Main Rules for Writing Your Resume
Instead of saying things like "Was in charge of," use strong action words like "Led" or "Put in place" to show you were fully accountable for what happened.
Start every point with the most powerful action word. This makes sure your main achievement is noticed right away when someone quickly scans your resume.
Avoid general phrases like "Helped with" and use specific words like "Made automatic," "Dealt with," or "Reorganized" to show the exact value you brought to the company.
Don't bore the reader by using the same word over and over. Use different words to show the wide range of skills you have and keep the reader interested.
Even with these strong language rules, always try to add numbers to your achievements to clearly show the real impact you had on the business.
What Are Resume Action Verbs?
Resume action verbs are strong, specific words placed at the start of each bullet point to describe what you accomplished in a role. Instead of passive phrases like "responsible for" or "helped with," action verbs such as "directed," "built," or "reduced" immediately signal ownership and results to the person reading your resume.
Think of the difference between "Was responsible for managing client accounts" and "Managed 45 client accounts worth $2.3M in annual revenue." The second version starts with an action verb and instantly communicates scope and impact. That single word choice changes how a recruiter reads everything that follows.
The data backs this up. According to a Cultivated Culture analysis of over 125,000 resumes, candidates who started their bullet points with action verbs received up to 140% more interview callbacks than those using passive phrasing. And with the Ladders' 2018 eye-tracking study showing recruiters spend just 7.4 seconds on an initial resume scan, every word has to earn its place.
"Nobody wants to see long run-on paragraphs on a resume with a lot of vague words. Recruiters need to quickly see what you do, what you've accomplished and the value you'd bring to this position by glancing at your resume."
Action verbs also matter for getting past the technology barrier. Around 75% of employers now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before a human ever sees them. These systems scan for specific keywords, and action verbs that match the job description increase your chances of passing that first automated screen.
Weak Phrases vs. Strong Action Verbs
| Weak Phrase | Strong Action Verb | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible for managing | Directed | Shows authority and decision-making |
| Helped with | Spearheaded | Shows initiative, not just participation |
| Was part of | Orchestrated | Implies coordination across teams |
| Worked on improving | Accelerated | Implies measurable speed of impact |
| Assisted in creating | Engineered | Signals technical ownership |
| Dealt with customers | Resolved | Shows problem-solving, not just presence |
| Bottom line: Weak phrases describe attendance. Action verbs describe impact. Recruiters hire people who produce results, not people who were in the room. | ||
100+ Action Verbs for Your Resume, Sorted by Skill
Picking the right action verb depends on what kind of work you're describing. Here are over 100 strong resume action verbs organized by category. Pick the ones that match your actual experience and pair each one with a specific result.
Leadership & Management
Directed, Led, Supervised, Oversaw, Mentored, Chaired, Championed, Coordinated, Delegated, Guided, Mobilized, Motivated, Recruited, Shaped, Unified
Achievement & Results
Achieved, Exceeded, Surpassed, Earned, Delivered, Attained, Outperformed, Produced, Generated, Secured, Won, Completed, Realized, Maximized, Gained
Creation & Innovation
Built, Created, Designed, Developed, Engineered, Established, Founded, Initiated, Introduced, Launched, Originated, Pioneered, Produced, Prototyped, Invented
Improvement & Optimization
Improved, Increased, Boosted, Accelerated, Advanced, Amplified, Modernized, Refined, Revamped, Strengthened, Transformed, Upgraded, Revitalized, Restructured, Simplified
Analysis & Research
Analyzed, Assessed, Audited, Calculated, Diagnosed, Evaluated, Examined, Forecasted, Identified, Investigated, Mapped, Measured, Modeled, Surveyed, Tested
Communication & Influence
Presented, Negotiated, Persuaded, Advocated, Authored, Briefed, Consulted, Convinced, Counseled, Educated, Influenced, Mediated, Promoted, Reported, Translated
Technical & Operations
Automated, Configured, Deployed, Executed, Implemented, Integrated, Maintained, Migrated, Optimized, Programmed, Standardized, Troubleshot, Validated, Administered, Calibrated
Financial & Revenue
Budgeted, Cut, Decreased, Eliminated, Forecasted, Funded, Invested, Netted, Projected, Purchased, Recaptured, Reduced, Saved, Sold, Yielded
How to use this list: Don't just pick the fanciest word. Pick the verb that most accurately describes what you did, then follow it with a number or specific outcome. "Reduced customer wait times by 40% through a new ticketing workflow" beats "Spearheaded an initiative" every time. The verb opens the door; the result closes the deal.
Checking Your Resume: From Word Swaps to Real Impact
Many job seekers write their resumes like a boring school paper, just swapping out one word for another using a dictionary. This is the "word swap game." They change a dull word like "managed" to "supervised" and think they’ve done a great job. This only fixes the surface and misses the real point. When you use weak, passive words like "helped out" or "was involved in," you aren't showing respect; you are showing the employer that you just followed directions instead of leading the work.
In the business world, you are not just an applicant; you are an investment of money. An executive looks at your resume to quickly answer: "Will this person create more value than they cost?" If your language is weak, they will label you as someone who just follows orders and needs constant watching, a "Cost Center." This mistake doesn't just cost you one job; it holds back your career growth and lowers how much money you can earn over your lifetime by making you seem like just an average hire instead of a top leader.
The main problem is that recruiters spend just 7.4 seconds on their first look at your resume, according to the Ladders' eye-tracking study of professional recruiters. Their main goal is avoiding risk. If they see writing that just lists your "Job Duties," their brains instantly mark you as "dead weight" who might slow down the team. To get past this quick check, you must switch to writing that focuses on "Results." The best 1% of professionals use strong verbs to show how much power they had. They stop using words that just describe showing up and start using words that describe building things, like "led," "made deals," or "made things work better." You are not just changing words; you are proving that everything you did led to a clear business result.
The Three Steps to Fixing Your Resume
Before choosing new words, get rid of the "Passenger Language" that makes it sound like you were just following orders. Stop listing duties, which only tell me what you were supposed to do, and start showing what you actually achieved. This turns your resume from a to-do list into a record of your successes.
Print your resume and circle every verb. If you see "helped," "dealt with," or "responsible for," cross them out with red ink. Next to each crossed-out word, write down a specific good thing that happened because of that task, like money you saved or time you freed up. If you're working with a one-page resume format, every bullet point matters even more, so this exercise helps you earn each line.
"Instead of: 'Helped with the monthly spending plan,' use: 'Improved the monthly budget to find $15,000 in savings each year.'"
When I see "Responsible for," I read that as "Did the least amount of work possible to keep the job." We need to see words that show you took charge, not just that you were present.
Replace your "Polite Words" with "Strong Building Words" to show you are a person who builds and owns systems. Top hires are seen as money-makers; you must prove you generate more worth than you cost. Words that show the range of your control make the recruiter less worried that you will need constant supervision. As Glassdoor career trends expert Alison Sullivan puts it: "Action verbs should be intentional. You don't want to sprinkle on too many, because then they lose their power."
Take your five most important bullet points and use the "Ownership Test." Swap "Managed" for Led, "Altered" for Completely Rebuilt, or "Spoke with" for Successfully Negotiated. Make sure every new strong word is followed by a real number or a clear business result to prove how big your work was.
"Instead of: 'Was part of starting a new software,' use: 'Directed the start of a new software system that made the team 30% more effective.'"
Recruiters spend only six seconds on the first look. If we see "Strong Building Words," we instantly see you as a "High-Performer," which lowers our worry about hiring risk.
Make sure what you say in the interview matches the strong words on your resume. If your resume says you "Started" a project, your interview answers must explain the situation "Before" and "After" that project. This consistency builds trust and proves your strong words are true to how you work, not just words you found.
Create a "Verb Story Map." For every main action word on your resume, write a short 30-second story that covers: The Problem, Your Action (the verb), and the Result. This gets you ready to speak with the same confidence your resume shows.
"Even though my official job title was Coordinator, I actually Designed a new way for clients to sign up, which cut down our response time by half, which is why I used that strong word on my resume."
We look for consistency during the interview. If your resume is full of "Power Words" but you sound passive when you talk, we think you had a writer fix your resume, and we will likely pass on you.
How Cruit Helps You Choose Stronger Action Words
Step 1: Check for Impact
Basic Resume ToolStops you from just listing what you had to do. The AI asks specific questions to help you find real results and replace "Just Following Orders" language.
Step 2: Building with Strong Words
Journal ToolRecord your work as it happens to prove ownership using "Strong Building Words." The AI tags your skills so you have a list of your "business wins" ready to go.
Step 3: Making Sure Your Story Matches
Interview Practice ToolPractice telling your stories using the STAR method. Learn how to give the "Before" and "After" proof that supports your "Power Words."
Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Action Verbs
Are strong action verbs too aggressive for a resume?
No. Hiring managers expect direct, results-focused language. Using words like "Built" or "Engineered" isn't bragging if they describe what you actually did. Bragging means taking credit for someone else's work. Accurate action verbs are just honest reporting. Passive phrases like "helped" or "assisted" signal that you follow instructions rather than drive outcomes, and that's a bigger risk than sounding confident.
What if I don't have numbers to back up my resume?
You can still use strong action verbs without exact percentages. Every job exists to make money, save money, or save time. Focus on the "before and after" of your work. Did you organize a messy system? That saved time. Did you fix recurring client issues? That saved trust and revenue. Verbs like "Consolidated," "Simplified," or "Eliminated" show you improved a situation even without a specific number attached.
How do I use action verbs for team projects?
Name your specific contribution, not the team's total result. If your team of ten saved $1M, say you "Negotiated vendor contracts" or "Managed the data validation pipeline" instead of "helped with the project." You're not claiming the entire outcome. You're claiming the engine you built. A recruiter who sees "was part of" assumes you attended meetings. A recruiter who sees "Designed the client onboarding workflow" knows exactly what you owned.
What are the best action verbs for a resume?
The best action verbs depend on what you did. For leadership roles, try "Directed," "Spearheaded," or "Championed." For technical work, use "Engineered," "Automated," or "Deployed." For sales, use "Negotiated," "Secured," or "Generated." The right verb accurately describes your role and carries weight with the reader. Avoid generic verbs like "managed" or "handled" unless paired with a specific, measurable result.
How many action verbs should I use on my resume?
Every bullet point should start with one. A typical resume has 15-25 bullet points across all roles, so you'll need 15-25 different action verbs. Avoid repeating the same verb more than twice across your entire resume. Variety signals breadth of skill: "Led" in one bullet and "Analyzed" in the next shows you can both manage people and think critically. Repetition signals limited range.
Do action verbs help with ATS resume screening?
Yes. Around 75% of employers use Applicant Tracking Systems to filter resumes before a human sees them. ATS software scans for keywords from the job description, and many of those keywords are action verbs. If a job posting says "manage cross-functional teams" and your resume says "Directed three cross-functional teams of 12 engineers," the ATS registers a strong match. Mirror the verbs in the job description, then add your specific results.
Stop Thinking Like an Applicant, Start Acting Like a Business Partner.
Companies need active workers who increase success and earn respect, not passive employees. If you fall back into the biggest trap of using weak, duty-listing words, you signal that you are a cost to be managed rather than a leader to be hired.
You must make the key shift by using words that prove you own every result you get.
This is not just changing your words; it is clearly stating your true value as a professional.
