Are you interested in how to optimize your resume to stand out from a crowd of applicants? Resume action words can completely transform your application. In this post, we’ll go into the importance of resume action words and how to integrate them into your job application.

If you’re interested in a more in-depth list of resume action words and resume writing tips, then please download our Resume Writing Guide. This guide is filled with great information about how to write your job application, interview tips and yes, an comprehensive list of resume action words.

Please see our modern resume templates if you’re interested in downloading a pre-formatted and designed resume that are easily customizable to fill in you information.

What are Resume Action Verbs?

Resume action words are descriptive and powerful verbs that hook your reader by clearly communicating your skills and experience. Use these verbs throughout your resume, especially in your bullet points to illustrate the actions that you performed in your previous roles. Resume action words enhance the readability of your application documents and add interest to your language so HR managers stay hooked beyond the initial 7 seconds that they usually spend skimming your resume.

Before we get into how to integrate your resume action verbs, let’s make clear that not all action verbs are treated equally. Some resume action verbs are more generic, nondescript and plain BLAND. So, here are some overused resume action verbs that should be avoided and replaced with more descriptive ones.

• Participated
• Managed/Oversaw  
• Helped/Assisted 

Okay, now let’s get into the resume action verbs that will serve you and your resume!

How to Integrate Resume Action Words

The best way to clearly show how to integrate resume action verbs is by comparing a good use of them and a bland use of them. We are purposefully not saying that there are ‘bad’ uses of verbs because they do have their uses at times.

GOOD USE	BLAND USE
– Conceptualized and spearheaded a new website by coordinating with engineers, designers, writers, and marketing professionals to great over 3 million organic sessions and over 1 million unique users to the website.	– Managed the planning of an updated company website
– Coordinated with the head of sales to create a detailed diagram for the call center employees to increase the number of calls and sales by 3x	– Assisted in creating a better work flow for the call center

In the above table, you can clearly see that the good use of resume action verbs uses specific verbs like conceptualized and coordinated which can speak to the role that the person is applying. For example, we can tell in the first example that the previous role was possibly a website marketing role.

The more specific detail that you can give your reader, the more clearly they can see how you could fit in the role you seek.

The Thesaurus is your Friend!

Yes, dust off that old thesaurus (or just visit www.thesaurus.com) to find more engaging action verbs that will add interest in your resume. Thesauruses are also important because they expand our vocabulary so that we don’t repeat words throughout our resume.

For example, if you are seeking a social media marketing role and you know that the company needs someone to optimize their social media accounts, you may feel tempted to use the word ‘optimized’ in every other bullet point. DON’T! Here are some synonyms for the word, optimize:

advance	amend	better	correct
develop	enhance	help	hone
improve	increase	revamp	revise
rise	upgrade	augment	cultivate

And all of these words are courtesy of your friend, the thesaurus.

Let’s get into the type of voice to use with your action verbs.

Write in Active Voice

When you write your resume in the active voice, you assert yourself as a person of action. In the eyes of the hiring manager, this makes you a more dependable and proactive candidate. Learn more about the difference between active and passive voice from our friends at Merriam-Webster.

Unconsciously, job applicants use the passive voice so it can be difficult to detect. An easy way to see if you’re using passive voice is to see if your resume verbs comprise two words instead of one.

For example, the verb “were grown” comprises two words, meaning that it is in the passive voice. If it were in the active voice, it would have only one word: “grew.” When proofreading, make sure to keep an eye out for the passive voice. Therefore, by using the active voice throughout your resume, you will increase your resume’s readability and better appeal to the hiring manager.

Use Industry Specific Verbs

When you are applying for a job in a specific industry, make sure to incorporate industry specific action verbs throughout. When you use industry specific verbs, you show the HR manager that you not only know how to walk the walk but also talk the talk.

For example, if you are applying for an ER nursing job there are two ways you could write in your resume that you’ve had a similar in a previous position. Let’s take another look at two examples of how to use action verbs specific, but this time, making them specific to nursing and healthcare:

GOOD USE	BLAND USE
Supervised staff of 10 Registered Nurses, 8 Nursing Assistants and 7 Paramedics while multitasking excellent patient care.	Managed team of nurses and specialists in ER

Again, from the above example, ‘managed’ is too generic and doesn’t get to the details of what kind of management was occurring, whereas ‘supervised’ is a verb that is much more specific to the nursing industry.

In addition, when you pair good use of the action verbs with specific detail, ie – 10 RNs, 8 nursing assistants, and 7 paramedics – you are expanding on your work experience clearly and concisely. Hiring managers look at hundreds of resumes so they will be grateful for the clarity.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

And expanding on clarity, let’s get into the final point which doesn’t necessarily just apply to resume action verbs, but to resume writing in general – proofreading. In other words, every time you proofread your resume, CV or cover letter, you are hopefully refining and clarifying who you are, your experience, and why you are the right person for the job.

Keep your bullet points clear, and make sure not to confuse the reader. When using resume verbs in your bullet points, read them out loud. Do they make sense? Do the words flow? Or is it too much of a mouthful? You may think you sound silly reading your resume out loud to yourself, but you are actually doing yourself (and the hiring manager) a great favor.

Once you’ve proofread on your own a few time, ask a a friend, mentor, or family member look over your resume before you send it. Different perspectives can help you notice problems you wouldn’t see otherwise.

Summary

And there you have it! You should now know what resume action verbs are and how to integrate them into a cohesive resume.

In conclusion, here’s some of what we covered in this article:

• Resume action words hook the reader and give depth to your work experience.
• Specific language helps the hiring manage picture you in the role you seek.
• Use the thesaurus to get synonyms for overly used verbs
• Always choose active voice over passive voice
• Use industry specific verbs over more generic ones
• Always proofread for clarity and spelling and grammatical errors

If you’re interested in a more in-depth list of resume action words and resume writing tips, then please download our Resume Writing Guide. This guide is filled with great information about how to write your job application, interview tips and a comprehensive list of resume action verbs.

Please see our modern resume templates if you’re interested in downloading a pre-formatted and designed resume that are easily customizable to fill in you information.

Good luck!