Do you use general and weak verbs in your resume? This can often be a reason for you to lose from the job competition. Wondering how to write a resume that gets you jobs or interviews?
You can make your resume more creative and robust than ever before. If you use common words and common phrases in your resume, you can use powerful and relevant action verbs instead to get the recruiter’s attention quickly towards your resume.
So this article will be very important for you if you are looking for action verbs that can embody your skills, abilities, and achievements and on your resume. We have listed 300+ action verbs below that can transform your resume into a compelling and competitive resume.
In this article, we have replaced the word action verbs with alternating words like action words, power words, power verbs, etc. So don’t be confused about that. Because they all have the same meaning.
How to use strong action verbs in your resume
List your achievements with quantified results before writing your resume bullet points using action verbs. You can then add action verbs to make them stronger.
For example, let’s take a look at the below two sentences that use an action verb and the other one that does not use an action verb.
- Responsible for SEO strategies at the company.
- Spearheaded the company’s overall SEO operations.
You can see that the two sentences above say the same thing, but the second sentence, which uses an action word, does not bore the reader. So that’s exactly what we expect from proper action verb usage on resumes. In addition, you can submit numbers and quantified results to further enhance your resume achievements.
Also when writing your achievements you can use the active voice and always start with an action verb. This way, you’ll make the most impact.
Where to put action verbs on a resume?
There are several resume sections where you can use action verbs. Such as:
- Resume summary
- Under your work experience
- In a separate skill section etc.
Most of us use action verbs or power verbs when writing our job descriptions. When listing achievements, you can use fresh attention-grabbing words instead of using generic bullet point starters.
You can also get the assistance of action verbs while writing the resume summary. You can easily get through the 6-second resume scan by using action verbs in your resume summary. Because when you apply action words effectively in the right place of your resume, you can capture the attention of the recruiter in an instant, even with a small word or phrase.
Avoid over optimizing your resume with action verbs
You may have heard a saying that there is no need to have too much of anything. That simple principle is very important to keep in mind even when you are writing your resume.
If you regularly use power verbs or action verbs with the intention of optimizing your resume for ATS, its value will decrease. The more you stuff resume words, the more likely you will lose the job due to the person reading your resume will think that you are trying too hard to get this job.
For these reasons, never include more than two action verbs in one sentence or bullet point.
Which kind of action verbs to use?
There are simply two things for you to consider.
- Whenever possible use action verbs that can be measured. So that every time you list a tangible result you can use such an action verb to make your resume stand out from other applications.
- Avoid using buzzwords that make recruiters boring. Buzzwords are often used to refer to common phrases that are frequently used by candidates in their resumes. Using such words is like bragging about yourself. Instead, if you can, use action verbs that amplify your activity.
If you still do not have an idea of which action verbs to use in your resume, check out the action verbs list below. We have very carefully categorized 220+ action verbs to help you to upgrade your resume.
List of resume action verbs
Action verbs to highlight communication skills
- Briefed
- Campaigned
- Collaborated
- Composed
- Conveyed
- Convinced
- Documented
- Enlivened
- Instructed
- Performed
- Presented
- Promoted
- Spoke
- Trained
- Addressed
- Corresponded
- Persuaded
- Publicized
- Reconciled
Action verbs to use if you led a project
- Chaired
- Controlled
- Coordinated
- Executed
- Headed
- Operated
- Orchestrated
- Organized
- Oversaw
- Planned
- Produced
- Programmed
If you developed or created something for the company
- Administered
- Built
- Charted
- Created
- Designed
- Developed
- Devised
- Founded
- Engineered
- Established
- Formalized
- Formed
- Formulated
- Implemented
- Incorporated
- Initiated
- Instituted
- Introduced
- Launched
- Pioneered
- Spearheaded
Action verbs that will highlight your leadership qualities
- Authorized
- Chaired
- Cultivated
- Delegated
- Directed
- Enabled
- Executed
- Facilitated
- Fostered
- Guided
- Headed
- Hosted
- Inspired
- Mentored
- Mobilized
- Operated
- Orchestrated
- Oversaw
- Spearheaded
- Trained
Action verbs to show your management skills
- Consolidated
- Appointed
- Delegated
- Established
If you have saved any resources in your organization
- Conserved
- Consolidated
- Decreased
- Deducted
- Diagnosed
- Lessened
- Reconciled
- Reduced
- Yielded
- Catalogued
- Executed
- Monitored
- Operated
Action verbs to use if you achieved or increased
- Accelerated
- Achieved
- Advanced
- Amplified
- Boosted
- Capitalized
- Delivered
- Enhanced
- Expanded
- Expedited
- Furthered
- Gained
- Generated
- Improved
- Lifted
- Maximized
- Outpaced
- Stimulated
- Sustained
- Attained
- Awarded
- Completed
- Demonstrated
- Earned
- Exceeded
- Outperformed
- Reached
- Showcased
- Succeeded
- Surpassed
- Targeted
If you made a positive impact on the organization
- 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
Use these resume action verbs if you handled a team
- Aligned
- Cultivated
- Directed
- Enabled
- Facilitated
- Fostered
- Guided
- Hired
- Inspired
- Mentored
- Mobilized
- Motivated
- Recruited
- Regulated
- Shaped
- Supervised
- Taught
- Trained
- Unified
- United
If you have previously held responsibilities
- Acquired
- Forged
- Navigated
- Negotiated
- Partnered
- Secured
If you have directly dealt with customers
- Advised
- Advocated
- Arbitrated
- Coached
- Consulted
- Educated
- Fielded
- Informed
- Resolved
Resume action verbs that shows your research skills
- Analyzed
- Assembled
- Assessed
- Audited
- Calculated
- Discovered
- Evaluated
- Examined
- Explored
- Forecasted
- Identified
- Interpreted
- Investigated
- Mapped
- Measured
- Qualified
- Quantified
- Surveyed
- Tested
- Tracked
Action verbs to show your sales skills
- Acquired
- Boosted
- Captured
- Conserved
- Converted
- Earned
- Gained
- Generated
- Maximized
- Negotiated
- Outpaced
- Won
- Yielded
Action verbs to show your financial experience
- Audited
- Calculated
- Classified
- Collected
- Equalized
- Evaluated
- Dispensed
- Halted
- Investigated
- Lowered
- Maintained
- Minimized
- Recognized
- Secured
So our final verdict is that If you use action verbs you will be more likely to outsmart the ATS and get your application in the hiring manager’s hand. Therefore get the maximum out of resume action verbs.