Action verbs to help make your resume stand out

Using strong action verbs in your resume is crucial for making it stand out. They paint a vivid picture of your accomplishments and demonstrate your capabilities more effectively than passive language. Recruiters often see the same verbs over and over (lead, manage, etc). By incorporating these powerful action verbs, you can create a compelling resume that effectively showcases your skills and accomplishments, helping you stand out from the competition. Consider some of these action verbs to spruce up your resume:

Action verb categories and examples

Achievement and results-oriented

• Achieved: Attained, accomplished, realized, reached.
• Awarded: Granted, recognized, bestowed, conferred.
• Exceeded: Surpassed, outpaced, transcended, outstripped.
• Generated: Produced, created, yielded, manufactured.
• Improved: Enhanced, upgraded, refined, boosted.
• Increased: Expanded, amplified, escalated, augmented.
• Reduced: Minimized, decreased, diminished, curtailed.
• Resolved: Solved, remedied, settled, rectified.
• Streamlined: Optimized, simplified, expedited, accelerated.

Communication and interpersonal skills

• Advised: Counseled, recommended, suggested, guided.
• Collaborated: Partnered, cooperated, teamed, united.
• Communicated: Articulated, conveyed, presented, expressed, informed.
• Facilitated: Moderated, guided, streamlined, enabled.
• Influenced: Persuaded, convinced, motivated, inspired.
• Negotiated: Mediated, arbitrated, bargained, reconciled.
• Presented: Demonstrated, displayed, showcased, revealed.

Financial

This list includes some vocabulary and descriptions to help you think of areas in which you may want to include on your resume.

• Acquired: obtained assets or companies.
• Allocated: Distributed funds and resources effectively.
• Analyzed: Evaluated financial statements, identified trends, and assessed risks.
• Audited: Examined financial records for accuracy and compliance.
• Assessed: determined the value of assets, or liabilities.
• Budgeted: Developed and managed budgets, controlled expenses, and allocated resources.
• Controlled: Implemented financial controls to mitigate risks and ensure compliance.
• Divested: sold off assets or subsidiaries.
• Evaluated: Assessed financial performance, investment opportunities, and risk factors.
• Executed: Carried out financial strategies and transactions.
• Forecasted: Projected future financial performance, revenue, and expenses.
• Increased: Grew revenue, profits, and investment returns.
• Modeled: Created financial models to analyze scenarios and support decision-making.
• Negotiated: Secured favorable financial terms and agreements.
• Optimized: Improved financial processes, efficiency, and profitability.
• Processed: Executed financial transactions, payments, and invoices.
• Reconciled: Balanced accounts, resolved discrepancies, and ensured data integrity.
• Reduced: Minimized costs, expenses, and financial risks.
• Reported: Prepared and presented financial reports to stakeholders.
• Quantified: expressed or measured the quantity of.

Leadership and management

• Delegated: Assigned, entrusted, allocated, distributed.
• Developed: Created, established, formulated, pioneered, generated.
• Directed: Orchestrated, conducted, steered, governed.
• Implemented: Executed, deployed, launched, instituted, enacted.
• Led: Guided, directed, spearheaded, supervised, chaired.
• Managed: Oversaw, administered, coordinated, controlled, regulated.
• Mentored: Coached, guided, trained, advised, instructed.
• Strategized: Planned, designed, mapped, charted.

Technical and analytical skills

• Analyzed: Evaluated, assessed, examined, investigated, scrutinized.
• Authored: Wrote, composed, drafted, penned, created.
• Calculated: Computed, determined, estimated, measured.
• Classified: Categorized, organized, sorted, grouped, arranged.
• Collected: Gathered, assembled, compiled, accumulated, sourced.
• Compared: Contrasted, differentiated, juxtaposed, weighed.
• Compiled: Assembled, gathered, organized, arranged, collated.
• Correlated: Linked, connected, associated, related.
• Developed: Engineered, programmed, designed, constructed.
• Documented: Recorded, chronicled, registered, logged, archived.
• Diagnosed: Identified, detected, determined, pinpointed.
• Evaluated: Assessed, appraised, judged, ranked, rated.
• Experimented: Tested, trialed, piloted, conducted.
• Identified: Discovered, detected, recognized, pinpointed, uncovered.
• Implemented: Installed, configured, integrated, deployed.
• Interpreted: Explained, clarified, elucidated, decoded, translated.
• Investigated: Probed, explored, inquired, delved into, inspected.
• Modeled: Simulated, represented, patterned.
• Observed: Monitored, watched, tracked, recorded.
• Optimized: Improved, enhanced, refined, streamlined.
• Reported: Presented, communicated, conveyed, articulated, outlined.
• Researched: Investigated, explored, examined, studied.
• Surveyed: Polled, canvassed, interviewed, questioned.
• Validated: Confirmed, verified, substantiated, corroborated, authenticated.

Things to remember

• Context is key: Choose verbs that accurately reflect the context of your work.
• Specificity: Avoid vague verbs. Use precise language that demonstrates the depth and rigor of your research.
• Quantify where possible: Always try to quantify your achievements. Examples: Reduced operating expenses by 15%. / Managed a portfolio of $X million. / Analyzed data from a sample of 500 participants.

Conclusion

By thoughtfully incorporating these powerful action verbs into your resume, you can transform it from a simple list of duties into a dynamic narrative of your professional impact. Tailor your verb choices to reflect the context of your work, prioritize specificity, and quantify your achievements whenever possible to maximize their effect. With these tools, you’ll be well-equipped to create a resume that not only stands out but also leaves a lasting impression on recruiters, paving the way for your next career opportunity.