150+ Action Verbs, Synonyms and Adjectives for Your Resume

How to use resume action verbs to your advantage

Choosing the right resume action words can make even the most mundane work tasks sound fresh and exciting. Pair them with data and numbers to show recruiters the impact of work. Here’s how:

Why do good resume action words strengthen your resume?

Using strong language through resume action words will make your application stand out from the competition. Busy recruiters can sometimes read hundreds of resumes in a single day, so ditch boring, overused resume words when writing your professional summary, skills section and work experience. Avoiding generic terms can help persuade a recruiter to take a closer look at your credentials and increase your chances of landing a job interview. Choosing the right action words for your resume is an excellent way to ensure you outshine the competition.

How data and numbers increase the power of strong resume action verbs.

Resume action words describe the tasks you perform and the skills you use daily. To make them shine, you’ll also want to show the impact your work has had on the company. This is where data and numbers can boost the impact of already strong resume action words.

Consider which of these statements paints a more vivid picture:

If you chose the second statement, you’d be correct. The second bullet point not only states the day-to-day responsibilities of the applicant — taking calls and greeting customers — but also gives employers a sense of the traffic volume the job seeker handles daily. The combination of strong action verbs and numerical figures paints a vivid picture of the applicant’s abilities and experience, clearly showing that this applicant has a strong ability to multitask effectively.

Resume words to showcase skills and accomplishments

Choosing the right words to describe your skills and experience can be a bit overwhelming to some job seekers, but it doesn’t have to be. Below, we have provided a list of resume action words you can use to explain why you’re the right person for the role. A strong action verb is active rather than passive, showcasing the applicant’s initiative and impact. For more inspiration, or if you don’t find what you need on this resume action word list, look at our resume templates and resume examples to see how to do it properly.

15 great resume synonyms

When building your resume, it is tempting to repeat certain words and phrases. After all, sometimes it feels impossible to avoid overusing common resume words like “managed,” “assisted,” “helped” and “led.”

To help you keep your resume readable and engaging, we’ve compiled a list of synonyms for “collaborate,” and other easy-to-overuse resume phrases. Even some of the strongest action verbs for resumes can wind up feeling robotic if they are used too much. So, to keep busy recruiters reading your resume content, concentrate on using engaging language to describe your skills and experience.

Avoid overused resume verbs and consider these resume synonyms instead:

Add interesting resume adjectives

When you describe yourself as a worker, what are the words that you use? Does the skills section of your resume say things like “talented,” “efficient,” or “ambitious?” These are all adjectives and they play a major role in how you use a resume to characterize yourself and your skills. Including soft skills in the skills section of your resume is important, but not all resume soft skills are created equally.

The adjectives listed above are overused resume words. Part of what makes an adjective overused is how frequently job seekers add them to their resume. It’s also very easy to recycle the same few resume adjectives over and over again throughout your resume. You may not notice as you’re writing, but the result is a repetitive reading experience that doesn’t sell your qualifications as effectively as it could.

The best resume is one that communicates your candidacy in a way that is clear, concise and professional. Check out our list of impactful resume adjectives to use alongside your resume action words and verbs!