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It's All in the Action Verbs

Writing Your Resume and Skills Summary

As you describe your skills and accomplishments to attract employers, it is important to use action verbs. Each skill or achievement statement you make should start off with an action verb (i.e. assumed responsibility for local staff management, implemented a plan to cut operating costs). Check out some of our sample sites and sample resumes to see examples of these power words in action. The list below can give you some ideas of actions that might describe the specific skills you have to offer.

Accelerated Created Implemented Proposed
Achieved Cultivated Increased Prepared
Addressed Calculated Improved Performed
Advised Cooperated Influenced Persuaded
Allocated Completed Incorporated Purchased
Applied Developed Illustrated Programmed
Appraised Devised Instructed Published
Assisted Decreased Integrated Provided
Assessed Designed Inspected Qualified
Assumed Detected Instituted Recommended
Acted Diagnosed Inspired Redesigned
Administered Decided Interpreted Ranked
Aided Delivered Invented Rated
Attended Demonstrated Investigated Reduced
Analyzed Directed Interviewed Reorganized
Anticipated Drafted Initiated Raised
Bought Determined Joined Recruited
Brought Earned Justified Represented
Bargained Eliminated Judged Researched
Briefed Endorsed Kept Restored
Balanced Enlisted Learned Revise
Broadened Ensured Launched Served
Built Established Led Simplified
Budgeted Experienced Lectured Scheduled
Changed Expanded Logged Solved
Caused Executed Made Started
Clarified Evaluated Managed Studied
Classified Edited Met Succeeded
Collected Facilitated Modified Supervised
Combined Formulated Managed Targeted
Communicated Filled Maintained Trained
Compiled Forecast Motivated Transformed
Coordinated Found Negotiated Used
Constructed Founded Observed Upgraded
Conducted Generated Operated Utilized
Consulted Guided Organized Unified
Contracted Gathered Overhauled Updated
Controlled Handled Ordered Verified
Counseled Hired Planned Validated
Conceived Helped Presented Wrote
Consolidated Identified Participated Won
Critiqued Introduced Promoted Worked