Action Verbs

Good resume writing requires strong verbs. Verbs that are specific, that contain meaning about the action you’re describing. Over the years, we’ve collected verbs that can help you better tell your story on your resume and other job applications documents.

Most Useful
Activated, Adapted, Advertised, Advised, Advocated, Aided, Arranged, Assembled, Assessed, Bolstered, Briefed, Built, Cared, Chaired, Charged, Charted, Clarified, Coached, Completed, Composed, Concluded, Conducted, Consolidated, Consulted, Continued, Coordinated, Corrected, Correlated, Dealt, Debated, Edited, Educated, Eliminated, Encouraged, Enlisted, Established, Evaluated, Executed, Exercised, Expanded, Expedited, Explained, Facilitated, Fixed, Fostered, Generated, Guided, Handled, Helped, Implemented, Improved, Indexed, Influenced, Inspected, Inspired, Integrated, Interpreted, Interviewed, Inventoried, Investigated, Lectured, Led, Listened, Located, Maintained, Mapped, Marketed, Met (deadlines), Modified, Monitored, Motivated, Navigated, Negotiated, Observed, Obtained, Ordered, Organized, Perceived, Performed, Persuaded, Planned, Prepared, Preserved, Prioritized, Produced, Programmed, Promoted, Protected, Provided, Purchased, Ranked, Read, Recommended, Recorded, Reduced, Regulated, Reinforced, Related, Represented, Resolved, Responded, Restored, Revamped, Reviewed, Scheduled, Screened, Served, Set, Simplified, Solved, Spoke, Stimulated, Streamlined, Strengthened, Substituted, Summarized, Supported, Sustained, Synthesized, Tabulated, Taught, Trained, Visualized

Analyzed
Abstracted, Anticipated, Ascertained, Audited, Calculated, Compared, Computed, Conceptualized, Critiqued, Defined, Detected, Determined, Diagnosed, Discriminated, Dissected, Estimated, Examined, Figured, Graded, Judged, Predicted, Projected, Qualified, Reasoned, Researched, Scanned, Studied, Surveyed, Symbolized, Verified

Assisted
Brought, Collaborated, Contributed, Cooperated, Ensured, Participated, Referred

Communicated
Addressed, Answered, Corresponded, Expressed, Presented, Printed, Publicized, Quoted, Reported, Rewrote, Wrote

Counseled/Instructed/Learned
Applied, Comforted, Communicated, Demonstrated, Emphasized, Enabled, Enlightened, Familiarized, Informed, Manipulated, Prescribed, Reflected, Saved, Shared, Tutored, Validated

Created/Developed
Acted, Authored, Conceived, Constructed, Designed, Devised, Discovered, Drafted, Experimented, Fashioned, Financed, Formulated, Founded, Increased, Initiated, Innovated, Instituted, Introduced, Invented, Launched, Modeled, Originated, Pioneered, Proposed, Refined, Shaped, Styled

Improved/Increased
Accomplished, Achieved, Acquired, Advanced, Allowed, Assured
Attained, Conserved, Enlarged, Guaranteed, Mastered, Maximized
Minimized, Overcame, Perfected, Upgraded

Negotiated
Arbitrated, Bargained, Closed, Lobbied, Mediated, Merged, Reconciled

Operated/Repaired/Adjusted
Changed, Installed, Piloted, Ran, Replaced, Serviced, Transported, Upheld, Utilized

Organized
Accumulated, Balanced, Budgeted, Cataloged, Classified, Collated, Collected, Compiled, Copied, Detailed, Developed, Displayed, Filed, Gathered, Graphed, Kept, Processed, Reproduced, Retrieved, Revised, Routinized, Structured, Systemized

Served
Assisted, Attended, Catered, Delivered, Dispensed, Entertained, Furnished, Procured, Satisfied, Supplied

Sold
Auctioned, Bartered, Bought, Raised, Recruited

Supervised/Managed
Administered, Allocated, Approved, Assigned, Authorized, Confronted, Contracted, Controlled, Decided, Delegated, Directed, Dispatched, Distributed, Enforced, Fired, Followed (through), Governed, Headed, Hired, Instructed, Mentored, Oversaw, Presided, Retained, Selected, Updated