Action words for CVs
Insert at the start of CV entries/bullet points/sentences to provide additional
impact and make a strong impression. Best used sparsely, rather than all over.
Accelerated
Accomplished
Achieved
Adapted
Administered
Advertised
Advised
Analysed
Approved
Arranged
Assembled
Assessed
Attained
Authorised
Balanced
Budgeted
Built
Calculated
Captured
Centralised
Chaired
Channelled
Checked
Coached
Collaborated
Collated
Collected (data)
Communicated
Compiled
Completed
Composed
Computed
Conceived
Conceptualised
Condensed
Conducted
Conferred
Consolidated
Consulted
Controlled
Coordinated
Corresponded
Counselled
Created
Critiqued
Customised
Delegated
Delivered
Demonstrated
Designed
Determined
Developed
Devised
Directed
Diagnosed
Directed
Discovered
Distributed
Documented
Doubled
Droved
Drafted
Earned
Edited
Effected
Eliminated
Enabled
Encouraged
Engineered
Ensured
Entrusted
Established
Evaluated
Examined
Executed
Expanded
Expedited
Explained
Facilitated
Filmed
Forecast
Formulated
Fostered
Founded
Galvanised
Gathered
Generated
Guided
Handled
Identified
Illustrated
Implemented
Improved
Incorporated
Increased
Influenced
Initiated
Innovated
Inspected
Inspired
Installed
Instigated
Instituted
Instructed
Interpreted
Introduced
Issued
Oversaw
Participated
Performed
Persuaded
Pinpointed
Planned
Prepared
Presented
Processed
Produced
Programmed
Promoted
Proposed
Proved
Provided
Publicised
Published
Purchased
Negotiated
Raised
Recommended
Recorded
Recruited
Redesigned
Reduced
Reinforced
Reorganised
Repaired
Represented
Researched
Resolved
Responsible for
Revamped
Reviewed
Revised
Revitalised
Revived
Obtained
Operated
Optimised
Orchestrated
Ordered
Organised
Originated
Scheduled
Screened
Selected
Shaped
Sold
Solved
Spearheaded
Launched
Led
Lectured
Liaised
Maintained
Managed
Marketed
Mastered
Modernised
Monitored
Motivated
Specified
Standardised
Steered
Strategised
Streamlined
Strengthened
Structured
Summarised
Supervised
Supported
Surveyed
Systematised
Tabulated
Taught
Tested
Trained
Transcribed
Transferred
Transformed
Translated
Treated
Tripled
Tutored
Uncovered
Unified
United
Updated
Upgraded
Used
Utilised
Widened
Won
Worked
Wrote
University of St Andrews Careers Centre, April 2012