Action Verbs

When building a resume, how you express your content is just as important as the content itself. Many candidates use weak, passive and cliché words when describing their work experience. For example: "I helped the sales team" or "I was responsible for social media pages".

These phrases convey absolutely no dynamism to HR. Instead, you should use Action Verbs that bring your resume to life and give the reader the impression that "this person is a person of action and results."

Why is the phrase "Responsible for" weak?

The phrase "I was responsible for" simply states what your job duties were; it doesn't show whether you did that job well or poorly.

Passive: "I was responsible for leading the customer service team."

Active: "Directed the customer service team and increased customer satisfaction by 20%."

The second sentence demonstrates power and results. Let's look at some magic verbs you can use in different sections of your resume:

1. Verbs for leadership and management

If you have managed a team or led a project:

Don't use: "Was in charge of", "Looked after."

Use: Managed, Organized, Led, Coached, Supervised.

2. Verbs demonstrating results and growth

If you saved the company money or time:

Don't use: "Made better", "Helped."

Use: Maximized, Optimized, Accelerated, Boosted, Decreased (for costs).

3. Verbs showing creativity and initiative

If you created something from scratch:

Don't use: "Did", "Came up with".

Use: Designed, Founded, Implemented, Developed, Initiated.

4. Verbs for problem-solving

Use: Resolved, Restructured, Clarified, Adapted.