This document provides a list of 184 action verbs that can be used when describing experiences on a CV or resume. The verbs are organized into categories based on common job responsibilities and achievements such as managing people, increasing metrics, spearheading projects, and communicating. It also provides examples of how the verbs could be used in resume bullet points. The document aims to help job seekers describe their experiences using strong, impactful verbs rather than generic phrases.

1. ACTION OR POWER VERBS FOR CV
BULLET POINTS
You Led a Project
If you were in charge of a project or initiative from start to finish, skip “led” and instead try:
1. Chaired
2. Controlled
3. Coordinated
4. Executed
5. Headed
6. Operated
7. Orchestrated
8. Organized
9. Oversaw
10. Planned
11. Produced
12. Programmed
Action Verbs 13-33You Envisioned and Brought
a Project to Life
And if you actually developed, created, or introduced that project into your company? Try:
13. Administered
14. Built
15. Charted
16. Created
17. Designed
18. Developed
19. Devised
20. Founded
21. Engineered
22. Established
23. Formalized
24. Formed

2. 25. Formulated
26. Implemented
27. Incorporated
28. Initiated
29. Instituted
30. Introduced
31. Launched
32. Pioneered
33. Spearheaded
Action Verbs 34-42You Saved the Company
Time or Money
Hiring managers love candidates who’ve helped a team operate more efficiently or cost-effectively. To
show just how much you saved, try:
34. Conserved
35. Consolidated
36. Decreased
37. Deducted
38. Diagnosed
39. Lessened
40. Reconciled
41. Reduced
42. Yielded
Action Verbs 43-61You Increased Efficiency,
Sales, Revenue, or Customer
Satisfaction
Along similar lines, if you can show that your work boosted the company’s numbers in some way,
you’re bound to impress. In these cases, consider:
43. Accelerated
44. Achieved
45. Advanced
46. Amplified
47. Boosted
48. Capitalized

3. 49. Delivered
50. Enhanced
51. Expanded
52. Expedited
53. Furthered
54. Gained
55. Generated
56. Improved
57. Lifted
58. Maximized
59. Outpaced
60. Stimulated
61. Sustained
Action Verbs 62-87You Changed or Improved
Something
So, you brought your department’s invoicing system out of the Stone Age and onto the interwebs?
Talk about the amazing changes you made at your office with these words:
62. Centralized
63. Clarified
64. Converted
65. Customized
66. Influenced
67. Integrated
68. Merged
69. Modified
70. Overhauled
71. Redesigned
72. Refined
73. Refocused
74. Rehabilitated
75. Remodelled
76. Reorganized
77. Replaced
78. Restructured
79. Revamped
80. Revitalized
81. Simplified

4. 82. Standardized
83. Streamlined
84. Strengthened
85. Updated
86. Upgraded
87. Transformed
Action Verbs 88-107You Managed a Team
Instead of reciting your management duties, like “Led a team…” or “Managed employees…” show
what an inspirational leader you were with terms like:
88. Aligned
89. Cultivated
90. Directed
91. Enabled
92. Facilitated
93. Fostered
94. Guided
95. Hired
96. Inspired
97. Mentored
98. Mobilized
99. Motivated
100. Recruited
101. Regulated
102. Shaped
103. Supervised
104. Taught
105. Trained
106. Unified
107. United
Action Verbs 108-113You Brought in Partners,
Funding, or Resources
Were you “responsible for” a great new partner, sponsor, or source of funding? Try:
108. Acquired
109. Forged

5. 110. Navigated
111. Negotiated
112. Partnered
113. Secured
Action Verbs 114-122You Supported Customers
Because manning the phones or answering questions really means you’re advising customers and
meeting their needs, use:
114. Advised
115. Advocated
116. Arbitrated
117. Coached
118. Consulted
119. Educated
120. Fielded
121. Informed
122. Resolved
Action Verbs 123-142You Were a Research
Machine
Did your job include research, analysis, or fact-finding? Mix up your verbiage with these words:
123. Analyzed
124. Assembled
125. Assessed
126. Audited
127. Calculated
128. Discovered
129. Evaluated
130. Examined
131. Explored
132. Forecasted
133. Identified
134. Interpreted
135. Investigated
136. Mapped
137. Measured

6. 138. Qualified
139. Quantified
140. Surveyed
141. Tested
142. Tracked
Action Verbs 143-161You Wrote or
Communicated
Was writing, speaking, lobbying, or otherwise communicating part of your gig? You can explain just
how compelling you were with words like:
143. Authored
144. Briefed
145. Campaigned
146. Co-authored
147. Composed
148. Conveyed
149. Convinced
150. Corresponded
151. Counselled
152. Critiqued
153. Defined
154. Documented
155. Edited
156. Illustrated
157. Lobbied
158. Persuaded
159. Promoted
160. Publicized
161. Reviewed
Action Verbs 162-173You Oversaw or Regulated
Whether you enforced protocol or managed your department’s requests, describe what you really did,
better, with these words:
162. Authorized
163. Blocked
164. Delegated

7. 165. Dispatched
166. Enforced
167. Ensured
168. Inspected
169. Itemized
170. Monitored
171. Screened
172. Scrutinized
173. Verified
Action Verbs 174-185You Achieved Something
Did you hit your goals? Win a coveted department award? Don’t forget to include that on your
resume, with words like:
174. Attained
175. Awarded
176. Completed
177. Demonstrated
178. Earned
179. Exceeded
180. Outperformed
181. Reached
182. Showcased
183. Succeeded
184. Surpassed
185. Targeted
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

8. Action Words ToUse If You ManagedPeople
If you’re a people manager, it’s easy to say “managed a team…” or “led a team…” but
that’s what everyone else has on their resume too. If you want to stand out, try swapping in
these action words:
 Galvanized
 Directed
 Unified
 Rejuvenated
 Mentored
 Trained
 Cultivated
 Supervised
 Fostered
 Hired
Action Words ToUse IfYou IncreasedSomething(Sales,
Revenue,Efficiency, oraSpecificKPI)
If you’re in a “skill position” like sales, marketing, support, etc. then your performance is likely
judged on specific metrics. Instead of saying “I helped increase…” or “I drove…” try
using these action words to amplify the impact of your results:
 Stimulated
 Accelerated
 Launched
 Shot
 Delivered
 Boosted
 Maximized
 Generated
 Created
 Optimized
Action Words ToUseIf YouEliminated IssuesOrReduced
Problems
On the flip side of skyrocketing sales, many roles specialize in “reduction” — eliminating
issues, decreasing expenses, etc. If that’s you, consider using these action words when
writing your bullets:

9.  Eliminated
 Minimized
 Diagnosed
 Expedited
 Conserved
 Saved
 Reduced
 Controlled
 Resolved
 Debugged
Action Words ToUse IfYou SpearheadedAProject Or
Initiative
Projects are one of the best ways to convey value in your resume because they let you show
off the skills you used as well as the results you saw. Instead of saying “Led an initiative
where…” try using these action words to emphasize your accomplishments:
 Executed
 Orchestrated
 Facilitated
 Programmed
 Directed
 Mobilized
 Oversaw
 Engineered
 Spearheaded
 Mobilized
Action Words ToUse If You Designed, Planned, Or
Organized Something Big
It’s one thing to execute on tasks that someone handed to you, but companies love to hear
about candidates who took the initiative to dream up and plan a project or initiative that led to
major results. It could be an idea for a new product, a plan to increase customer retention, or
a new design to better connect the brand to its customers. Whatever it might be, if you
dreamt it, designed it, and planned it, use these action words to describe it on your resume:
 Built
 Pioneered
 Introduced

10.  Designed
 Choreographed
 Initiated
 Founded
 Formulated
 Forged
 Conceived
 Developed
Action Words ToUse IfYouUpdated,Changed,or
RestructuredSomething
Pretty much every company has processes that need to be improved or things that simply
need a complete restructure. If you came in and improved something, made a positive
change, or simply changed the way things were done, these are the action words to help you
describe it:
 Restructured
 Simplified
 Upgraded
 Standardized
 Transformed
 Integrated
 Overhauled
 Redesigned
 Merged
 Streamlined

11. Action Verbs/percentage
used as reported by experts
TransferableSkills Technical Experience Quantified Results
Accomplished
Achieved:52 percent
Advanced
-client-facingskills
-commercial acumen
-communicationskills
-conflictresolution&
problem solving
-currentindustrytrends
-emotionalintelligence
-entrepreneurialmindset
-informationandtime
management
-legalandregulatory
awareness
-organisationalskills
-peoplemanagement
-Productandmarket
knowledge
-professionalawareness
-Projectmanagement
- relationshipbuildingand
teamwork
1. Strong leadership skills and experience managing
research professionals on collaborative projects resulting
in 11 publications and £120k in lab grant funding.
2. Knowledgeable relationship builder with advanced
skills in biological and chemical systems as demonstrated,
confirmed, verified) by the optimisation of 9 different
nuclear magnetic regenome spectroscopy methodology
and the set-up of 5 cross-functional collaborations,
which led to £1.5 mm in grant funding
3. Knowledgeable innovator in bioinformatics and
nanotechnology as evidenced (show, shown, proved) by
3 patents and recent discovery of 2 new medical treatments
involving composite micrometres
4. Helped team recognise over £10K in grants and skilfully
leading 18 engineers and technicians to complete all
projects and studies in time, resulting in (resultant,
ensuing), grant renewal every single year
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
★ Rounded industry awareness and recently identified
areas needing enhancement in PG/UG student
employability & entrepreneurship training leading to the
development of ‘designed programmes’ for universities &
business schools
★ Strong project management skills with sound oral &
written communication skills evidenced by completing a
PhD with a written commendation from the Programme
Head recommending the thesis to fellow students because
of noted excellence in ‘clarity, contents and organisation’ of
the work
★ Passionate & experienced researcher and lecturer with
strong numeracy skills teaching undergraduate and
postgraduate modules– economics, statistics, business
mathematics, finance & entrepreneurship- leading to 2
awards by former university following student
surveys>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Boosted
Calculated
Campaigned
Collaborated
Created:43 percent
Delivered
Developed
Forecasted
Founded
Generated
Ideas:27 percent
Improved:48 percent
Increased/decreased:28%
Influenced:29 percent
Launched:24 percent
Managed:44 percent
Negotiated:25 percent
Resolved:40 percent
Revenue/profits:23 percent
Studied
Trained/mentored:47 %
Trimmed
Under budget:16 percent
Upgraded
Volunteered:35 percent
Won:13 percent