Led…
Handled…
Managed…
Responsible for…
Most resume bullet points start with the same words. Frankly, the same tired old words hiring managers have heard over and over—to the point where they’ve lost a lot of their meaning and don’t do much to show off your awesome accomplishments.
So, let’s get a little more creative, shall we? Next time you update your resume, switch up a few of those common words and phrases with strong, compelling action verbs that will catch hiring managers’ eyes.
No matter what duty or accomplishment you’re trying to show off, we’ve got just the verb for you. Check out the list below, and get ready to make your resume way more exciting.
If you were in charge of a project or initiative from start to finish, skip “led” and instead try:
- Chaired
- Controlled
- Coordinated
- Executed
- Headed
- Operated
- Orchestrated
- Organized
- Oversaw
- Planned
- Produced
- Programmed
And if you actually developed, created, or introduced that project into your company? Try:
- Administered
- Built
- Charted
- Created
- Designed
- Developed
- Devised
- Founded
- Engineered
- Established
- Formalized
- Formed
- Formulated
- Implemented
- Incorporated
- Initiated
- Instituted
- Introduced
- Launched
- Pioneered
- Spearheaded
Hiring managers love candidates who’ve helped a team operate more efficiently or cost-effectively. To show just how much you saved, try:
- Conserved
- Consolidated
- Decreased
- Deducted
- Diagnosed
- Lessened
- Reconciled
- Reduced
- Yielded
Along similar lines, if you can show that your work boosted the company’s numbers in some way, you’re bound to impress. In these cases, consider:
- Accelerated
- Achieved
- Advanced
- Amplified
- Boosted
- Capitalized
- Delivered
- Enhanced
- Expanded
- Expedited
- Furthered
- Gained
- Generated
- Improved
- Lifted
- Maximized
- Outpaced
- Stimulated
- Sustained
So, you brought your department’s invoicing system out of the Stone Age and onto the interwebs? Talk about the amazing changes you made at your office with these words:
- 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
Instead of reciting your management duties, like “Led a team…” or “Managed employees…” show what an inspirational leader you were, with terms like:
- Aligned
- Cultivated
- Directed
- Enabled
- Facilitated
- Fostered
- Guided
- Hired
- Inspired
- Mentored
- Mobilized
- Motivated
- Recruited
- Regulated
- Shaped
- Supervised
- Taught
- Trained
- Unified
- United
Were you “responsible for” a great new partner, sponsor, or source of funding? Try:
- Acquired
- Forged
- Navigated
- Negotiated
- Partnered
- Secured
Because manning the phones or answering questions really means you’re advising customers and meeting their needs, use:
- Advised
- Advocated
- Arbitrated
- Coached
- Consulted
- Educated
- Fielded
- Informed
- Resolved
Did your job include research, analysis, or fact-finding? Mix up your verbiage with these words:
- Analyzed
- Assembled
- Assessed
- Audited
- Calculated
- Discovered
- Evaluated
- Examined
- Explored
- Forecasted
- Identified
- Interpreted
- Investigated
- Mapped
- Measured
- Qualified
- Quantified
- Surveyed
- Tested
- Tracked
Was writing, speaking, lobbying, or otherwise communicating part of your gig? You can explain just how compelling you were with words like:
- Authored
- Briefed
- Campaigned
- Co-authored
- Composed
- Conveyed
- Convinced
- Corresponded
- Counseled
- Critiqued
- Defined
- Documented
- Edited
- Illustrated
- Lobbied
- Persuaded
- Promoted
- Publicized
- Reviewed
Whether you enforced protocol or managed your department’s requests, describe what you really did, better, with these words:
- Authorized
- Blocked
- Delegated
- Dispatched
- Enforced
- Ensured
- Inspected
- Itemized
- Monitored
- Screened
- Scrutinized
- Verified
Did you hit your goals? Win a coveted department award? Don’t forget to include that on your resume, with words like:
- Attained
- Awarded
- Completed
- Demonstrated
- Earned
- Exceeded
- Outperformed
- Reached
- Showcased
- Succeeded
- Surpassed
- Targeted
source: https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-list-volunteer-experience-resume?ref=carousel-slide-1
prepared by: The Muse is your ultimate career destination that offers exciting job opportunities, expert advice, a peek behind the scenes into fantastic companies, and access to amazing career coaches and career-boosting courses. Learn more, contact us, and find us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
