185 Powerful Action Verbs That Will Make Your Resume Awesome

Handled…

Managed…

Responsible for…

Most resume bullet points start with the same words. Frankly, the same tired old words hiring managers have heard over and over—to the point where they’ve lost a lot of their meaning and don’t do much to show off your accomplishments.

So, let’s get a little more creative, shall we? Next time you update your resume, switch up a few of those common words and phrases with strong, compelling action verbs that will catch hiring managers’ eyes.

No matter what duty or accomplishment you’re trying to show off, we’ve got just the resume action verb for you. Check out the list below, and get ready to make your resume way more exciting.

You Led a Project

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

Chaired

Controlled

Coordinated

Executed

Headed

Operated

Orchestrated

Organized

Oversaw

Planned

Produced

Programmed

You Envisioned and Brought a Project to Life

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

Administered

Built

Charted

Created

Designed

Developed

Devised

Founded

Engineered

Established

Formalized

Formed

Formulated

Implemented

Incorporated

Initiated

Instituted

Introduced

Launched

Pioneered

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:

Conserved

Consolidated

Decreased

Deducted

Diagnosed

Lessened

Reconciled

Reduced

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:

Accelerated

Achieved

Advanced

Amplified

Boosted

Capitalized

Delivered

Enhanced

Expanded

Expedited

Furthered

Gained

Generated

Improved

Lifted

Maximized

Outpaced

Stimulated

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:

Centralized

Clarified

Converted

Customized

Influenced

Integrated

Merged

Modified

Overhauled

Redesigned

Refined

Refocused

Rehabilitated

Remodeled

Reorganized

Replaced

Restructured

Revamped

Revitalized

Simplified

Standardized

Streamlined

Strengthened

Updated

Upgraded

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:

Aligned

Cultivated

Directed

Enabled

Facilitated

Fostered

Guided

Hired

Inspired

Mentored

Mobilized

Motivated

Recruited

Regulated

Shaped

Supervised

Taught

Trained

Unified

United

You Brought in Partners, Funding, or Resources

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

Acquired

Forged

Navigated

Negotiated

Partnered

Secured

You Supported Customers

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

Advised

Advocated

Arbitrated

Coached

Consulted

Educated

Fielded

Informed

Resolved

You Were a Research Machine

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

Analyzed

Assembled

Assessed

Audited

Calculated

Discovered

Evaluated

Examined

Explored

Forecasted

Identified

Interpreted

Investigated

Mapped

Measured

Qualified

Quantified

Surveyed

Tested

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:

Authored

Briefed

Campaigned

Co-authored

Composed

Conveyed

Convinced

Corresponded

Counseled

Critiqued

Defined

Documented

Edited

Illustrated

Lobbied

Persuaded

Promoted

Publicized

Reviewed

You Oversaw or Regulated

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

Authorized

Blocked

Delegated

Dispatched

Enforced

Ensured

Inspected

Itemized

Monitored

Screened

Scrutinized

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:

Attained

Awarded

Completed

Demonstrated

Earned

Exceeded

Outperformed

Reached

Showcased

Succeeded

Surpassed

Targeted