Active Verbs for Resumes
When composing a resume, the stronger and more descriptive the verbs, the stronger the resume will be. What follows are some words to avoid and a list of several hundred excellent action verbs that can be used instead.
Related: Tactics to Make your Resume Stand out with Action Verbs
Weak verbs
These read as generic, passive, or undescriptive. They should be avoided when possible.
- Work
- Function
- Handle
- Participate
- Responsible
- Accountable
Avoid falling back on tired, cringe-worthy language.
Strong Verbs
These show action and clear meaning. Properly used they will increase the efficacy of the resume substantially.
List of Active Verbs for Resumes are given below
A
- Accelerate
- Accentuate
- Accommodate
- Accomplish
- Achieve
- Acquire
- Adapt
- Address
- Adjudicate
- Administer
- Advance
- Advise
- Advocate
- Align
- Alter
- Analyze
- Anchor
- Apply
- Appoint
- Appreciate
- Arbitrate
- Architect
- Arrange
- Articulate
- Ascertain
- Assemble
- Assess
- Assist
- Attain
- Augment
- Authenticate
- Author
- Authorize
B
- Balance
- Believe
- Bestow
- Brainstorm
- Brief
- Budget
- Build
C
- Calculate
- Capitalize
- Capture
- Catalog
- Catapult
- Centralize
- Champion
- Change
- Chart
- Clarify
- Classify
- Close
- Coach
- Cobble
- Collaborate
- Collect
- Command
- Commercialize
- Commoditize
- Communicate
- Compare
- Compel
- Compile
- Complete
- Comply
- Compute
- Conceive
- Conceptualize
- Conclude
- Conduct
- Configure
- Conserve
- Consolidate
- Construct
- Consult
- Contemporize
- Continue
- Contract
- Control
- Convert
- Convey
- Coordinate
- Correct
- Corroborate
- Counsel
- Craft
- Create
- Critique
- Crystallize
- Curtail
- Cut
D
- Decipher
- Decrease
- Define
- Delegate
- Deliver
- Demonstrate
- Deploy
- Derive
- Design
- Detail
- Detect
- Determine
- Develop
- Devise
- Differentiate
- Diminish
- Direct
- Discard
- Discern
- Discover
- Dispense
- Display
- Distinguish
- Distribute
- Diversify
- Divert
- Document
- Dominate
- Double
- Draft
- Drive
E
- Earn
- Edit
- Educate
- Effect
- Effectuate
- Elect
- Elevate
- Eliminate
- Emphasize
- Empower
- Enact
- Encourage
- Endeavor
- Endorse
- Endure
- Energize
- Enforce
- Engineer
- Enhance
- Enlist
- Enliven
- Ensure
- Entrench
- Equalize
- Eradicate
- Espouse
- Establish
- Estimate
- Evaluate
- Examine
- Exceed
- Excel
- Execute
- Exhibit
- Exhort
- Expand
- Expedite
- Experiment
- Explode
- Exploit
- Explore
- Export
- Extract
- Extricate
F
- Facilitate
- Finalize
- Finance
- Focus
- Follow-up
- Forecast
- Forge
- Form
- Formalize
- Formulate
- Foster
- Found
- Freshen
- Fulfill
G
- Gain
- Garner
- Generate
- Govern
- Graduate
- Guide
H
- Halt
- Head
- Helmed
- Hire
- Honor
- Hypothesize
I
- Identify
- Illustrate
- Imagine
- Implement
- Import
- Improve
- Improvise
- Increase
- Influence
- Inform
- Initiate
- Innovate
- Inspect
- Inspire
- Install
- Institute
- Instruct
- Integrate
- Intensify
- Interpret
- Interview
- Introduce
- Invent
- Inventory
- Investigate
J
- Judge
- Justify
L
- Land
- Launch
- Lead
- Lecture
- Leverage
- Liaise
- License
- Listen
- Locate
- Lower
M
- Maintain
- Manage
- Manipulate
- Manufacture
- Map
- Market
- Marshall
- Master
- Mastermind
- Maximize
- Measure
- Mediate
- Mentor
- Merge
- Minimize
- Model
- Moderate
- Modify
- Monetize
- Monitor
- Motivate
N
- Navigate
- Negotiate
- Network
- Nominate
- Normalize
O
- Obfuscate
- Obliterate
- Observe
- Obtain
- Offer
- Officiate
- Operate
- Optimize
- Orchestrate
- Order
- Organize
- Orient
- Originate
- Outpace
- Outperform
- Outsource
- Overcome
- Overhaul
- Oversee
P
- Partner
- Perceive
- Perfect
- Perform
- Persuade
- Pilot
- Pinpoint
- Pioneer
- Plan
- Position
- Predict
- Prepare
- Prescribe
- Present
- Preside
- Prevent
- Process
- Procure
- Produce
- Program
- Progress
- Project
- Project-manage
- Proliferate
- Promote
- Propel
- Propose
- Prospect
- Prove
- Provide
- Publicize
- Purchase
- Purify
Q
- Qualify
- Quantify
- Query
- Question
R
- Raise
- Rate
- Ratify
- Realign
- Rebuild
- Recapture
- Receive
- Recognize
- Recommend
- Reconcile
- Record
- Recruit
- Rectify
- Recycle
- Redefine
- Redesign
- Reduce
- Reengineer
- Regain
- Regulate
- Rehabilitate
- Reimagine
- Reinforce
- Rejuvenate
- Relate
- Remedy
- Render
- Renegotiate
- Renew
- Renovate
- Reorganize
- Report
- Reposition
- Represent
- Research
- Resolve
- Respond
- Restore
- Restructure
- Retain
- Retrieve
- Reuse
- Review
- Revise
- Revitalize
S
- Salvage
- Sanctify
- Satisfy
- Save
- Schedule
- Secure
- Select
- Separate
- Serve
- Service
- Set-up
- Shepherd
- Simplify
- Slash
- Sold
- Solidify
- Solve
- Spark
- Speak
- Spearhead
- Specialize
- Specify
- Standardize
- Steer
- Stimulate
- Strategize
- Streamline
- Strengthen
- Structure
- Study
- Substantiate
- Succeed
- Suggest
- Summarize
- Supervise
- Supplement
- Supply
- Support
- Surpass
- Synergize
- Synthesize
- Systematize
T
- Tabulate
- Tailor
- Target
- Teach
- Terminate
- Test
- Thwart
- Train
- Transcribe
- Transfer
- Transform
- Transition
- Translate
- Trim
- Troubleshoot
U
- Uncover
- Unify
- Unite
- Update
- Upgrade
- Use
- Utilize
V
- Validate
- Verbalize
- Verify
W
- Win
- Write
Z
- Zero-in