The words you choose for your credentials can make or break your candidacy. Add some zing to the experience section of your resume by replacing weak words with strong action verbs. These words paint a vivid picture and imply an active role in the activity you are describing. Consider the following example.
Before: Assisted with after school tutoring program.
After: Contributed to a 15 percent increase in the retention of at-risk students by marketing an after-school program to parents and creating a new tutoring program.
Compared to the second statement, the word “assisted” in the first sentence does not communicate anything regarding the person’s involvement or achievements. Look for similar statements in your resume that can be modified to better convey your accomplishments. Numerous verb lists exist for you to use to eliminate these weak words. I have been using the list below for years, and forget where I initially found it. May it serve as a helpful resource as you prepare your resume.
| Accomplished Achieved Expanded Improved Pioneered Reduced Resolved Restored Spearheaded Transformed Advertising & Promotion Accounted for Convinced Generated Improved Influenced Launched Marketed Persuaded Promoted Recommended Secured Sold Clerical Approved Arranged Cataloged Classified Collected Compiled Executed Generated Implemented Inspected Monitored Operated Organized Prepared Processed Purchased Recorded Retrieved Screened Specified Systematized Tabulated Validated Communicate Addressed Arbitrated Arranged Authored Collaborated Convinced Corresponded Developed Directed Drafted Edited Enlisted Formulated Influenced Interpreted Lectured Mediated Moderated Negotiated Persuaded Promoted Publicized Recruited Spoke Translated Wrote Creative Acted Conceptualized Created Customized Designed Developed Directed Established Fashioned Founded Illustrated Initiated Instituted Integrated Invented Originated Planned Revitalized Shaped Demonstrated Achieved Determined Established Exhibited Indicated |
Developed Created Coordinated Designed Established Formed Generated Financial Administered Allocated Analyzed Appraised Audited Balanced Budgeted Calculated Computed Helping Assessed Clarified Coached Counseled Demonstrated Diagnosed Educated Expedited Facilitated Guided Motivated Referred Rehabilitated Represented Management Administered Analyzed Assigned Attained Chaired Consolidated Contracted Coordinated Delegated Developed Directed Evaluated Executed Improved Increased Organized Oversaw Planned Prioritized Produced Reviewed Scheduled Strengthened Supervised Negotiation Assured Closed Evaluated Investigated Mediated Negotiated Proposed Sorted Public Relations & Human Resources Advised Balanced Collaborated Consulted Employed Facilitated Grouped Guided Hired Integrated Monitored Motivated Recruited Sponsored Strengthened Research Clarified Collected Critiqued Evaluated Examined Extracted Identified Inspected Interpreted Interviewed Investigated Organized Reviewed Summarized Surveyed Systematized |
Resourceful Accomplished Awarded Corrected Diverted Eliminated Identified Improved Pioneered Rectified Solved Strengthened Surpassed Selling Persuaded Advertised Marketed Promoted Publicized Teaching Adapted Advised Clarified Coached Communicated Coordinated Demystified Developed Enabled Encouraged Evaluated Explained Facilitated Guided Informed Instructed Persuaded Stimulated Trained Technical Assembled Built Calculated Computed Configured Designed Devised Engineered Fabricated Installed Maintained Operated Overhauled Programmed Remodeled Repaired Retrieved Solved Upgraded Technique & Authority Analyzed Arranged Budgeted Cataloged Compared Compiled Completed Computed Decreased Distributed Enlarged Examined Expanded Generated Improvised Increased Leveraged Redesigned Reorganized Restricted Reviewed Revised Scheduled Single-Handedly Synthesize |
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