Action Verbs
Introduction
Resumes often use lists that start with action verbs. Here’s an example of such parallel structure:
- Coached the senior basketball team
- Organized all fundraising activities for the athletics program
- Received the Peter O’Brian Volunteerism Award
Compare, by contrast, the following version:
- Coach of the senior basketball team
- Organized all fundraising activities for the athletics program
- I was awarded the Peter O’Brian Volunteerism Award
This list feels sloppy and disorganized. Obviously you don’t have to use only action verbs, but they can certainly help to achieve a unified look.
Categories
The following list focuses on verbs that are particularly useful for high school and university students who are just starting out in their careers. For lists with a different focus, please see the resources section below.
Leading
administered
approved
assigned
conducted
controlled
coordinated
decided
determined
directed
handled
headed
hired
hosted
implemented
initiated
led
managed
oversaw
planned
recruited
responsible for
supervised
Communicating
advertised
answered
clarified
communicated
consulted
contacted
corresponded
distributed
emailed
explained
formulated
informed
interacted
interviewed
listened
marketed
persuaded
presented
promoted
proposed
publicized
recommended
referred
reported
represented
responded
spoke
Being Creative
acted
designed
drew
directed
displayed
entertained
illustrated
painted
performed
photographed
played
recited
sang
spoke
Starting and Developing
adapted
began
created
designed
developed
devised
established
experimented
explored
founded
initiated
introduced
invented
maintained
modified
started
updated
Analyzing
analyzed
assessed
compared
evaluated
examined
judged
inspected
investigated
located
measured
monitored
observed
researched
reviewed
screened
searched
tested
tracked
Organizing
administered
arranged
catagorized
catalogued
collected
combined
compiled
defined
expanded
gathered
integrated
organized
prepared
processed
reconciled
reorganized
revised
scheduled
submitted
synthesized
verified
Writing
composed
condensed
drafted
edited
formulated
outlined
recorded
revised
summarized
translated
wrote
Financial
assessed
audited
budgeted
calculated
estimated
purchased
Improving Productivity
altered
corrected
focused
improved
increased
lessened
maximized
modified
optimized
prevented
prioritized
redesigned
reduced
replaced
resolved
restored
simplified
solved
standardized
streamlined
systematized
upgraded
Supporting
assisted
collaborated
coached
contributed
enabled
encouraged
enhanced
facilitated
helped
guided
instructed
involved
joined
participated
partnered with
provided
suggested
supplied
supported
taught
trained
tutored
volunteered
worked with
Achieving
completed
concluded
ensured
executed
finished
obtained
produced
qualified
secured
solved
succeeded in
surpassed
won
Operating
handled
operated
ran
Further Resources
For more lists of action verbs, check out the following: