250+ resume verbs that will make yours stand out from the rest of the pack

When you apply for jobs, you want to have a resume that stands out. Keep in mind that hiring managers see the same resumes over and over again. To mix things up and get their attention, you need to get a little creative with your resume and use resume verbs.

Replacing common phrases with action verbs will make your resume stand out. It will increase the readability and grab the attention of the hiring managers. With these resume verbs you will stand out and increase your chance of getting that dream job.

What are resume verbs?

Resume verbs, often referred to as resume action verbs, or the even more carefully curated “success verbs” used by Ladders and Leet Resumes, are used to draw the reader’s eye to your responsibilities, skills, and performance. With these verbs, you can grab the attention of the hiring manager.

You use active language instead of passive language, which will change the tone of your entire resume. If you have any generic verbs in your resume, simply replace them with action resume verbs.

It may be challenging to find the right tone and words you’re looking for in the beginning. To help you with that, we’re giving you 250+ resume verbs to make your resume work for you.

While there are many different words described below, it may be that the exact word you’re looking for is not there. Try visiting TheSaurus.com to find synonyms that describe your situation perfectly.

How do you make your writing stronger with resume action verbs?

You want to make a lasting impression on the hiring manager without tooting your own horn. With resume action verbs, you will use words that draw attention and show results.

To make your point even more powerful, use specific numbers. Communicate the revenue you increase, the time you saved, or the exact dollar amount you saved the company. You aren’t just a hard worker with good results, you spearheaded a project that boosted revenue with X%.

These resume verbs have power, but only if you use them sparingly. Try to keep it to one resume action verb per bullet.

If you want to know what resume verbs they want to hear, check the job ad and see what words you can take from that.

Resume verbs for accomplishments

When companies are hiring, they love to hear about your accomplishments. However, putting achiever or doer on your resume won’t cut it.

What is it that you have achieved? Have you been awarded the best salesperson in your department? Did you improve the budgeting process and decreased time spent by 30%?

Here are 47 resume verbs for accomplishments:

Accelerated
Accomplished
Achieved
Acquired
Acted As
Amplified
Awarded
Boosted
Capitalized
Consolidated
Converted
Decreased
Delivered
Discerned
Drove
Earned
Enacted
Endeavored
Enhanced
Expanded
Expedited
Finished
Generated
Grew
Improved
Lifted
Managed
Maximized
Negotiated
Outpaced
Outperformed
Overhauled
Pioneered
Prepared
Raised
Reached
Secured
Sharpened
Shattered
Showcased
Sparked
Stimulated
Streamlined
Strengthened
Succeeded
Surpassed
Targeted

Best resume words for improvement

Putting on your resume that you improved a specific aspect of your job isn’t something that resonates with hiring managers. They are interested to know how your improvement impacts the company. Use numbers and percentages to get your point across.

Here are 36 resume words for improvement:

Authorized
Built
Conserved
Customized
Deducted
Designed
Diagnosed
Facilitated
Finalized
Furthered
Gained
Handled
Implemented
Increased
Instituted
Lessened
Merged
Modified
Organized
Reconciled
Reduced
Refined
Rehabilitated
Remodeled
Reorganized
Replaced
Restructured
Revamped
Revitalized
Saved
Simplified
Slashed
Standardized
Updated
Upgraded
Yielded

Resume action verbs for leadership

When you’re applying for a job, hiring managers love to know if you have any leadership qualities or experience. Don’t say you take the lead, but show them what you have done in the past.

What projects have you spearheaded? How many people ave did you mentor? How many people are in your team?

Here are 46 resume action verbs for leadership:

Advocated
Aligned
Augmented
Centralized
Chaired
Championed
Controlled
Coordinated
Cultivated
Delegated
Differentiated
Directed
Educated
Empowered
Enabled
Endorsed
Enforced
Ensured
Executed
Forecasted
Formalized
Formed
Fostered
Headed
Hired
Hosted
Leveraged
Mentored
Mobilized
Motivated
Optimized
Orchestrated
Oversaw
Planned
Predicted
Programmed
Recruited
Refocused
Regulated
Renovated
Resolved
Shaped
Spearheaded
Supervised
Sustained
Taught

Resume action words for teamwork

While all companies want to hire someone who can work in a team, putting team player on your resume isn’t something hiring managers are looking for. Instead of using that work, show them you are good at working with others.

Be as specific as possible and try to provide them with percentages and numbers where possible. Show them how your team efforts saved the company money or increased efficiency.

Here are the 30 best resume action words for teamwork:

Acknowledged
Assimilated
Blended
Coalesced
Co-authored
Collaborated
Completed
Contributed
Cooperated
Coproduced
Diversified
Embraced
Encouraged
Energized
Forged
Gathered
Harmonized
Ignited
Joined
Married
Melded
Participated
Partnered
Steered
Supported
Teamed (up)
Unified
United
Volunteered
Wove

Resume verbs for communication

In any job where you have to work with others, you have to be great at communicating.

To show how great of a communicator you are, talk about your achievements. Have your persuaded the company to invest in your project? Do your presented offers to the clients resulted in 20% more investment?

Here are 30 resume verbs for communication:

Authored
Briefed
Campaigned
Collaborated
Clarified
Conveyed
Convinced
Corresponded
Counseled
Critiqued
Defined
Documented
Enlivened
Explained
Fielded
Guided
Informed
Instructed
Lobbied
Mediated
Moderated
Navigated
Performed
Persuaded
Presented
Promoted
Publicized
Reviewed
Spoke
Trained

Resume action words for problem-solving

Problem-solving skills are inherent to many jobs in many fields. You want to show them the challenge you have had in the past and how you overcame them.

Here are 30 resume action words for problem-solving:

Administered
Advised
Altered
Arbitrated
Arranged
Blocked
Charted
Coached
Compiled
Composed
Constructed
Consulted
Corrected
Created
Deciphered
Demonstrated
Developed
Devised
Dispatched
Engaged In
Engineered
Exceeded
Fashioned
Formulated
Groomed
Incorporated
Made
Made Progress On
Operated
Undertook

Resume action verbs for research

In some job fields, research skills are essential. To show your research skills, don’t just mention you did research. Make it practical and show the implications of your research.

Here are 30 resume action verbs for research:

Advanced
Analyzed
Assessed
Attained
Audited
Calculated
Checked
Discovered
Examined
Explored
Identified
Inspected
Integrated
Introduced
Investigated
Itemized
Launched
Mapped
Measured
Monitored
Probed
Proved
Quantified
Screened
Scrutinized
Studied
Surveyed
Tested
Tracked
Verified

Best resume words for creative

Creative skills are relevant in many career fields. Writing down you’re creative isn’t going to get your resume much attention.

Emphasize what you created and what kind of impact that had on the organization. Have you outlined the company website, and now conversions are up 5%? Did you draft and edit the company newsletter?

Here are 33 resume words for creative:

Brainstormed
Communicated
Conceived
Conceptualized
Crafted
Curated
Derived
Diagramed
Drafted
Edited
Established
Founded
Illustrated
Imagined
Influenced
Initiated
Inspired
Intensified
Invented
Modeled
Originated
Outlined
Produced
Proofread
Published
Redesigned
Researched
Storyboarded
Strategized
Transformed
Translated
Visualized
Wrote