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