Action Verbs for a Resume | List & Examples
In the context of resumes, cover letters, and letters of interest, action verbs are words that help you to create impactful descriptions of work experience, skills, and professional achievements because:
- They are verbs that describe a dynamic action—rather than nouns that describe a duty or task or stative verbs like “was” or “became.”
- They typically replace overused words (e.g., “supported” or “facilitated,” instead of “helped”).
- They often imply that you can work independently and under your own initiative (e.g., “executed” or “implemented” instead of “tasked with”).
Action verbs are also sometimes referred to as power verbs or active verbs.
| Strong description using action verb(s) | Weaker alternative |
|---|---|
| Supported, guided, and reviewed the work of a three-person team | Supervisor of a team of three people |
| Operated the reception desk | Reception duties |
| Planned, coordinated, and executed customer events | Responsible for organizing events |
| Collaborated on a wide range of marketing projects | Helped with different projects |
Resume verbs
A good resume will feature a variety of impactful and engaging verbs to describe work duties, accomplishments, and skills.
Careers experts often refer to these powerful words as action verbs. Almost all verbs describe an “action,” but using “action verbs” in this context means:
- Choosing verbs that communicate active involvement, dynamism, and initiative (e.g., “initiated a project” instead of “planned a project”), allowing you to emphasize what you have achieved rather than your responsibilities
- Using alternatives to words that are overused in applications (e.g., “enhanced” instead of “improved”)
- Starting bullet points with verbs instead of nouns to create a more dynamic effect and allow you to seamlessly mention a tangible achievement or result (e.g., instead of “Implementation of company website redesign,” “Initiated and oversaw a redesign of the company website that enhanced user experience and optimized SEO performance, leading to a 35% increase in traffic”)
But don’t be afraid to use common resume words and phrases like “managed,” “led,” “responsible for,” and “experienced in” if that’s the best way of communicating exactly what you mean—just try not to overuse them.
Be careful using action verbs that you’re not familiar with (e.g., “spearheaded” is often listed as an action verb as an alternative to “managed,” but it’s not a synonym in contexts like “spearheaded three staff members”).
You can use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use the words you find in action verb lists correctly and naturally.
Resume verbs list
Here is a list of strong action verbs that you can use in place of less dynamic-sounding or overused words and phrases.
| Strong action verb | Example bullet point | Alternative to … |
|---|---|---|
| Office administration tasks | ||
| Coordinated | Coordinated team schedules and meetings | Handled … |
| Scheduled | Scheduled appointments and meetings | Made … |
| Processed | Processed invoices and expense reports | Dealt with … |
| Streamlined | Streamlined office workflow | Improved … |
| Updated | Updated client databases and records | Helped maintain … |
| Implemented | Implemented a new filing system | Improved the … |
| Reviewed | Reviewed expense reports | Checked … |
| Drove | Drove continuous improvements in day-to-day administrative processes. | Improved/responsible for/suggested |
| Customer service | ||
| Advised | Advised customers | Helped … |
| Resolved | Resolved issues and complaints | Dealt with/handled … |
| Fielded | Fielded customer inquiries | Answered … |
| Guided | Guided customers through complex troubleshooting steps | Explained … |
| Writing tasks | ||
| Drafted | Drafted training manuals | Wrote … |
| Edited | Edited correspondence for clarity, accuracy, and grammatical correctness. | Corrected … |
| Revised | Revised documentation to align with current guidelines | Changed … |
| Crafted | Crafted compelling product descriptions | Wrote … |
| Warehouse work | ||
| Operated | Operated a variety of warehouse equipment, including conveyor systems | Used … |
| Inspected | Inspected incoming inventory | Checked … |
| Projects | ||
| Transformed (into) | Transformed company website into a modern, user-friendly information portal | Improved/updated … |
| Initiated | Initiated redesign of customer feedback forms | Suggested … |
| Collaborated (on) | Collaborated with an interdepartmental team to develop a new customer feedback system | Participated in/contributed to … |
| Designed | Designed a new employee onboarding process | Developed … |
Other interesting articles
If you want to know more about common mistakes, verbs, or US vs UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Common mistakes
Verbs
Frequently asked questions about action verbs for a resume
- Should I use the past or present tense in a resume?
-
Use the simple past tense form of verbs for the bullet points in the work experience section of your resume to describe your previous roles or past achievements in your current role (e.g., “Collaborated on a wide range of web design projects”).
Use the present participle form to describe ongoing responsibilities in your current role (e.g., “Collaborating on …).
Why not use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you write impressive resumes with strong action verbs?
- What are some words to describe yourself on a resume?
-
The words you need to describe yourself on a resume include adjectives to describe your personality and interpersonal skills (e.g., cooperative, confident, positive), work ethic (e.g., thorough, committed, diligent), and work style (e.g., detail-oriented, organized, results-driven).
You can use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you write impactful resumes featuring engaging adjectives and strong action verbs.
