Action Verbs
Show employers that you know
how to get results
The enclosed information was created by Chatham-Kent Employment Resource Centre staff for general
information purposes only and should not be reproduced without permission.
October 2010
POWER WORDS TO USE ON YOUR RESUME
POWER WORDS
When constructing your resume or completing an application form, it’s important to
project a positive image about yourself. The words and phrases you use can help to
create this image.
A
ACCOMPLISHED
ACHIEVED
ADJUSTED
ANALYZED
ARRANGED
AUDITED
ADVERTISED
ACQUIRED
ADMINISTERED
APPRAISED
ASSIGNED
AUGMENTED
BALANCED
BUDGETED
ASSEMBLED
ADAPTED
ADVISED
APPROVED
ASSISTED
AUTHORED
B
BUILT
C
CALCULATED
CATALOGUED
CHARTED
CLASSIFIED
CLOSED
COACHED
COLLECTED
COMPARED
COMPILED
COMPLETED
COMPOSED
CONCEPTUALIZED
CONDUCTED
CONSOLIDATED
CONSTRUCTED
CONSULTED
CONTACTED
CONTROLLED
CONVINCED
CORDINATED
COPYRIGHTED
CORRECTED
CORRESPONDED
COUNSELED
CREATED
CRITIQUED
CULTIVATED
D
DECREASED
DELEGATED
DELIVERED
DETECTED
DIRECTED
DETERMINED
DEVELOPED
DEVISED
DISCOVERED
DROVE
EDITED
ELICITED
ELIMINATED
EMPOWERED
ENGINEERED
ENHANCED
ENLARGED
ESTABLISHED
ESTIMATED
EVALUATED
DISPATCHED
DISTRIBUTED
DOCUMENTED
DESIGNATED
DISPATCHED
E
EXAMINED
EXCEEDED
EXECUTED
EXPANDED
EXPLAINED
The enclosed information was created by Chatham-Kent Employment Resource Centre staff for general
information purposes only and should not be reproduced without permission.
October 2010
2
F
FABRICATED
FLAGGED
FACILITATED
FORMULATED
FAMILIARIZED
FOUNDED
G
GATHERED
GENERATED
HANDLED
HEADED
GUIDED
H
HIRED
I
IDENTIFIED
IGNITED
IMPLEMENTED
IMPROVED
INCREASED
INFLUENCED
INITIATED
INNOVATED
INSPECTED
INSTALLED
INSTITUTED
INSTRUCTED
INTERPRETED
INTERVIEWED
INTEGRATED
INTRODUCED
INVENTED
J
JUSTIFIED
JOINED
LECTURED
LOGGED
JUDGED
L
LED
M
MAINTAINED
MANAGED
MANUFACTURED
MARKETED
MEDIATED
MODERATED
MODIFIED
MONITORED
MOTIVATED
N
NEGOTIATED
O
OBTAINED
OPERATED
ORDERED
ORGANIZED
PATENTED
PERFORMED
PERSUADED
PLACED
PLANNED
POSTED
PREPARED
PRESENTED
PRESIDED
PROCESSED
PRODUCED
PROFICIENT
OVERHAULED
OVERSAW
P
PROGRAMMED
PROJECTED
PROMOTED
PROPOSED
PROVIDED
PURCHASED
The enclosed information was created by Chatham-Kent Employment Resource Centre staff for general
information purposes only and should not be reproduced without permission.
October 2010
3
Q
QUANTIFIED
QUALIFIED
R
RECOGNIZED
RECORDED
REGULATED
REMODELED
REPLACED
RESCUED
REVIEWED
RECOMMENDED
RECRUITED
REFERRED
REORGANIZED
REPORTED
RESEARCHED
REVISED
SCHEDULED
SCREENED
SELECTED
SERVED
SERVICED
SET UP
SIMPLIFIED
SOLD
SOLVED
STREERED
STREAMLINED
STUDIED
RECONCILED
REDUCED
REHABILITATED
REPAIRED
REPRESENTED
RESTORED
REVITALIZED
S
STUDIED
SUMMARIZED
SUPERVISED
SUPPLIED
SURVEYED
SYSTEMIZED
T
TABULATED
TAUGHT
TESTED
TRACED
TRACKED
TRAINED
TRANSCRIBED
TRANSLATED
U
UPDATED
UPGRADED
UTILIZED
V
VALIDATED
VENDED
W
WON
WROTE
Y
YIELDED
The enclosed information was created by Chatham-Kent Employment Resource Centre staff for general
information purposes only and should not be reproduced without permission.
October 2010
4
ACTION VERBS
Management
Skills
Administered
Analyzed
Assigned
Attained
Chaired
Consolidated
Contracted
Coordinated
Delegated
Developed
Directed
Evaluated
Executed
Improved
Increased
Organized
Oversaw
Planned
Prioritized
Produced
Recommended
Reviewed
Scheduled
Strengthened
Supervised
Communication
Teaching
Skills
Skills
Addressed
Adapted
Arbitrated
Advised
Arranged
Clarified
Authored
Coached
Collaborated
Communicated
Convinced
Coordinated
Corresponded
Demystified
Developed
Developed
Directed
Enabled
Drafted
Encouraged
Edited
Evaluated
Enlisted
Explained
Formulated
Facilitated
Influenced
Guided
Interpreted
Informed
Lectured
Instructed
Mediated
Persuaded
Negotiated
Set goals
Persuaded
Stimulated
Promoted
Trained
Publicized
Reconciled
Recruited
Spoke
Translated
Wrote
Research
Skills
Clarified
Collected
Critiqued
Diagnosed
Evaluated
Examined
Extracted
Identified
Inspected
Interpreted
Interviewed
Investigated
Surveyed
Technical
Skills
Assembled
Built
Calculated
Computed
Design
Devised
Fabricated
Maintained
Operated
Overhauled
Programmed
Remodelled
Repaired
Upgraded
Financial
Skills
Administered
Allocated
Analyzed
Audited
Balanced
Budgeted
Calculated
Computed
Developed
Managed
Marketed
Planned
Projected
Researched
Helping
Skills
Assessed
Assisted
Clarified
Coached
Counselled
Demonstrated
Diagnosed
Educated
Facilitated
Guided
Motivated
Referred
Rehabilitated
Represented
Accomplishments
Achieved
Expanded
Improved
Reduced
Resolved
Restored
Spearheaded
Transformed
The enclosed information was created by Chatham-Kent Employment Resource Centre staff for general
information purposes only and should not be reproduced without permission.
October 2010
5
Organizational
Skills
Accumulated
Arranged
Assembled
Balanced
Built
Catalogued
Classified
Collated
Collected
Compiled
Composed
Coordinated
Copied
Correlated
Detailed
Developed
Facilitated
Gathered
Identified
Located
Obtained
Organized
Planned
Prepared
Prioritized
Processed
Programmed
Scheduled
Solved
Streamlined
Structured
Tabulated
Updated
Service
Skills
Assisted
Attended
Cared
Delivered
Facilitated
Maintained
Prepared
Creative
Skills
Acted
Conceptualized
Created
Customized
Designed
Directed
Established
Fashioned
Founded
Illustrated
Initiated
Instituted
Integrated
Introduced
Invented
Originated
Performed
Planned
Revitalized
Shaped
Clerical
Skills
Approved
Arranged
Catalogued
Classified
Collected
Compiled
Dispatched
Executed
Generated
Implemented
Inspected
Monitored
Operated
Organized
Prepared
Processed
Purchases
Recorded
Retrieved
Screened
Specified
Systematized
Tabulated
Validated
The enclosed information was created by Chatham-Kent Employment Resource Centre staff for general
information purposes only and should not be reproduced without permission.
October 2010
6
ACTION PHRASES
*Always remember to give examples of what you have actually achieved. You
must always justify those bold claims of expertise!*
♦ Analysed problems and developed solutions
♦ Excellent interpersonal and people management skills
♦ Analyze and interpret data
♦ Use good judgment and sound reasoning
♦ Good interpersonal skills
♦ Able to concentrate and pay attention to detail
♦ Can work well on own initiative
♦ Excellent communication skills
♦ Experienced, self motivated and energetic
♦ Ability to organize and motivate staff
♦ A good planner
♦ Adaptable to team or individual roles
♦ An active decision maker
♦ Aided people with mental disabilities
♦ Acted as supervisor
♦ Assisted with co-worker training
♦ Displayed excellent…
♦ Displayed advanced…
♦ Eager to learn new tasks
♦ Effectively developed…
♦ Managed a team of 8 people
♦ Proficient in the area of Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point
♦ Responsible for stocking shelves
♦ Responsible to maintain a clean and safe working environment
♦ Motivated staff
♦ Coordinated staff break times
♦ Developed a good rapport with staff and supervisor
♦ Operated punch press, and lift truck
♦ Collected data for the Canadian Cancer Society
♦ Knowledge of …
♦ Prioritized files
♦ Willing to…
♦ Worked with
♦ Responsible…
♦ Helped with…
WEBSITE FOR MORE ACTION WORDS: www.hr-guide.com/data/G053.htm
The enclosed information was created by Chatham-Kent Employment Resource Centre staff for general
information purposes only and should not be reproduced without permission.
October 2010
7