FollowTake action with action words for resumes
A resume is one place where you need more action and less talk! Confused? I know this is counter-intuitive but if you use more action words on your resume, you can use fewer descriptive words, and then show more action. You make your resume instantly more powerful.
Now I’ve made that abundantly clear 🙂 I like words on resumes that spell action as using them helps me eliminate my first least favourite resume pest – the passive voice!
This list has some excellent action words for resumes.
(You’ll notice this list of resume action words does not contain my second least favourite resume pest, the word “liaise” I’ve never understood the purpose of that word on a resume. People don’t liaise, they consult, coordinate, organize, manage and so forth. The only purpose of “liaise” is for a “liaison”, and for a liaison, whether you want more talk and less action or more action and less talk, is completely up to you!)
| Assist Able Action Analysis Achievement Accomplished Advanced Conduct Consult Committed Conducted Contributed Coordinated Develop Deliver Design Defined Diversified Devoted Distinguished Encourage Earned Enhance Evaluate Examined |
Extended Facilitate Formulate Fulfilled Forecasted Generated Gained Gathered Gave Headed Hosted Identified Implemented Improved Improvised Influenced Launched Lobbied Maintained Managed Marketed Maximized Mediated Modernized Motivated |
Negotiated Observed Obtained Operated Organized Originated Oversaw Participated Performed Pioneered Planned Prepared Presented Promoted Provided Published Pursued Quantified Ranked Received Recommended Redesigned Reengineered Reorganized Represented |
Restructured Revised Safeguarded Secured Selected Specified Spearheaded Standardized Strengthened Structured Suggested Superseded Supervised Targeted Taught Tested Trained Transformed Transcended Unified Upgraded Validated Valued Wrote |
If you’d like more talk on whether your resume has the right balance of talk and action, subscribe to the blog and I’ll give you a free resume review.
For more information on resumes read:
Why a career objective on your resume is important
How long should a resume be?
Seven things you don’t know I know from reading your resume
Karalyn is the Founder of InterviewIQ and chief champion for all her clients. Get personal coaching to make 2023 your most successful year yet. Check out our job search booster services here>>Give me smarter ways to find a job .
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Great action words for a resume! http://t.co/Cpe15IJ0
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