Resume Help: Action Words

Here is some resume help. Action words convey power and confidence. They are the key to making your accomplishments sound impressive. If you’re like many people, you’re worried that you haven’t done enough to get you the job. But you’ve probably done more than you think you have. Using words like these to describe what you’ve done at work or in other activities can help bring that out.

If you’ve started something:

  • Created
  • Designed
  • Developed
  • Devised
  • Established
  • Founded
  • Generated
  • Implemented
  • Initiated
  • Installed
  • Instituted
  • Introduced
  • Launched
  • Originated
  • Organized
  • Proposed


If you’ve led something:

  • Administered
  • Allotted
  • Approved
  • Assessed
  • Assigned
  • Chaired
  • Coached
  • Conducted
  • Controlled
  • Coordinated
  • Delegated
  • Directed
  • Enabled
  • Enlisted
  • Ensured
  • Evaluated
  • Facilitated
  • Guided
  • Headed
  • Inspected
  • Instructed
  • Managed
  • Monitored
  • Motivated
  • Orchestrated
  • Planned
  • Prepared
  • Prioritized
  • Recruited
  • Researched
  • Resolved
  • Reviewed
  • Scheduled
  • Screened
  • Selected
  • Solved
  • Structured
  • Supervised
  • Surveyed
  • Taught
  • Trained


If you’ve done something:

  • Achieved
  • Acted
  • Advised
  • Allocated
  • Analyzed
  • Attained
  • Balanced
  • Calculated
  • Clarified
  • Classified
  • Compiled
  • Completed
  • Composed
  • Consolidated
  • Converted
  • Counseled
  • Decreased
  • Demonstrated
  • Diagnosed
  • Documented
  • Drafted
  • Edited
  • Engineered
  • Enhanced
  • Expanded
  • Expedited
  • Finalized
  • Forecasted
  • Identified
  • Improved
  • Increased
  • Integrated
  • Interpreted
  • Investigated
  • Maintained
  • Maximized
  • Negotiated
  • Obtained
  • Performed
  • Presented
  • Produced
  • Promoted
  • Provided
  • Quantified
  • Reconciled
  • Reduced
  • Reorganized
  • Revamped
  • Revised
  • Revitalized
  • Simplified
  • Specified
  • Stimulated
  • Streamlined
  • Strengthened
  • Surveyed


Miscellaneous Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives, and Adverbs:

  • Actively
  • Collaborated
  • Contributed
  • Independently
  • Marketed
  • Participated
  • Proficient
  • Project
  • Significantly
  • Strategy
  • Structure
  • Successfully