verbs such as “launched,” “optimized,” or “generated.”
This approach demonstrates alignment with industry expectations and highlights relevant skills, helping your resume stand out worldwide.
Tailor Action Verbs for Job-Specific Results
Each job application demands customization. Add role-specific action verbs to align your resume with the job description.
This ensures compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), software used by employers to screen resumes. ATS prioritizes keywords like "implemented," "streamlined," or "engineered," directly matching the job description.
Tools like Jobscan can help refine your resume for higher compatibility and increased chances of landing interviews.
Which Action Verbs Should Be Avoided?
Certain action verbs are overused and can make your resume feel generic. Examples include:
- Managed
- Led
- Created
- Implemented
- Improved
These common verbs lack uniqueness and fail to make your achievements stand out. Instead, choose precise and impactful alternatives to describe your accomplishments. For example:
- Replace managed with orchestrated, supervised, or coordinated.
- Replace led with mentored, guided, or directed.
- Replace created with designed, initiated, or developed.
- Replace implemented with executed, established, or deployed.
- Replace improved with optimized, enhanced, or streamlined.
What Are the Best Examples of Action Verbs?
Action verbs add impact to your resume and emphasize your accomplishments. Here are examples of commonly used and effective action verbs for various skills and achievements:
- Leadership: Directed, Oversaw, Supervised, Guided, Mentored
- Problem-Solving: Resolved, Solved, Diagnosed, Analyzed, Troubleshoot
- Communication: Presented, Communicated, Negotiated, Collaborated, Facilitated
- Creativity and Innovation: Designed, Developed, Created, Innovated, Initiated
- Organization and Efficiency: Organized, Streamlined, Executed, Prioritized, Scheduled
- Technical Skills: Programmed, Built, Tested, Verified, Configured
- Teaching and Training: Taught, Trained, Coached, Advised, Educated
- Improvements and Achievements: Enhanced, Optimized, Improved, Achieved, Increased
Conclusion
Using powerful action verbs is one of the most effective ways to elevate your resume and showcase your achievements. They emphasize impact, highlight skills, and help your profile stand out in a competitive job market.
By avoiding generic terms, incorporating industry-specific verbs, and tailoring your word choices to each application, you can craft a resume that captures attention worldwide.
Action verbs are not just words—they’re tools that demonstrate your value to potential employers.
