Career Development Services
Summer 2015
Action Verbs
The goal of your résumé is to get you an interview, but you have only seconds to GRAB the employer's attention,
so start off each of your accomplishment or skill statements with a verb that describes the action you took to
achieve your goals. Action verbs add POWER and PUNCH to your résumé by immediately emphasizing how you
get results through action.
When using action verbs to describe tasks and accomplishments in your current job, make sure they are in the
present tense. For example, "assist" rather than "assisted." Conversely, use the past tense when illustrating
achievements in a previous job.
Categories/Majors
Administrative
Approved
Catalogued
Compiled
Facilitated
Inspected
Operated
Recorded
Synthesized
Arranged
Categorized
Computerized
Formulated
Maintained
Organized
Retrieved
Systematized
Assembled
Changed
Controlled
Generated
Manipulated
Prepared
Reported
Tabulated
Budgeted
Classified
Dispatched
Implemented
Modified
Processed
Screened
Validated
Calculated
Collected
Executed
Informed
Monitored
Purchased
Specified
Arbitrated
Corresponded
Educated
Influenced
Motivated
Published
Taught
Arranged
Developed
Encouraged
Interpreted
Negotiated
Reconciled
Translated
Authored
Directed
Enlisted
Lectured
Persuaded
Recruited
Wrote
Collaborated
Drafted
Explained
Mediated
Promoted
Spoke
Assessed
Conveyed
Effected
Helped
Served
Assisted
Counseled
Expedited
Led
Supported
Carried
Demonstrated
Facilitated
Referred
Clarified
Diagnosed
Familiarized
Rehabilitated
Activated
Assigned
Consolidated
Designed
Evaluated
Implemented
Interviewed
Negotiated
Prioritized
Reviewed
Adjusted
Attained
Contracted
Developed
Executed
Improved
Invented
Organized
Produced
Scheduled
Administered
Chaired
Coordinated
Devised
Facilitated
Incorporated
Investigated
Oversaw
Recommended
Strengthened
Advised
Conceptualized
Decreased
Directed
Formulated
Increased
Led
Planned
Recruited
Supervised
Communication
Addressed
Communicated
Edited
Formulated
Moderated
Publicized
Stipulated
Service
Aided
Coached
Educated
Guided
Represented
Management
Accomplished
Analyzed
Conducted
Delegated
Established
Hired
Initiated
Managed
Presided
Reorganized
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Career Development Services
Summer 2015
Teaching
Adapted
Communicated
Enabled
Guided
Persuaded
Advised
Coordinated
Encouraged
Informed
Researched
Assessed
Counseled
Evaluated
Initiated
Simulated
Clarified
Developed
Explained
Instructed
Tested
Coached
Educated
Facilitated
Led
Trained
Advertised
Conceptualized
Directed
Instituted
Originated
Published
Authored
Created
Drafted
Introduced
Performed
Scripted
Choreographed
Demonstrated
Established
Invented
Planned
Staged
Collaborated
Designed
Founded
Marketed
Presented
Toured
Argued
Detected
Guarded
Monitored
Pursued
Secured
Tried
Authorized
Directed
Held
Patrolled
Questioned
Served
Warned
Briefed
Encountered
Incarcerated
Prepared
Reported
Supervised
Witnessed
Corrected
Evicted
Interrogated
Prosecuted
Saved
Testified
Allocated
Budgeted
Converted
Forecasted
Prepared
Withdrew
Analyzed
Calculated
Counted
Managed
Projected
Appraised
Charted
Developed
Marketed
Researched
Audited
Collected
Deposited
Posted
Transferred
Calculated
Collected
Examined
Interpreted
Registered
Catalogued
Critiqued
Extracted
Interviewed
Reviewed
Charted
Designed
Hypothesized
Investigated
Summarized
Clarified
Diagnosed
Identified
Organized
Surveyed
Built
Designed
Maintained
Remodeled
Upgraded
Calculated
Devised
Networked
Repaired
Coded
Engineered
Operated
Solved
Computed
Fabricated
Overhauled
Surveyed
Creative
Acted
Composed
Developed
Illustrated
Orchestrated
Produced
Criminal Justice
Apprehended
Defended
Exposed
Investigated
Protected
Searched
Trained
Financial
Administered
Balanced
Computed
Exchanged
Planned
Wired
Research
Accumulated
Classified
Evaluated
Inspected
Prescribed
Systematized
Technical
Assembled
Constructed
Formulated
Programmed
Trained
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Career Development Services
Summer 2015
Accomplishments/Tasks
You Led a Project
Chaired
Operated
Produced
Controlled
Orchestrated
Programmed
Coordinated
Organized
Executed
Oversaw
Headed
Planned
Created
Engineered
Implemented
Launched
Designed
Established
Incorporated
Pioneered
Deducted
Yielded
Diagnosed
You Envisioned and Brought to Life a Project
Administered
Developed
Formalized
Initiated
Spearheaded
Built
Devised
Formed
Instituted
Charted
Founded
Formulated
Introduced
You Saved the Company Time or Money
Conserved
Lessened
Consolidated
Reconciled
Decreased
Reduced
You Increased Efficiency, Sales, Revenue, or Customer Satisfaction
Accelerated
Capitalized
Furthered
Maximized
Achieved
Delivered
Gained
Outpaced
Advanced
Enhanced
Generated
Stimulated
Amplified
Expanded
Improved
Sustained
Boosted
Expedited
Lifted
Converted
Modified
Remodeled
Revitalized
Updated
Customized
Overhauled
Reorganized
Simplified
Upgraded
Influenced
Redesigned
Replaced
Standardized
Transformed
Directed
Hired
Recruited
Trained
Enabled
Inspired
Regulated
Unified
Facilitated
Mentored
Shaped
United
Navigated
Negotiated
Partnered
Arbitrated
Informed
Coached
Resolved
Consulted
You Changed or Improved Something
Centralized
Integrated
Refocused
Restructured
Streamlined
Clarified
Merged
Rehabilitated
Revamped
Strengthened
You Managed a Team
Aligned
Fostered
Mobilized
Supervised
Cultivated
Guided
Motivated
Taught
You Brought in Partners, Funding, or Resources
Acquired
Secured
Forged
You Supported Customers
Advised
Educated
Advocated
Fielded
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Career Development Services
Summer 2015
You Were a Research Machine
Analyzed
Discovered
Identified
Qualified
Assembled
Evaluated
Interpreted
Quantified
Assessed
Examined
Investigated
Surveyed
Audited
Explored
Mapped
Tested
Calculated
Forecasted
Measured
Tracked
Campaigned
Corresponded
Edited
Publicized
Co-authored
Counseled
Illustrated
Reviewed
Composed
Critiqued
Lobbied
Delegated
Itemized
Dispatched
Monitored
Enforced
Screened
Completed
Reached
Demonstrated
Showcased
Earned
Succeeded
You Wrote or Communicated
Authored
Conveyed
Defined
Persuaded
Briefed
Convinced
Documented
Promoted
You Oversaw or Regulated
Authorized
Ensured
Scrutinized
Blocked
Inspected
Verified
You Achieved Something
Attained
Exceeded
Surpassed
Awarded
Outperformed
Targeted
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