The Best Action Words for Your Resume to Impress Recruiters

Most hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds reviewing each resume. With such a short time frame, every word counts. If you rely on overused cliches such as team player or go-getter, don't be surprised that you never hear back from recruiters.

On the other hand, powerful resume action verbs emphasize your contribution and position you as a proactive individual. They make your resume sound more convincing, which eventually translates to more job interviews.

In this guide, we will share the best action verbs for resume in 2025. Plus, you will find tips on what language to avoid and how to describe your accomplishments to make your resume stand out to recruiters.

Why Action Words Matter on a Resume?

On a resume, it's important not only what you say, but also how you say it. With compelling action verbs, you will sound more persuasive and confident, which will surely strengthen the resume first impression. Here's why adding powerful resume action words matters:

• Communicate your strengths and achievements effectively. Compare the two statements: "Responsible for answering calls from clients" and "Resolved customer inquiries via phone with a 92% resolution rate". Both describe the same responsibility, but the latter makes a better impact as it uses best words.
• Emphasize initiative and leadership. Good action verb underline that you made an effort to deliver results, plus they perfectly draw attention to what you've accomplished.
• Make recruiters take notice. Resume with powerful words makes a stronger impression on recruiters. They perceive such a candidate as more confident, result-oriented ,and proactive, which are valuable traits for every employer.

Now that you know action verbs strenthen the resume impact, let's see what words to delete from your resume and what to use instead.

Resume Words to Avoid in 2025

Data shows that 51% of resumes have irrelevant buzzwords and cliches. Why are resume buzzwords so bad? The problem is that they don't say anything specific about your strengths, work history, and performance. Anyone can say that they are "a proactive individual who solves problems on the go". But how is the hiring manager supposed to guess what stands behind these words?

Here are the resume cliches to avoid to make a great first impression on a hiring manager:

Responsible for

This phrase sounds too generic and doesn't say to recruiters just what your contribution was and why they should hire you. It doesn't emphasize your contribution and initiative. Everyone has workplace duties, and your daily responsibilities are probably similar to those of other candidates for a role, so it is best to give concrete examples of why those responsibilities matter.

Worked on

Starting your bullet point with "worked on" isn't necessarily bad. The problem is, it sounds vague and doesn't emphasize your contribution.

Just compare the two following statements:

• Worked on 3 e-commerce projects in a marketing agency
• Conceptualized the strategy and created content plans for 3 e-commerce projects simultaneously.

The latter makes it instantly clear for recruiters what you were doing and whether these skills can benefit their team.

Managed

This word is generally fine, but many job-seekers overuse them in their resumes, so that it sounds too monotonous and repetitive to the reader. Avoid using the same words on your resume too often.

For example, you can replace "managed" with "supervised" if you led a team, "planned" if you created strategic plan for the project, or "administered" if you streamlined office operations and logistics.

Proven results

This one often appears in the Summary of Qualifications section. Yet, if you do have proven results in lead generation, increasing sales, or improving the grades of your students, why not share a specific example of what you achieved? "Increased sales by 24% in 2022 through consultative selling" sounds better than "Proven results in sales generation".

Hard worker

Everyone works hard, so this fact is hardly worth being mentioned on a resume. Also, you need to clarify what exactly working hard means to you. Are you willing to work extra hours? Were you promoted in only 7 months after getting a new job? Or maybe, you are ready to take night shifts? You might want to mention this in a resume or an interview for a specific job.

Go-to person

Even if you were the first point of contact for colleagues, clients, or vendors, this generic statement doesn't make it clear what problems you solved for the company. Specify what kind of requests you handled, how you resolved issues, or share other facts to prove that you were a valuable employee at your past work.

Team player

Working effectively with other team members is valuable in most work environments. Yet, the phrase team player is too overused. Instead, share the examples of effective collaboration with your coworkers or other departments, and mention if you were a leader of the group. If you achieved impactful results while working in a team, mention that and share the specific outcomes.

Detail-oriented

Attention to detail is invaluable for many professional fields. It shows that you have good concentration and are self-motivated enough to stay focused even when completing mundane tasks. Yet, the term detail-driven says nothing specific to an employer. For example, you can say that you debugged code effectively, identified mistakes in finance reports, or proofread written documents.

Communicaiton skills

Most customer-facing positions require strong communication skills. Yet, simply putting excellent communicaiton skillson a resume won't impress hiring managers. Specify in what contexts you used communication skills and what impact it made. By mentioning that you resolved customer complaints, delivered presentations for potential clients, or negotiated a better agreement with vendors, you'll have a higher chance of an interview.

Think outside the box

This action verb catches attention, yet, it is just as vague as the previous examples. Even if your creativity and the ability to come up with unconventional, effective decisions are your assets, you need to describe them differently on a resume. "Developed a new creative advertising campaign that increased brand recognition by 65%" sounds more impressive for a recruiter than thinking outside the box.

Natural leader

Leadership is one of the most important traits for employers. Yet, there are better ways to show off your leadership abilities than to put proven leader in your resume summary. If you replaced your boss when he was away, organized the work of a small team, or took the initiative to lead an important project, it will surely make a positive impression.

If you still use these bad words for resume, it's high time you replaced them with stronger resume language! Below, you'll see a list of words to begin your bullet points with.

Strong Action Verbs to Replace Weak Resume Words

If you've identified the above words on your resume, it's time for resume language improvement. Good power verbs on your resume help communicate your specific tasks and achievements so the recruiter doesn't have to guess what exactly you were doing in the previous roles.

Resume verbs that show impact work great for emphasizing your accomplishments as well. With them, your bullet points sound more convincing and confident, which inevitably contributes to an image of you as a candidate!

Here are the weak verbs and their stronger alternatives to enhance your resume vocabulary and improve its quality.

Weak Verb (Avoid)	Stronger Alternative	Resume Example
Helped	Facilitated, Supported	Facilitated cross-team collaboration, reducing project delays by 30%
Worked on	Executed, Contributed to	Executed new marketing strategy, increasing lead generation by 45%
Was responsible for	Led, Oversaw, Managed	Led daily operations of 10-person team, improving delivery time by 20%
Made	Created, Built, Designed	Created a new onboarding system used by 100+ employees
Did	Delivered, Completed	Delivered 12+ campaigns under budget and ahead of schedule
Fixed	Resolved, Debugged, Repaired	Resolved 80% of technical issues within 24 hours
Improved	Optimized, Enhanced	Optimized email campaigns, increasing open rates by 22%
Managed	Directed, Supervised	Supervised logistics for 200+ shipments weekly
Wrote	Drafted, Composed	Drafted detailed process documentation adopted across 3 departments
Talked to	Advised, Negotiated	Advised clients on investment strategies, resulting in 15% average ROI
Responsible for	Spearheaded, Initiated	Spearheaded cost-cutting initiative that saved $75K annually
Participated in	Contributed to, Supported	Contributed to product redesign that improved UX by 40%
Think outside the box	Innovated, Conceptualized	Innovated internal tool that reduced admin time by 50%
Team player	Collaborated, Coordinated	Collaborated with design and dev teams to launch 3 new features
Detail-oriented	Audited, Reviewed	Reviewed financial reports with 100% accuracy for 3 consecutive years

Action Verbs Examples by Resume Category

Which resume action words to use depends on your industry and what traits you'd like to highlight. As a leader, you want to showcase your ability to set goals, lead others, and allocate resources. On the other hand, as a marketer, you want to focus on competitor research and analysis, creating a promotion strategy and the ability to write an article or landing page copy.

Here are strong impact verbs that help illustrate your competencies in various areas.

Leadership

1. Directed
2. Spearheaded
3. Mentored
4. Guided
5. Influenced
6. Motivated
7. Chaired
8. Oversaw
9. Navigated
10. Pioneered

Creativity

1. Conceptualized
2. Designed
3. Developed
4. Invented
5. Originated
6. Transformed
7. Revitalized
8. Brainstormed
9. Visualized
10. Authored

Problem-solving

1. Resolved
2. Identified
3. Analyzed
4. Diagnosed
5. Evaluated
6. Corrected
7. Improved
8. Investigated
9. Optimized

Customer service

1. Served
2. Advised
3. Assisted
4. Supported
5. Greeted
6. Resolved
7. Guided
8. Informed
9. Educated
10. Retained

Technical skills

1. Programmed
2. Maintained
3. Installed
4. Developed
5. Designed
6. Troubleshooted
7. Upgraded
8. Tested
9. Automated

Want more industry-specific resume action verbs to increase your chance of a job interview? Here are the best action verbs to use.

Image: https://millennialinchief.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/action-verbs-in-a-resume.png

These verbs for resume achievements examples help illustrate job-related skills and competencies better than generic "managed" or "served as..."

How to Use Action Words in Your Resume Strategically

Now that you know great verbs to start resume bullet points, it's time to incorporate them in your resume. The success of your resume isn't all about choosing the right words. Here are our best strategies to apply strong resume language effectively.

Keep your bullet points specific

Explain more details about your job duties and achievements to hiring managers. In addition to using an action verb, list in detail how you contributed to the project. Details help illustrate your competencies and strengths, proving that you're the best fit for the organization.

Just compare the examples from a candidate's work history with and without an action verb:

• Example 1: Helped train sales associates and reduce customer complaints by 26%.
• Example 2: Implemented a new training program for sales associates, which resulted in reducing customer complaints by 26%.

The second example conveys initiative and responsibility, while the first one doesn't make it clear how you contribute to this project. You can use power verbs to list your daily duties and achievements, but keep them specific for the best result.

Use the PAR method for work history

Our best advice to the question "How to use action verbs in resume?" is: use the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) method. Outline the problem or challenge you encountered, the actions you've taken, and the specific result you've managed to achieve. Start your bullets with action verbs so that your statements sound dynamic and show initiative.

This method helps you give a specific picture of what kinds of problems you solved and what you are great at as a professional. Any employer will prefer reading such specific statements to vague phrases like result-oriented professional.

Here are the examples of PAR statements:

• Addressed high employee turnover by identifying key satisfaction drivers and implementing retention strategies, resulting in a turnover reduction of 21%.
• Implemented a comprehensive SEO strategy and optimized content with relevant keywords, resulting in a 35% increase in website traffic and a 28% boost in lead generation.

Show off measurable accomplishments

When reading your resume, employers expect to see achievements and measurable results of your work. Good examples of achievements are: revenue growth, cost saving, improving processes, increased customer satisfaction, or winning an award.

Quantify accomplishments with specific numbers or percentages and give context to your achievements so that the recruiters could evaluate your skills and the significance of what you've achieved. Add at least two measurable achievements per role.

Here are some examples of achievements:

• Increased sales by 37% within the first year by implementing effective sales strategies and organizing training for sales associates.
• Achieved a 95% customer satisfaction rating for resolving client issues on the phone and providing excellent customer service.
• Received "Employee of the Year" award for superior performance and consistently exceeding targets.
• Reached out to community to obtain funding for a charitable project, exceeding goals by 15%.

Tailor your resume for each job

One of the best resume structure tips is to customize your resume for each job posting. Make sure that your achievements and job duties align with what this particular employer is looking for. Read the job posting carefully to spot keywords, and then incorporate them into your resume naturally. Thus, you will pass the automatic screening and get your resume seen by a hiring manager.

You don't have to rewrite the resume entirely - update at least the summary and your most recent role so that they focus on the needs of a specific company.

Double-check the job titles

Job titles often work as keywords. If a hiring manager notices a seemingly irrelevant title, they can skip your resume even though your experience matches 100% of their expectations. If your actual job title doesn't match your responsibilities, modify it without hesitations. Use the one that better reflects your duties and your input.

Proofread before sending

59% of recruiters are ready to reject candidates for jobs if they get a resume full of mistakes. So, don't skip proper editing and proofreading. Check that all strong action verbs and other words are spelled correctly. If English is not your first language, ask a native speaker to review your resume and point out any mistakes and shortcomings. It will help you apply for jobs with increased efficiency.

Attach a personalized cover letter

Today, about 60% of recruiters expect a cover letter. A good cover letter shows your motivation, your interest in the position, and emphasizes fit for the job requirements. Other things being equal, it can increase your chances of landing an interview.

Be sure to incorporate resume action verbs in your cover letter, too. It will help you frame your achievements strong and impress the reader with a confident tone. If you are stuck writing your cover letter, read our ultimate guide to writing cover letters that open doors.

Resume Action Verbs for Career Changers and ATS Optimization

In addition to helping your resume stand out, dynamic resume verbs are key in helping your resume pass ATS screening. About 99% of Fortune 500 companies and most smaller ones use ATS software to screen resumes. Matching your resume language for the job listing is essential if you want your resume to be seen by a human.

Powerful verbs like facilitated and initiated match the dynamic tone of a job listing. As a result, get a higher chance of being shortlisted if your resume is packed with powerful action verbs.

Specific action words to use depend on your industry, job level, and what skills you'd like to emphasize. For example, if your target job posting requires strong communication skills, you'll benefit from action verbs like communicated, explained, negotiated, and consulted. If you're aiming at a more analytical role, try investigated, researched, analyzed, and calculated.

Here are the best action verbs for ATS resume, tailored for various roles:

• Leadership and management: Delegated, oversaw, coordinated, mentored, trained, facilitated, incorporated, chaired, established.
• Technical roles: Designed, configured, programmed, tested, integrated, engineered, troubleshooted, automated.
• Customer service: Advertised, communicated, contacted, assisted, presented, negotiated, addressed, promoted, informed.
• Writing and editing: Authored, composed, generated, pitched, reviewed, edited, improved, standardized, localized, fact-checked.

What are the best resume verbs for career changers?

When writing a career change resume, focus on transferable skills. Identify what skills and competencies earned in your previous career can be used in a new field. Plus, you want to show adaptability and eagerness to learn, as you'll have to learn a lot in a new industry.

The best words for a career change resume are include generic skills valuable across many industries (such as organizational skills and project management), and words specific to your new role. Here are some good action verbs for a career change resume:

• Organized
• Coordinated
• Improved
• Implemented
• Learned
• Trained
• Developed
• Initiated
• Mastered
• Adapted
• Researched
• Collaborated
• Presented.

These powerful verbs will illustrate your skills for a new industry or profession, helping you get noticed faster.

Get a professional resume that positions you as a top candidate

Replacing weak resume language with strong action words is only the first step towards building a job-winning resume. If you feel stuck choosing the right words or improving other sections, our resume makers are always online to assist you.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Action Words

What are good resume words for career changers?

For career changers, it's best to use flexible and transferable action verbs such as adapted, transitioned, leveraged, and translated. These help show how your previous experience applies to your new field.

How do action words help improve ATS resume scores?

Action words like implemented, optimized, and managed align with ATS keywords that recruiters are searching for. They increase the chances of your resume passing automated screening.

What are the most powerful resume verbs to start bullet points?

Use verbs that show results and leadership, such as led, spearheaded, initiated, and achieved. These instantly convey impact and ownership.

Can I use action verbs in a student or entry-level resume?

Absolutely. Even without full-time experience, use action words like coordinated, organized, presented, and assisted to describe internships, group projects, or volunteer work.

What are dynamic verbs for describing resume achievements?

Dynamic verbs such as accelerated, streamlined, increased, and developed help highlight your results and contributions in a measurable way.

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