Selling Yourself in a Resume with Action Words

4 of 12 in Series: The Essentials of Preparing a Resume

Use action words (verbs) to describe your strengths — your abilities and accomplishments — in a resume. Effective action words zero in on abilities and achievements. Include words of substance and power, such as improved, upgraded, reconciled.

For example, consider the difference between "Was the head of a team that . . ." and "Managed a team of 10 that . . ." Which is more direct? Which conveys more strength?

Try not to use the same word twice on your resume — the thesaurus in a word-processing program can give you more possibilities.

Take a look at the action words in these categories and choose the words that work for you:

Administration and management

advised	initiated	prioritized
approved	inspired	processed
authorized	installed	promoted
chaired	instituted	recommended
consolidated	instructed	redirected
counseled	integrated	referred
delegated	launched	reorganized
determined	lectured	represented
developed	listened	responded
diagnosed	managed	reviewed
directed	mediated	revitalized
disseminated	mentored	routed
enforced	moderated	sponsored
ensured	monitored	streamlined
examined	motivated	strengthened
explained	negotiated	supervised
governed	originated	taught
guided	oversaw	trained
headed	pioneered	trimmed
influenced	presided	validated

Communications and creativity

acted	edited	proofread
addressed	enabled	publicized
arranged	facilitated	published
assessed	fashioned	realized
authored	formulated	reconciled
briefed	influenced	recruited
built	initiated	rectified
clarified	interpreted	remodeled
composed	interviewed	reported
conducted	introduced	revitalized
constructed	invented	scheduled
corresponded	launched	screened
costumed	lectured	shaped
created	modernized	stimulated
critiqued	performed	summarized
demonstrated	planned	taught
designed	presented	trained
developed	produced	translated
directed	projected	wrote

Financial management

adjusted	economized	reported
administered	eliminated	researched
allocated	exceeded	reshaped
analyzed	financed	retailed
appraised	forecast	returned
audited	funded	saved
balanced	gained	shopped
bought	generated	secured
budgeted	increased	sold
calculated	invested	solicited
computed	maintained	sourced
conciliated	managed	specified
cut	marketed	supplemented
decreased	merchandised	systematized
developed	planned	tested
disbursed	projected	tripled
dispensed	purchased	underwrote
distributed	quadrupled	upgraded
doubled	reconciled	upsized
downsized	reduced	vended

Helping and caregiving

advanced	encouraged	reassured
advised	expedited	reclaimed
aided	facilitated	rectified
arbitrated	familiarized	redeemed
assisted	fostered	reeducated
attended	furthered	referred
augmented	guided	reformed
backed	helped	rehabilitated
balanced	instilled	repaired
boosted	liaised	represented
braced	mentored	served
clarified	ministered	settled
collaborated	negotiated	supplied
comforted	nourished	supported
consoled	nursed	stabilized
consulted	nurtured	streamlined
contributed	obliged	translated
counseled	optimized	treated
demonstrated	promoted	tutored
diagnosed	provided	unified

Office support

adhered	distributed	managed
administered	documented	operated
allocated	drafted	ordered
applied	enacted	organized
appropriated	enlarged	packaged
assisted	evaluated	planned
assured	examined	prepared
attained	executed	prescribed
awarded	followed up	processed
balanced	formalized	provided
budgeted	formulated	recorded
built	hired	repaired
charted	identified	reshaped
completed	implemented	resolved
contributed	improved	scheduled
coordinated	installed	screened
cut	instituted	searched
defined	justified	secured
determined	liaised	solved
dispensed	maintained	started

Research and analysis

administered	detected	interviewed
amplified	determined	invented
analyzed	discovered	investigated
applied	documented	located
articulated	drafted	measured
assessed	edited	obtained
audited	evaluated	organized
augmented	examined	pinpointed
balanced	exhibited	planned
calculated	experimented	prepared
charted	explored	processed
collected	extracted	proofread
compared	focused	researched
compiled	forecast	reviewed
composed	found	riveted
concentrated	generated	screened
conducted	grouped	summarized
constructed	identified	surveyed
consulted	integrated	systematized
critiqued	interpreted	unearthed

Sales and persuasion

arbitrated	judged	purchased
catalogued	launched	realized
centralized	lectured	recruited
consulted	led	reduced
dissuaded	liaised	reported
documented	maintained	repositioned
educated	manipulated	researched
established	marketed	resolved
expedited	mediated	restored
familiarized	moderated	reviewed
identified	negotiated	routed
implemented	obtained	saved
improved	ordered	served
increased	performed	set goals
influenced	planned	sold
inspired	processed	solved
installed	produced	stimulated
integrated	promoted	summarized
interpreted	proposed	surveyed
investigated	publicized	translated

Teaching

acquainted	designed	influenced
adapted	developed	informed
advised	directed	initiated
answered	dispensed	innovated
apprised	distributed	installed
augmented	educated	instituted
briefed	effected	instructed
built	empowered	integrated
certified	enabled	lectured
chaired	enacted	listened
charted	enlarged	originated
clarified	expanded	persuaded
coached	facilitated	presented
collaborated	fomented	responded
communicated	formulated	revolutionized
conducted	generated	set goals
coordinated	grouped	stimulated
delegated	guided	summarized
delivered	harmonized	trained
demonstrated	implemented	translated

Technical ability

analyzed	expedited	operated
broadened	fabricated	packaged
charted	facilitated	pioneered
classified	forecast	prepared
communicated	formed	processed
compiled	generated	programmed
computed	improved	published
conceived	increased	reconstructed
conducted	inspected	networked
coordinated	installed	reduced
designed	instituted	researched
detected	integrated	restored
developed	interfaced	revamped
devised	launched	streamlined
drafted	lectured	supplemented
edited	maintained	surveyed
educated	marketed	systematized
eliminated	mastered	trained
excelled	modified	upgraded
expanded	molded	wrote

Action words for many skills

accomplished	evaluated	overhauled
achieved	executed	performed
adapted	facilitated	prioritized
adhered	forecast	promoted
allocated	founded	proposed
appraised	governed	reconciled
arbitrated	guided	rectified
arranged	illustrated	remodeled
articulated	improved	repaired
assured	increased	reshaped
augmented	initiated	retrieved
collected	integrated	solved
communicated	interpreted	stimulated
composed	invented	streamlined
conceptualized	launched	strengthened
conserved	led	trained
contributed	navigated	upgraded
coordinated	optimized	validated
demonstrated	organized	won
dispensed	originated	wrote