Every impactful resume accomplishment statement needs a strong action verb to kick it off. However, constantly seeking fresh and powerful verbs can be challenging. Hiring managers sift through numerous resumes daily, and encountering the same tired verbs repeatedly can lead to monotony. Imagine reading “managed” or “created” over and over – it’s hardly engaging!
To keep your resume dynamic and captivating, and ensure you stand out from the applicant pool, this guide provides a comprehensive list of power verbs and effective synonyms you can use. We’ll explore alternatives for overused resume verbs, including specific options when you want to highlight collaboration and teamwork, like finding the right Synonyms For Partnered.
Examples of Resume Power Words and Their Synonyms
Making your resume more engaging is crucial, but finding the right words can be tricky. To simplify this, we’ve compiled a list of commonly overused resume verbs and powerful replacements to make your achievements shine.
Synonyms for “Created” on Your Resume
Employers value creativity and the ability to translate innovative ideas into tangible results. To showcase your conceptual and creative skills, consider using synonyms like:
- Initiated
- Innovated
- Conceptualized
- Drafted
- Established
- Planned
- Set up
- Devised
- Built
- Developed
- Designed
- Pioneered
- Structured
- Produced
For example:
- Designed and launched customer feedback systems for a software company, boosting the net promoter score by 30 points within pilot teams over a 6-month period.
- Conceptualized and implemented behavioral push notifications based on in-app usage, leading to a 10% increase in user retention.
Explore more synonyms and examples for Created and its present tense form, Create.
Synonyms for “Collaborated” on Your Resume (Including Synonyms for Partnered)
Teamwork and effective communication are essential skills sought by hiring managers. To effectively demonstrate your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment and contribute to team success, use synonyms like:
- Communicated
- Corresponded
- Facilitated
- Negotiated
- Proposed
- Liaised
- Enlisted
- Instructed
- Partnered
- Allied
- United
- Cooperated
- Associated
- Joined Forces
- Worked Together
For example, to highlight instances where you’ve partnered with others:
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to streamline project workflows, reducing project completion time by 15%.
- United with marketing and sales departments to develop a cohesive brand strategy, resulting in a 20% increase in lead generation.
- Joined forces with external vendors to negotiate more favorable contract terms, saving the company $10,000 annually.
- Worked together with engineering to troubleshoot and resolve critical system issues, minimizing downtime by 99%.
We have compiled more synonyms for the action verb, collaborate, and related terms like synonyms for partnered, to help you diversify your language.
Synonyms for “Managed” on Your Resume
For roles requiring supervision and leadership, recruiters look for evidence of strong management skills. Showcase your leadership abilities by using synonyms like:
- Coordinated
- Administered
- Supervised
- Mentored
- Trained
- Coached
- Guided
- Organized
- Ran
- Led
- Facilitated
- Arranged
- Allocated
- Delegated
For example:
- Led a 15-person department responsible for consumer acquisition and retention marketing, branding, corporate communications, B2B marketing and sales support, and product development.
- Coached 30 summer interns and initiated a mentorship program for new joiners in the Berlin office.
Find a broader list of Managed synonyms from our resume experts.
Synonyms for “Assisted” on Your Resume
When applying for entry-level or assistant positions, emphasize your helpfulness and contributions with synonyms like:
- Co-authored
- Contributed
- Liaised
- Facilitated
- Administered
- Scheduled
- Collaborated
- Organized
- Compiled
For example:
- Organized attorney case files, enabling them to bill 20% more billable hours.
- Communicated with 20 staff members to schedule meetings and provide assistance as needed.
Explore other words you can use instead of Assisted for more options.
Synonyms for “Learned” on Your Resume
A dedication to continuous learning is vital for professional growth, especially in roles involving research and analysis. Use synonyms like:
- Attained
- Mastered
- Discovered
- Identified
- Studied
- Trained
- Enrolled
- Acquired
- Undertook
- Researched
For example:
- Researched and negotiated a new payroll vendor, resulting in annual savings of $2,000 in payroll fees.
- Identified fraudulent transactions by analyzing customer spending behavior, increasing the accuracy rate to over 97%.
Synonyms for “Developed” on Your Resume
Highlight your ability to initiate and guide projects to completion by using synonyms for “developed,” whether you are starting a project or seeing it through:
- Implemented
- Expanded
- Founded
- Invented
- Launched
- Established
- Generated
- Initiated
- Started
For example:
- Founded a tech startup focused on online education; partnered with 50 education companies within the first year.
- Developed a web scraping program in Python to automate public data collection, gathering over 10,000 company descriptions and stock quotes, enhancing internal data and improving research efficiency by over 50%.
Find more action verbs you can use instead of Developed. If you’re describing your current role, explore synonyms for the present tense verb, Develop.
Synonyms for “Oversaw” on Your Resume
For roles where you’re responsible for managing products, teams, or departments, demonstrate your capabilities with synonyms like:
- Directed
- Led
- Spearheaded
- Orchestrated
- Executed
- Headed
For example:
- Directed agency fundraising, daily program operations, community outreach, membership recruitment, and human resources across 30 suburban locations for an organization with $8M in assets.
- Executed all global marketing strategies and activities for a $2B company, including a comprehensive 3-5 year strategic plan.
Our resume experts have compiled additional synonyms for Oversaw for your use.
Synonyms for “Worked With” on Your Resume
Employers seek individuals who are effective team players. Whether in customer-facing roles or team-based environments, show your interpersonal skills with synonyms like:
- Communicated
- Mediated
- Teamed
- Collaborated
- Participated
- Cooperated
- Partnered
- Contributed
- Negotiated
- Networked
- Engaged
For example:
- Collaborated with the assistant director of creative services and over 15 other designers to maintain consistent graphic quality.
- Devised a pricing and branding strategy in partnership with the Strategy team to launch a new three-tier pricing model, achieving a 27% profit increase.
Explore more alternatives you can use to Worked With.
Synonyms for “Helped” on Your Resume
Recruiters value candidates who are proactive and willing to support others. Highlight your helpful nature and willingness to go the extra mile with synonyms like:
- Supported
- Enabled
- Improved
- Resolved
- Upgraded
- Advised
- Expedited
- Guided
- Assisted
- Recommended
- Counseled
- Enhanced
For example:
- Enhanced team performance through coaching, feedback, and effective communication, improving team efficacy by 15% and increasing job satisfaction.
- Supported the CEO and executive team of 5 with Six Sigma training and process implementation, saving over 10 hours per week in office functions.
If you need more action verbs for Helped, see this list of Helped synonyms. For present tense verbs, explore this list of synonyms for Help.
Synonyms for “Conducted” on Your Resume
Demonstrate your practical experience and ability to perform tasks effectively with synonyms for “conducted”:
- Performed
- Achieved
- Prepared
- Catalogued
- Generated
- Collected
- Operated
- Processed
- Recorded
- Classified
- Investigated
- Screened
- Analyzed
For example:
- Collected data on user experience and implemented software improvements, leading to a 70% increase in usage.
- Investigated major network security breaches and implemented a new firewall with 99% effectiveness in preventing future breaches.
For more options, see this curated list of synonyms for Conducted.
Synonyms for “Maintained” on Your Resume
Highlight your ability to ensure smooth operations and contribute to business continuity with synonyms for “maintained”:
- Operated
- Refined
- Reviewed
- Streamlined
- Saved
- Allocated
- Balanced
- Automated
- Strengthened
- Engineered
For example:
- Streamlined the assembly line process, resulting in a 60% increase in worker efficiency.
- Engineered database infrastructures for high-profile clients, increasing revenue by 60%.
Explore more synonyms for the action verb, Maintain.
Synonyms for “Responsible For” on Your Resume
Shift the focus from job descriptions to your actual accomplishments by replacing “responsible for” with synonyms like:
- Demonstrated
- Exceeded
- Navigated
- Performed
- Accomplished
- Achieved
- Completed
- Attained
- Awarded
For example:
- Demonstrated exceptional product knowledge of over 300 clinical nutrition formulas and medical foods.
Our career coaches have compiled a list of alternatives you can use to Responsible For.
Synonyms for “Led” on Your Resume
For leadership roles, emphasize your leading accomplishments with synonyms for “led”:
- Planned
- Oversaw
- Programmed
- Chaired
- Cultivated
- Executed
- Hosted
- Guided
- Drove
For example:
- Executed a self-insured health plan including wellness benefits, saving the business over $70K (20%) and encouraging over 200 staff members to adopt healthier lifestyles.
- Drove the development of an improved mobile app, increasing record downloads by +250% year-over-year.
Synonyms for “Volunteered” on Your Resume
Highlight your proactive and community-oriented nature with synonyms for “volunteered”:
- Enrolled
- Entered
- Joined
- Registered
- Inducted
- Tendered
- Engaged
- Initiated
- Enlisted
For example:
- Engaged volunteers, prepared position descriptions, and managed frontline communication for ABC Foundation’s annual signature event in February.
Synonyms for “Ensured” on Your Resume
Show your attention to detail and commitment to quality by using synonyms for “ensured”:
- Confirmed
- Guaranteed
- Verified
- Monitored
- Screened
- Inspected
- Authorized
- Certified
- Enforced
- Delegated
- Established
For example:
- Monitored the performance of each team member through monthly check-ins, providing in-the-moment coaching, and implementing disciplinary actions as needed.
Find more synonyms in this list of synonyms for Ensure, curated by hiring managers.
Synonyms for “Provided” on Your Resume
Emphasize your contributions to the company’s bottom line by using synonyms for “provided”:
- Generated
- Boosted
- Delivered
- Expanded
- Maximized
- Produced
- Acquired
- Forged
- Negotiated
- Partnered
- Gained
- Capitalized
- Secured
- Grew
For example:
- Generated 50+ donors through cold call sales and strategic email outreach, qualifying leads based on industry and location.
- Maximized revenue by 45% by providing direct supervision and training to 10 managers in key problem areas.
Explore more synonyms for the action verb Provide.
Synonyms for “Prepared” on Your Resume
Showcase your behind-the-scenes contributions with synonyms for “prepared”:
- Converted
- Deployed
- Integrated
- Merged
- Redesigned
- Strengthened
- Updated
- Adapted
- Employed
- Mobilized
- Restored
For example:
- Integrated developed email campaigns into the new system with the company’s 900+ email list, increasing open rates by 10%.
Synonyms for “Worked On” on Your Resume
Avoid vague phrases like “worked on” and use direct, impactful synonyms:
- Targeted
- Compiled
- Contributed
- Formulated
- Pursued
- Undertook
- Operated
- Applied
- Handled
- Adopted
For example:
- Led a team of 5 to build 7 mobile applications which helped the company retain upwards of $70k per month.
Find additional synonyms in this list of synonyms for Worked, and this set of synonyms for Worked With.
Synonyms for “Improved” on Your Resume
Highlight your impact in making processes, sales, or solutions better with synonyms for “improved”:
- Centralized
- Converted
- Enhanced
- Merged
- Integrated
- Refined
- Revamped
- Streamlined
- Standardized
- Upgraded
- Customized
- Transformed
- Remodeled
- Overhauled
- Rehabilitated
For example:
- Enhanced web writing standards, reducing complaints received by the server by 46%.
- Overhauled existing employee onboarding processes, resulting in a 30% increase in average employee performance within the first three months.
Synonyms for “Researched” on Your Resume
Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills with synonyms for “researched”:
- Analyzed
- Examined
- Measured
- Quantified
- Investigated
- Evaluated
- Assessed
- Forecasted
- Surveyed
- Tested
- Tracked
- Identified
- Studied
For example:
- Identified manually intensive data collection tasks for the sales team and partnered with engineering to launch tools that reduced manual work by 100 hours monthly.
- Analyzed data to identify potential upsell opportunities for new clients, leading to $600K in sales.
Synonyms for “Communicated” on Your Resume
Showcase your communication skills, a crucial soft skill, with synonyms for “communicated”:
- Authored
- Briefed
- Corresponded
- Documented
- Presented
- Wrote
- Reviewed
- Edited
- Campaigned
- Composed
- Lobbied
- Explained
- Consulted
- Informed
- Advised
For example:
- Guided and advised 10+ business partners through annual talent assessments, discussions, and proactive pipelining for future openings.
- Wrote 12 articles on consumer psychology and entrepreneurship, generating 25,000 page views, 4,000 re-tweets, and 3,500 newsletter subscribers.
Find more resume synonyms in this list of action verbs of Communicate synonyms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are common questions about using power verbs on resumes.
What are resume power verbs?
Power words, power verbs, and action verbs are synonymous terms referring to the verbs used at the beginning of your work experience bullet points. These verbs specify your actions, such as “managed,” “developed,” or “assisted.”
Why should I use power words on my resume?
Using synonyms for common resume verbs prevents your resume from becoming monotonous. Repeatedly using the same verbs can make your accomplishments seem less distinct and suggest a limited skillset. Varied and impactful verbs make your achievements stand out and precisely convey your contributions.
We recommend uploading your resume to the tool below for feedback on your action verb usage and synonym application.
Related: Improve Your Resume by Eliminating Adverbs
What words should I avoid using on my resume?
Avoid these types of words in your resume:
Buzzwords
Power words differ from buzzwords. Overused and subjective phrases like “results-driven,” “above and beyond,” “hard worker,” and “team player” lack impact and should be avoided.
Boring words and phrases
Phrases like “responsible for” or “in charge of” are not only dull but also vague. Focus on your accomplishments rather than simply listing responsibilities from a job description.
Related: Power Phrases
Repetition
If you notice yourself using the same verb frequently, especially in close proximity, it’s time to find alternatives. Refer to the synonym lists provided above or explore other action verbs.
Replace buzzwords and boring phrases with relevant keywords and hard skills. Use a tool to identify relevant keywords for your target roles.
How do I know if I’ve used resume power verbs effectively?
Use a free resume checker like Score My Resume for instant feedback on your resume’s strength and suggestions for improvement, including action verb usage.
