200+ Powerful Action Verbs for Your Resume
Replace weak verbs with powerful action words that make your achievements stand out to recruiters.
Using strong action verbs is one of the easiest ways to make your resume more impactful. Weak verbs like 'responsible for' or 'helped with' make your achievements sound passive. Instead, use powerful action verbs that showcase your direct impact.
Why Action Verbs Matter
- •ATS Optimization: Many action verbs are keywords that ATS systems look for
- •Quantifiable Impact: Strong verbs make it easier to showcase measurable results
- •Professional Tone: Action verbs make you sound more confident and accomplished
- •Skimmability: Recruiters spend 7 seconds on each resume - make every word count
Action Verbs by Category
Leadership & Management
Achievement & Results
Problem Solving
Innovation & Improvement
Communication
Examples: Before and After
BEFORE
Responsible for managing team of developers
AFTER
Led cross-functional team of 8 developers to deliver 3 major features
BEFORE
Helped with customer service
AFTER
Resolved 50+ customer escalations weekly, maintaining 95% satisfaction rate
BEFORE
Worked on marketing campaigns
AFTER
Executed 5 multi-channel campaigns that generated $2M in pipeline
Pro Tips
- 1Start each bullet point with a different verb - Avoid repetition
- 2Match the verb to the achievement - Use 'increased' for growth, 'reduced' for efficiency
- 3Consider the tense - Use past tense for previous roles, present for current
- 4Industry-specific verbs - Use technical verbs relevant to your field
- 5Quantify whenever possible - Pair action verbs with numbers for maximum impact
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Content Writer at MyResumeCreator