The language you use in your résumé says a lot about what type of employee you are and your
competency level. The following pages will help you choose words that are applicable and relevant to
portray the best image of your abilities.
Key Words/Action Words
Actively
Established
Evaluate
Participated
Schedule
Coordinate
Increased
Proposed
Strategy
Created
Launched
Reduced
Support
Effect
Eliminate
Organized
Originate
Approve
Generate
Program
Solve
Control
Improve
Recommend
Supervise
Direct
Manage
Motivated
Responsibilities
Revise
Analyze
Founded
Pinpointed
Set up
Completed
Interpret
Proficient
Successfully
Demonstrate
Maintain
Revamped
Responsible
Administer
Expedite
Plan
Simplicity
Conduct
Implemented
Provide
Streamline
Develop
Lecture
Reorganized
Accelerated
Adapted
Expanded
Perform
Significantly
Conceived
Influence
Proved
Structure
Delegate
Lead
Reinforced
Teach
Professional
Active
Diplomatic
Loyal
Respective
Analytical
Attentive
Determined
Logical
Resourceful
Ambitious
Efficient
Energetic
Independent
Reliable
Alert
Economical
Objective
Optimistic
Realistic
Aggressive
Discrete
Methodical
Sense-of-humor
Sincere
Adaptable
Disciplined
Mature
Self-reliant
Broad-minded
Enterprising
Personable
Tactful
Creative
Imaginative
Perceptive
Systematic
Constructive
Forceful
Productive
Sophisticated
Consistent
Fair
Practical
Will relocate
Conscientious
Extroverted
Positive
Will travel
Enthusiastic
Pleasant
Talented
Dependable
Trustworthy
Ethical
Self-Describing Words
Keywords for Interpersonal Traits
Ability to delegate
Accurate
Assertive
Creative
Ethical
Follow up
Leadership
Oral communication
Public speaking
Self accountable
Supportive
Tenacious
Ability to implement
Adaptable
Communication skill
Customer oriented
Flexible
High energy
Multitasking
Organizational skills
Results oriented
Self management
Takes initiative
Willing to travel
Ability to plan
Aggressive
Competitive
Detail minded
Follow instructions
Industrious
Open minded
Persuasive
Risk taking
Sensitive
Team building
Ability to train
Analytical ability
Conceptual ability
Empowering others
Follow through
Innovated
Open communication
Problem solving
Safety conscious
Setting priorities
Team player
Sample of Occupational Keywords
Occupational keywords include skills, titles, and occupational buzz words
Account manager
Accounts receivable
Acquisitions
Bachelors Degree
Bank Card
Bank reconciliation
Batch processing
Benchmarking
Blueprint reading
Brochures
Budget
Bulletins
CAD
Calibrator
Carpentry
Cash Flow
Cell Culture Media
Cement
Child Care
Claims Justification
Commercial Leasing
Copy Editing
Counselor
Crisis Management
Cross-culture training
Debugging
Decision making
Demographics
Dental management
Die casting
Dietitian
Drywall
Ecology
Electronics
Employee assistance
Engineer
Financial planning
Food preparation
Gas pipeline
Goal setting
Graphic design
Grant writer
Guest services
Harnessing
Hiring/firing
Hotel
ISO 9000
Journalism
Journeyman
Layout design
Logic analyzer
Magnetic theory
Manager
Marketing
Master’s Degree
Microprocessor
Microsoft word
Nursing
Oscillator
Pelletizing
Patient advocate
Payroll
Personal computer
Process metallurgy
Proposal writing
Psychology
Public Relations
Purchasing
Radio
Raw materials
Receptionist
Reporter
Research
Sales
Secretarial
Software modeling
Spanish
Spreadsheets
Statistical Process Control
Stick Welding
Strategic Planning
Student Personnel
Supervisor
Taxonomy
Teacher
Technical Writing
Time Management
Transportation
Travel
Wave Solder
WordPerfect
Workflow
Writer
ACTION WORDS
ORGANIZATIONAL
Assembled
Enforced
Prepared
Reorganized
LEADERSHIP
Allocated
Hired
Operated
Spearheaded
Determined
Initiated
Collected
Executed
Planned
Scheduled
Oversaw
Updated
Coordinated
Implemented
Routed
Catalogued
Maintained
Recorded
Staged
Elected
Instituted
Presided
Started
Enlisted
Led
Produced
Supervised
Formed
Managed
Recruited
Founded
Moderated
Represented
Governed
Motivated
Selected
Lectured
Listened
Taught
Answered
Explained
Trained
Briefed
Familiarized
Presented
Translated
Conducted
Handled
Contacted
Informed
Responded
Demonstrated
Instructed
Spoke
Assessed
Discovered
Gathered
Searched
Audited
Documented
Identified
Surveyed
Compiled
Edited
Interpreted
Tested
Originated
Conceived
Composed
Established
Revolutionized
Conceptualized
Designed
Invented
Attended
Comforted
Instilled
Tutored
Assisted
Facilitated
Mentored
Treated
Collaborated
Fostered
Secured
Convinced
Mediated
Publicized
Solicited
Dissuaded
Negotiated
Resolved
Encouraged
Persuaded
Sold
Revitalized
Augmented
Eliminated
Increased
Saved
Awarded
Exceeded
Launched
Shopped
Modernized
Supplemented
Built
Expedited
Published
Tended
Calculated
Fabricated
Raised
Utilized
Catered
Financed
Reconciled
Decreased
Gained
Reduced
Sponsored
Directed
Inspired
Pioneered
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Acquainted
Drafted
Introduced
Summarized
Apprised
Educated
Centralized
Formalized
Processed
Reported
Wrote
RESEARCH
Analyzed
Detected
Examined
Researched
Consulted
Evaluated
Interviewed
CREATIVITY
Authored
Created
Devised
HELPING SKILLS
Aided
Counseled
Helped
Supported
Contributed
Guided
Settled
Provided
SELLING
Arbitrated
Marketed
Promoted
OTHER ACTION VERBS
Adapted
Developed
Generated
Revamped
Attained
Ensured
Improved
Boosted
Excelled
Mastered
Strengthened
Broadened
Expanded
Transferable Skills-Skills you have acquired from your education and
employment experience that you can market to new employers.
Communication: the skillful expression, transmission and interpretation of knowledge and ideas.
 Perceiving nonverbal messages
 Persuading
 Speaking effectively
 Reporting information
 Writing concisely
 Describing feelings
 Listening attentively
 Interviewing
 Expressing ideas
 Editing
 Facilitating group discussion
 Providing appropriate feedback
 Negotiating
Research and Planning: the search for specific knowledge and the ability to conceptualize future
needs and solutions for meeting those needs.
 Forecasting, predicting
 Solving problems
 Creating ideas
 Setting goals
 Identifying problems
 Extracting important information
 Imagining alternatives
 Defining needs
 Identifying resources
 Analyzing
 Gathering information
 Developing evaluation strategies
Human Relations: the use of interpersonal skills for resolving conflict, relating to and helping people.
 Developing rapport
 Counseling
 Being Sensitive
 Cooperating
 Listening
 Delegating with respect
 Conveying feelings
 Representing others
 Providing support for others
 Perceiving feelings, situations
 Motivating
 Asserting
 Sharing credit
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Organization, Management and Leadership: the ability to supervise, direct and guide individuals and
groups in the completion of tasks and fulfillment of goals. Work Survival: the day-to-day skills that
assist in promoting effective production and work satisfaction.
Implementing decisions
 Teaching
Cooperating
 Coaching
Enforcing policies
 Counseling
Being punctual
 Promoting change
Managing time
 Selling ideas or products
Attending to detail
 Decision making with others
Meeting goals
 Managing conflict
Enlisting help
Accepting responsibility
Setting and meeting deadlines
Organizing
Making decisions
Initiating new ideas
Handling details
Coordinating tasks
Managing groups
Delegating responsibility