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Verbs by what you did
| If you… | Verbs |
|---|---|
| Led or managed people | led, supervised, coached, trained, mentored, delegated, scheduled |
| Built or created | built, designed, created, developed, wrote, set up, launched |
| Improved | improved, reduced, cut, simplified, sped up, fixed, updated |
| Analyzed | analyzed, measured, tracked, tested, reviewed, forecast, compared |
| Helped customers or people | assisted, resolved, answered, advised, guided, served, supported |
| Organized | organized, planned, coordinated, prioritized, ran, prepared, filed |
| Communicated | presented, explained, negotiated, reported, trained, wrote, persuaded |
| Sold or grew | sold, grew, won, renewed, upsold, sourced, closed |
Canada's Job Bank suggests plain language with verbs such as handled, managed, led and developed. Harvard's career center lists "using passive language instead of action words" among its top five resume mistakes.
How to use them
- Start each bullet with a verb in the past tense for past jobs, present tense for your current job.
- Follow it with what you did and the result.
- Use a different verb when two bullets start the same way.
"Trained 4 new cashiers on the till and opening checklist."
"Reduced weekly report time by moving it to a shared spreadsheet."
Match the verb to your real role
"Led" and "managed" mean you were in charge. If you helped, say "supported" or "contributed to". The honest tailoring guide has a verb table for this.
Related: How to write a resume · Skills to put on a resume · ATS keywords. Check your resume with the free ATS resume checker.
Sources
- Harvard Mignone Center for Career Success: Guide to creating a strong resume
- Job Bank (Government of Canada): How to write a good resume
Advice differs by employer and country. Follow the job ad when it asks for something specific.
FAQ
Should resume bullets start with a verb?
Usually yes. It keeps bullets short and shows what you did.
Past or present tense?
Past tense for past jobs. Present tense for things you still do in your current job.
Is "responsible for" OK?
It is weak. Say what you actually did instead, for example "ran", "built" or "trained".
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