Resume Action Verbs - Categorized

Using action verbs in your resume is a simple way to dramatically improve the effectiveness of your resume. Action verbs help you accomplish three of the 5 C's of Resume Writing (see Resume Tips).

Concise: Starting phrases with action verbs helps you avoid using personal pronouns and diluting words like "I was responsible for ..."

Convincing: Using powerful action verbs like Negotiated, Invented, Increased, etc. at the beginning of each phrase makes the reader want to continue reading to find out what you did.

Consistent: Starting each bullet point using a verb helps you maintain a consistent grammatical style throughout your resume.

Action Verbs by Skills / Industries

Below is a categorized list of action verbs that I compiled from various sources (see refs [1] and [2]) and from reviewing many sample resumes.

Tip: Another handy way to find more action verbs is to use the Thesaurus (Shift+F7) in Microsoft Word.

General Achievements
Management Skills
Communication Skills
Research Skills
Technical Skills
Creative Skills

Teaching Skills
Clerical Skills
Financial Skills
Helping Skills
Sales Skills
Medical Skills

General Achievements
Accelerated Achieved Attained Completed Convinced	Discovered Doubled Earned Eliminated Expanded	Expedited Founded Improved Increased Launched	Mastered Originated Overcame Overhauled Pioneered	Reduced Spearheaded Strengthened Transformed Upgraded Won
Management Skills
Administered Analyzed Assigned Attained Chaired Conceived Consolidated Contracted	Coordinated Decided Delegated Developed Directed Encouraged Evaluated Executed	Handled Implemented Improved Increased Inspired Led Managed Motivated	Organized Oversaw Planned Prioritized Produced Recommended Reorganized Reviewed	Revitalized Scheduled Spearheaded Strengthened Supervised Transformed
Communication Skills
Addressed Arbitrated Arranged Authored Co-Authored Collaborated Corresponded Counseled	Defined Developed Directed Drafted Edited Enlisted Formulated Influenced	Interpreted Lectured Mediated Moderated Motivated Negotiated Persuaded Presented	Promoted Proposed Publicized Published Reconciled Recruited Resolved Spoke	Summarized Translated Wrote
Technical Skills
Clarified Collected Compiled Critiqued Detected	Diagnosed Evaluated Examined Extracted Identified	Inspected Interpreted Interviewed Investigated Organized	Published Reported Researched Reviewed Studied	Summarized Surveyed Systematized
Research Skills
Analyzed Assembled Built Calculated Computed	Designed Devised Engineered Fabricated Installed	Maintained Operated Overhauled Pinpointed Programmed	Remodeled Repaired Solved Trained Troubleshot	Upgraded
Creative Skills
Acted Composed Conceived Conceptualized Created Customized Designed	Developed Directed Discovered Established Fashioned Founded Illustrated	Innovated Instituted Integrated Introduced Invented Originated Performed	Pioneered Planned Produced Revised Revitalized Set Up Shaped	Streamlined Structured
Teaching Skills
Adapted Advised Clarified Coached Communicated Conducted	Coordinated Defined Developed Enabled Encouraged Evaluated	Explained Facilitated Guided Informed Initiated Instructed	Lectured Persuaded Presented Set Goals Stimulated Taught	Team-Taught Trained Tutored Updated
Clerical Skills
Approved Arranged Assembled Catalogued Classified Collected	Compiled Dispatched Edited Executed Filed Generated	Implemented Inspected Listed Monitored Operated Organized	Prepared Processed Purchased Recorded Retrieved Screened	Specified Systematized Tabulated Validated
Financial Skills
Adjusted Administered Allocated Analyzed Appraised	Audited Balanced Budgeted Calculated Compared	Computed Developed Estimated Forecasted Increased	Managed Marketed Planned Projected Reconciled	Reduced Researched Sold
Helping Skills
Aided Assessed Assisted Clarified Coached Consulted Counseled	Demonstrated Diagnosed Educated Encouraged Expedited Facilitated Familiarized	Gave Guided Helped Inspired Motivated Participated Provided	Referred Rehabilitated Reinforced Represented Resolved Served Strengthened	Supported Taught Trained Verified
Sales Skills
Built Collected Conducted Convinced Delivered	Distributed Doubled Expanded Expedited Improved	Increased Installed Launched Managed Negotiated	Ordered Performed Performed Sold Streamlined	Supervised Tripled
Medical Skills
Aided Assisted Consulted Decreased Detected	Diagnosed Evaluated Examined Handled Helped	Identified Increased Performed Rehabilitated Researched	Served Strengthened Studied Trained Treated

References

[1] The Damn Good Resume Guide by Yana Parker, Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, via careers.unc.edu
[2] To Boldly Go: Practical Career Advice for Scientists, by Peter S. Fiske, via web.mit.edu

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for educational purposes only.