Action Words
A resume should sound alive and vigorous. Using action verbs helps achieve that feeling. "I changed the filing system" lacks punch and doesn't really indicate if the system was improved. "I reorganized and simplified the filing system" sounds much better and provides more accurate information.
Review the sentences below to get a feel for action words. Then quickly scan the words in the following list and check any you think you might want to use in your resume. Don't try to force them in; use them when they feel right.
- Conducted long-range master planning for the Portland water supply system.
- Monitored enemy radio transmissions, analyzed information, and identified enemy strategic and tactical capabilities.
- Planned, staffed, and organized the intramural sports program for this 1,200-student college.
- Produced daily reports for each trial and made sure documents and evidence were handled properly.
- Presented seminars to entry-level secretaries and worked to increase the professionalism of secretaries in the county system.
- Improved the coordination, imagination, and pantomime techniques of adults through mime and dance training.
- Allocated and dispensed federal moneys to nine counties as board member of the CETA Advisory Board.
- Evaluated financial health by analyzing financial statements and ratios.
- Prevented the loss of numerous key accounts through effective account management and by solving long-standing problems.
- Compiled extensive fisheries data from interviews with thousands of sports fishermen.
- Researched and proposed a $1,000,000 project to improve warehouse storage and develop a better distribution system.
- Reduced lost time due to illness 81% and reduced industrial accidents by 67%.
- Negotiated a product classification change for California freight, saving $18,000 annually.
- Negotiated, awarded, and administered contracts with vendors for the procurement of over 65,000 different standard parts.
- Continually streamlined policies to reduce redundant procedures.
- Accomplished
- Achieved
- Acquired
- Acted as
- Activated
- Active in
- Adapted
- Addressed
- Adjusted
- Administered
- Advanced
- Advised
- Allocated
- Analyzed
- Applied
- Appraised
- Apprised
- Approved
- Arbitrated
- Arranged
- Articulated
- Ascertained
- Assembled
- Assessed
- Assigned
- Assimilated
- Assisted
- Assured
- Attained
- Attended
- Audited
- Augmented
- Authored
- Balanced
- Blended
- Bought
- Brought
- Brought about
- Budgeted
- Built
- Calculated
- Carried out
- Catalogued
- Chaired
- Clarified
- Classified
- Coached
- Collaborated
- Collected
- Commanded
- Commended
- Communicated
- Completed
- Compared
- Compiled
- Composed
- Computed
- Conceived
- Conceptualized
- Condensed
- Conducted
- Conserved
- Consolidated
- Constructed
- Consulted
- Contacted
- Contracted
- Contributed
- Controlled
- Convinced
- Converted
- Cooperated
- Coordinated
- Corrected
- Correlated
- Corresponded
- Corroborated
- Counseled
- Created
- Critiqued
- Culminated in
- Cultivated
- Customized
- Dealt
- Decided
- Decreased
- Defined
- Delegated
- Delivered
- Demonstrated
- Derived
- Designated
- Designed
- Detected
- Determined
- Developed
- Devised
- Diagnosed
- Directed
- Discovered
- Dispatched
- Dispensed
- Displayed
- Dissected
- Distributed
- Diverted
- Documented
- Doubled
- Drafted
- Dramatized
- Earned
- Edited
- Educated
- Eliminated
- Employed
- Enacted
- Encouraged
- Enforced
- Engineered
- Enhanced
- Enlarged
- Enlisted
- Ensured
- Equipped
- Escalated
- Established
- Estimated
- Evaluated
- Examined
- Executed
- Expanded
- Expedited
- Experienced
- Experimented
- Explained
- Explored
- Expressed
- Extracted
- Fabricated
- Facilitated
- Familiarized
- Fashioned
- Filed
- Finalized
- Financed
- Fixed
- Followed up
- Forged (ahead)
- Forecasted
- Formed
- Formulated
- Found
- Founded
- Functioned as
- Gained
- Gathered
- Generated
- Governed
- Graduated
- Grouped
- Guided
- Handled
- Harmonized
- Harnessed
- Headed
- Hired
- Identified
- Illustrated
- Imagined
- Implemented
- Improved
- Improvised
- Increased
- Indexed
- Influenced
- Informed
- Initiated
- Inspected
- Inspired
- Installed
- Instigated
- Instilled
- Instituted
- Instructed
- Insured
- Integrated
- Interfaced
- Interpreted
- Interviewed
- Introduced
- Invented
- Investigated
- Judged
- Justified
- Kept
- Kindled
- Launched
- Led
- Lectured
- Lifted
- Lobbied
- Localized
- Located
- Logged
- Maintained
- Managed
- Marketed
- Mastered
- Maximized
- Mechanized
- Mediated
- Merged
- Minimized
- Moderated
- Monitored
- Motivated
- Negotiated
- Nominated
- Observed
- Obtained
- Offered
- Opened
- Operated
- Optimized
- Orchestrated
- Ordered
- Organized
- Originated
- Overcame
- Overhauled
- Oversaw
- Participated
- Perceived
- Perfected
- Performed
- Persuaded
- Piloted
- Pioneered
- Placed
- Planned
- Played
- Predicted
- Prepared
- Prescribed
- Presided
- Presented
- Prevented
- Printed
- Prioritized
- Processed
- Procured
- Produced
- Programmed
- Projected
- Promoted
- Proposed
- Protected
- Proved
- Provided
- Publicized
- Published
- Purchased
- Quadrupled
- Questioned
- Raised
- Realized
- Received
- Recognized
- Recommended
- Reconciled
- Recorded
- Recruited
- Rectified
- Redesigned
- Reduced
- Reevaluated
- Referred
- Refined
- Regulated
- Rehabilitated
- Related
- Remodeled
- Rendered
- Reorganized
- Repaired
- Replaced
- Reported
- Represented
- Reorganized
- Researched
- Reshaped
- Resolved
- Responded
- Restored
- Resulted in
- Retrieved
- Revamped
- Reversed
- Reviewed
- Revised
- Revitalized
- Revived
- Saved
- Scheduled
- Screened
- Secured
- Selected
- Separated
- Served
- Serviced
- Set up
- Shaped
- Shifted
- Shipped
- Simplified
- Sold
- Solidified
- Solved
- Sorted
- Sparked
- Spearheaded
- Specified
- Spoke
- Staffed
- Standardized
- Started
- Stimulated
- Straightened
- Streamlined
- Strengthened
- Structured
- Substituted
- Succeeded
- Summarized
- Supervised
- Supplied
- Supported
- Surpassed
- Surveyed
- Synthesized
- Systematized
- Tabulated
- Taught
- Tested
- Traced
- Trained
- Transacted
- Transcended
- Transcribed
- Transferred
- Transformed
- Translated
- Treated
- Tripled
- Underwrote
- Unified
- Updated
- Upgraded
- Utilized
- Validated
- Verified
- Vitalized
- Won
- Worked
- Wrote
