CYBER MONDAY: 15% off writing packages using promo code "CYBER15" until Friday, December 6

career-advice

290+ Strong Action Verbs For Your Resume

Matt Glodz
290+ Strong Action Verbs For Your Resume

A comprehensive list of action words to improve your resume

When crafting your resume’s bullet points, make sure that they are achievement-based and quantify your accomplishments whenever possible.

Your bullet points should also start with action verbs.

You never want to give off the impression that you are a passive employee who is simply “responsible for” carrying out his day-to-day tasks, “assisted with” projects around the office, and “helped” reach targets.

Think of action verbs as resume power words: they reposition you as a proactive go-getter who will add real value to an organization.

Use this list of action-oriented verbs to diversify and elevate your phrasing:

A

Accomplished

Achieved

Acted as/on

Adapted

Addressed

Adjusted

Administered

Advised

Advocated

Aided

Allocated

Amended

Analyzed

Applied

Appraised

Approved

Arranged

Ascertained

Assembled

Assessed

Assigned

Attained

Attended

Audited

Augmented

Authorized

Authored

B

Balanced

Bargained

Benchmarked

Broadened

Budgeted

Built

C

Calculated

Canvassed

Carried Out

Catalogued

Centralized

Chaired

Checked

Chose

Clarified

Classified

Coached

Collaborated

Collected

Combined

Communicated

Compared

Compiled

Completed

Composed

Computed

Conceived

Conceptualized

Concluded

Condensed

Conducted

Confirmed

Consolidated

Constructed

Consulted

Controlled

Converted

Convinced

Coordinated

Corrected

Corresponded

Counseled

Created

Critiqued

Cultivated

Customized

D

Dealt With

Decided

Decreased

Defined

Delegated

Delivered

Demonstrated

Described

Designated

Designed

Determined

Developed

Devised

Directed

Discovered

Displayed

Disseminated

Distinguished

Distributed

Documented

Drafted

E

Edited

Eliminated

Employed

Encouraged

Enforced

Engineered

Enhanced

Enlisted

Ensured

Established

Estimated

Evaluated

Examined

Exceeded

Executed

Exercised

Exhibited

Expanded

Expedited

Explained

Explored

Extracted

F

Facilitated

Familiarized

Fielded

Finalized

Financed

Forecasted

Formalized

Formatted

Formulated

Founded

Furnished

G

Gathered

Gauged

Generated

Guided

H

Headed

Hired

Hosted

I

Identified

Illustrated

Implemented

Improved

Improvised

Incorporated

Increased

Influenced

Informed

Initiated

Inspected

Installed

Instituted

Instructed

Integrated

Interacted

Interpreted

Interviewed

Introduced

Invented

Inventoried

Investigated

Involved

Issued

L

Launched

Lectured

Led

Leveraged

Lobbied

Located

M

Maintained

Managed

Marketed

Maximized

Measured

Mediated

Minimized

Modeled

Moderated

Modified

Monitored

Motivated

N

Negotiated

O

Observed

Obtained

Operated

Orchestrated

Ordered

Organized

Oriented

Originated

Overhauled

Oversaw

P

Participated

Performed

Persuaded

Planned

Polled

Predicted

Prepared

Presented

Preserved

Presided

Priced

Prioritized

Probed

Processed

Produced

Programmed

Projected

Promoted

Proofread

Proposed

Provided

Publicized

Published

Purchased

Pursued

Q

Quantified

Quoted

R

Raised

Ranked

Rated

Recommended

Reconciled

Recorded

Recruited

Redesigned

Reduced

Referred

Refined

Registered

Regulated

Reorganized

Replaced

Reported

Represented

Researched

Resolved

Responded

Restored

Restructured

Revamped

Reviewed

Revised

Revitalized

S

Scheduled

Screened

Searched

Secured

Selected

Served (As)

Set (Up)

Settled

Shortened

Simplified

Sold

Solicited

Solved

Spearheaded

Specified

Spoke

Standardized

Streamlined

Strengthened

Studied

Submitted

Substantiated

Suggested

Summarized

Supervised

Supplied

Supported

Surpassed

Surveyed

Synthesized

Systematized

T

Tailored

Targeted

Taught

Team-Taught

Tested

Trained

Transferred

Transformed

Translated

Transmitted

Trimmed

Tutored

U

Unified

Updated

Upgraded

V

Validated

Verified

W

Wrote

Source: Cornell Hotel School Resume Guide


About Resume Pilots

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.

As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.

Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.

Here's how we can help you:

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services: If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.

Executive Resume Template Downloads: If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.

To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email team@resumepilots.com.


About the AuthorMatt Glodz


Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.

At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years.

He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.


Related Articles

How to Choose a Top Executive Resume Writer in 2024
Learn how to select the best executive resume writing service for your needs. Should you hire a professional executive resume writer? Are executive resume writing services worth it? Do the best executive resume writers use AI?
Read More
25 Inspiring LinkedIn Background Photos (Free Downloads)
Elevate your LinkedIn profile with 25 free LinkedIn background photos that will help build your personal brand and add a touch of personality. By uploading a LinkedIn cover photo, you can increase your profile views and demonstrate your engagement on the platform.
Read More
Expert Tip: When to Spell Out Numbers on a Resume
Learn whether to write out numbers or use numerals on your resume. We discuss standard grammar rules, best practices for showcasing achievements, and tips for maintaining consistency on your resume to impress recruiters.
Read More