Developed... Managed…Responsible for…
Most resume bullet points start with the same words. It gets far too boring not to envision or create new words and make it more attractive for the reader. Hiring managers get bored having to read the same old words over and over again—to the point where they have lost a lot of their meaning and does not show off your achievements.
So let us get a little more creative. Whether you are designing your resume from scratch or simply updating it, switch to strong, compelling action verbs that will catch the hiring managers’ attention and impart a new word technology into the brain..
No matter what duty or accomplishment you are trying to show off, the list below, will make your resume way more exciting.
When you Led from the Front
If you were in charge of a project or initiative from start to finish, skip “led” and instead try:
Chaired Controlled Coordinated Executed
Headed Operated Orchestrated Organized
Oversaw Planned Produced Programmed
When You Developed or Created from the Beginning
And if you actually developed, created, or introduced that project into your company? Try:
Administered Built Charted Created Designed
Developed Devised Founded Engineered Established
Formalized Formed Formulated Implemented Incorporated
Initiated Instituted Introduced Launched Pioneered
Spearheaded
When You Saved the Company Money or Time
Hiring managers love candidates who’ve helped a team operate more efficiently or cost-effectively. To show just how much you saved, try:
Conserved Consolidated Decreased Deducted
Diagnosed Lessened Reconciled Reduced
Yielded
When You Increased Sales Volume, Revenue or Customer Satisfaction
Along similar lines, if you can show that your work boosted the company’s numbers in some way, you’re bound to impress. In these cases, consider:
Accelerated Achieved Advanced Amplified
Boosted Capitalized Delivered Enhanced
Expanded Expedited Furthered Gained
Generated Improved Lifted Maximized
Outpaced Stimulated Sustained
When You Changed or Improved Something
So, you brought your department’s invoicing system out of the Stone Age into the age of digital technology an artificial intelligence. Talk about the amazing changes you made at your office with these words:
Centralized Clarified Converted Customized
Influenced Integrated Merged Modified
Overhauled Redesigned Refined Refocused
Rehabilitated Remodeled Reorganized Replaced
Restructured Revamped Revitalized Simplified
Standardized Streamlined Strengthened Updated
Upgraded Transformed
When You Managed a Team
Instead of reciting your management duties, like “Led a team…” or “Managed employees…” show what an inspirational leader you were with terms like:
Aligned Cultivated Directed Enabled
Facilitated Fostered Guided Hired
Inspired Mentored Mobilized Motivated
Recruited Regulated Shaped Supervised
Taught Trained Unified United
When You brought in Partners, Funding or Business
Were you “responsible for” a great new partner, sponsor, or source of funding? Try:
Acquired Forged Navigated Negotiated
Partnered Secured
When You Supported Customers
Because manning the phones or answering questions really means you’re advising customers and meeting their needs, use:
Advised Advocated Arbitrated Coached
Consulted Educated Fielded Informed
Resolved
When You Did a lot of Research and Analysis
Did your job include research, analysis, or fact-finding? Mix up your verbiage with these words:
Analyzed Assembled Assessed Audited
Calculated Discovered Evaluated Examined
Explored Forecasted Identified Interpreted
Investigated Mapped Measured Qualified
Quantified Surveyed Tested Tracked
When You Wrote or Communicated
Was writing, speaking, lobbying, or otherwise communicating part of your gig? You can explain just how compelling you were with words like:
Authored Briefed Campaigned Co-authored
Composed Conveyed Convinced Corresponded
Counseled Critiqued Defined Documented
Edited Illustrated Lobbied Persuaded
Promoted Publicized Reviewed
When You Oversaw or Regulated
Whether you enforced protocol or managed your department’s requests, describe what you really did, better, with these words:
Authorized Blocked Delegated Dispatched
Enforced Ensured Inspected Itemized
Monitored Screened Scrutinized Verified
When You Achieved Something
Did you hit your goals? Win a coveted department award? Don’t forget to include that on your resume, with words like:
Attained Awarded Completed Demonstrated
Earned Exceeded Outperformed Reached
Showcased Succeeded Surpassed Targeted