Action Verbs

Bring Your Experience to Life

Standing out in a pile of job applications can be tough. Using active verbs on your cover letter and résumé can help hiring managers get a clear picture of your skills and experience. Use this list, organized by skill family, to find the perfect wording for your application materials.


Achievement

  • Accelerated
  • Accomplished
  • Achieved
  • Acquired
  • Advanced
  • Assured
  • Attained
  • Augmented
  • Bolstered
  • Completed
  • Contributed
  • Doubled
  • Edited
  • Effected
  • Eliminated
  • Encouraged
  • Enhanced
  • Established
  • Exceeded
  • Expanded
  • Facilitated
  • Formulated
  • Fostered
  • Generated
  • Guaranteed
  • Identified
  • Improved
  • Increased
  • Initiated
  • Inspired
  • Launched
  • Mastered
  • Maximized
  • Motivated
  • Obtained
  • Overcame
  • Pioneered
  • Promoted
  • Proved
  • Provided
  • Reduced
  • Re-established
  • Resolved
  • Restored
  • Stimulated
  • Strengthened
  • Succeeded
  • Transformed
  • Upgraded
  • Validated

Analysis/Problem Solving

  • Abstracted
  • Adjusted
  • Administered
  • Allocated
  • Analyzed
  • Appraised
  • Assessed
  • Audited
  • Balanced
  • Briefed
  • Budgeted
  • Calculated
  • Clarified
  • Compared
  • Compiled
  • Computed
  • Conserved
  • Corrected
  • Correlated
  • Critiqued
  • Debated
  • Defined
  • Determined
  • Diagnosed
  • Dissected
  • Estimated
  • Evaluated
  • Examined
  • Extracted
  • Forecasted
  • Formulated
  • Identified
  • Influenced
  • Interviewed
  • Investigated
  • Judged
  • Made (decisions)
  • Maintained
  • Mapped
  • Measured
  • Mediated
  • Moderated
  • Monitored
  • Negotiated
  • Netted
  • Observed
  • Organized
  • Perceived
  • Persuaded
  • Planned
  • Prepared
  • Projected
  • Promoted
  • Purchased
  • Qualified
  • Ranked
  • Read
  • Reasoned
  • Reconciled
  • Recorded
  • Recruited
  • Reduced
  • Related
  • Researched
  • Retrieved
  • Reviewed
  • Scanned
  • Screened
  • Solved
  • Specified
  • Studied
  • Summarized
  • Surveyed
  • Synthesized
  • Systemized
  • Tabulated
  • Translated
  • Validated
  • Verified
  • Visualized

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

  • Addressed
  • Advertised
  • Answered
  • Arbitrated
  • Arranged
  • Articulated
  • Authored
  • Briefed
  • Collaborated
  • Communicated
  • Conferred
  • Consulted
  • Contacted
  • Conveyed
  • Convinced
  • Corresponded
  • Counseled
  • Debated
  • Defined
  • Developed
  • Directed
  • Discussed
  • Drafted
  • Edited
  • Elicited
  • Encouraged
  • Explained
  • Expressed
  • Facilitated
  • Formulated
  • Influenced
  • Interpreted
  • Interviewed
  • Involved
  • Joined
  • Lectured
  • Listened
  • Mediated
  • Moderated
  • Narrated
  • Negotiated
  • Prepared
  • Presented
  • Publicized
  • Recorded
  • Renegotiated
  • Responded
  • Reunited
  • Spoke
  • Translated
  • Wrote

Creation and Development

  • Acted
  • Adapted
  • Authored
  • Began
  • Bolstered
  • Built
  • Charged
  • Clarified
  • Combined
  • Composed
  • Conceived
  • Conceptualized
  • Condensed
  • Corrected
  • Created
  • Customized
  • Decided
  • Designed
  • Developed
  • Devised
  • Directed
  • Discovered
  • Displayed
  • Drafted
  • Drew
  • Eliminated
  • Entertained
  • Established
  • Expanded
  • Expedited
  • Fashioned
  • Formulated
  • Founded
  • Illustrated
  • Initiated
  • Innovated
  • Instituted
  • Integrated
  • Introduced
  • Invented
  • Launched
  • Marketed
  • Modeled
  • Modified
  • Originated
  • Perceived
  • Performed
  • Photographed
  • Planned
  • Prioritized
  • Produced
  • Promoted
  • Proposed
  • Recommended
  • Reduced
  • Refined
  • Restored
  • Revamped
  • Revised
  • Set
  • Shaped
  • Simplified
  • Solved
  • Streamlined
  • Styled
  • Substituted
  • Visualized

Negotiation

  • Advised
  • Advocated
  • Arbitrated
  • Bargained
  • Collaborated
  • Compromised
  • Convinced
  • Expedited
  • Facilitated
  • Lobbied
  • Mediated
  • Merged
  • Motivated
  • Negotiated
  • Persuaded
  • Promoted
  • Reconciled
  • Solved

Operations

  • Adapted
  • Adjusted
  • Bolstered
  • Clarified
  • Corrected
  • Eliminated
  • Engineered
  • Expedited
  • Fabricated
  • Facilitated
  • Fixed
  • Implemented
  • Installed
  • Operated
  • Overhauled
  • Performed
  • Prepared
  • Prioritized
  • Produced
  • Programmed
  • Promoted
  • Ran
  • Reduced
  • Remodeled
  • Repaired
  • Serviced
  • Set
  • Transported
  • Upheld
  • Used
  • Utilized

Organization

  • Accumulated
  • Approved
  • Arranged
  • Assembled
  • Built
  • Catalogued
  • Categorized
  • Charted
  • Clarified
  • Classified
  • Coded
  • Collected
  • Compiled
  • Coordinated
  • Corrected
  • Correlated
  • Corresponded
  • Detailed
  • Developed
  • Distributed
  • Executed
  • Facilitated
  • Filed
  • Gathered
  • Generated
  • Graphed
  • Identified
  • Incorporated
  • Inspected
  • Located
  • Logged
  • Maintained (records)
  • Mapped
  • Met (deadlines)
  • Methodized
  • Monitored
  • Obtained
  • Operated
  • Ordered
  • Organized
  • Planned
  • Prepared
  • Prioritized
  • Processed
  • Programmed
  • Provided
  • Purchased
  • Recorded
  • Registered
  • Reorganized
  • Reproduced
  • Reserved
  • Responded
  • Retrieved
  • Revamped
  • Reviewed
  • Revised
  • Routed
  • Scheduled
  • Screened
  • Set
  • Simplified
  • Solved
  • Standardized
  • Structured
  • Submitted
  • Supplied
  • Synthesized
  • Systemized
  • Updated
  • Validated
  • Verified

Persuasion

  • Advertised
  • Aided
  • Auctioned
  • Bolstered
  • Clarified
  • Collaborated
  • Consulted
  • Discussed
  • Enlisted
  • Explained
  • Expressed
  • Facilitated
  • Guided
  • Helped
  • Improved
  • Led
  • Maintained
  • Mediated
  • Motivated
  • Negotiated
  • Persuaded
  • Promoted
  • Publicized
  • Purchased
  • Raised
  • Recommended
  • Recruited
  • Reinforced
  • Sold
  • Solicited

Service/Assistance

  • Advised
  • Advocated
  • Aided
  • Answered
  • Arranged
  • Assessed
  • Assisted
  • Attended
  • Bolstered
  • Cared
  • Catered
  • Clarified
  • Coached
  • Collaborated
  • Consulted
  • Contributed
  • Cooperated
  • Counseled
  • Delivered
  • Demonstrated
  • Educated
  • Encouraged
  • Enlisted
  • Ensured
  • Entertained
  • Expedited
  • Facilitated
  • Fostered
  • Furnished
  • Furthered
  • Guided
  • Helped
  • Intervened
  • Listened
  • Maintained
  • Participated
  • Prepared
  • Procured
  • Provided
  • Referred
  • Rehabilitated
  • Represented
  • Resolved
  • Satisfied
  • Served
  • Strengthened
  • Supplied
  • Supported
  • Sustained
  • Volunteered

Teaching and Counseling

  • Adapted
  • Advised
  • Advocated
  • Aided
  • Assessed
  • Assisted
  • Bolstered
  • Briefed
  • Cared
  • Charged
  • Clarified
  • Coached
  • Comforted
  • Communicated
  • Conducted
  • Consulted
  • Coordinated
  • Counseled
  • Critiqued
  • Demonstrated
  • Developed
  • Diagnosed
  • Educated
  • Empathized
  • Enabled
  • Encouraged
  • Evaluated
  • Expedited
  • Explained
  • Facilitated
  • Familiarized
  • Focused
  • Guided
  • Helped
  • Implemented
  • Improved
  • Influenced
  • Informed
  • Inspired
  • Instilled
  • Instructed
  • Interpreted
  • Investigated
  • Lectured
  • Monitored
  • Motivated
  • Observed
  • Perceived
  • Persuaded
  • Presented
  • Referred
  • Rehabilitated
  • Represented
  • Restored
  • Saved
  • Shared
  • Simulated
  • Solved
  • Spoke
  • Stimulated
  • Strengthened
  • Substituted
  • Supported
  • Sustained
  • Taught
  • Tested
  • Trained
  • Transmitted
  • Tutored
  • Validated

Supervision, Management, and Leadership

  • Administered
  • Allocated
  • Approved
  • Arranged
  • Assigned
  • Attained
  • Authorized
  • Bolstered
  • Chaired
  • Coached
  • Conducted
  • Consolidated
  • Contracted
  • Coordinated
  • Decided
  • Delegated
  • Developed
  • Directed
  • Dismissed
  • Dispatched
  • Distributed
  • Educated
  • Encouraged
  • Enforced
  • Enhanced
  • Established
  • Evaluated
  • Executed
  • Exercised
  • Expedited
  • Facilitated
  • Followed (through)
  • Founded
  • Generated
  • Governed
  • Guided
  • Headed
  • Hired
  • Implemented
  • Improved
  • Incorporated
  • Increased
  • Initiated
  • Inspired
  • Instituted
  • Instructed
  • Integrated
  • Led
  • Maintained
  • Managed
  • Marketed
  • Monitored
  • Motivated
  • Operated
  • Organized
  • Originated
  • Overhauled
  • Oversaw
  • Planned
  • Prepared
  • Presided
  • Prioritized
  • Produced
  • Recommended
  • Regulated
  • Reinforced
  • Reorganized
  • Responded
  • Restored
  • Retained
  • Reviewed
  • Scheduled
  • Secured
  • Selected
  • Set
  • Streamlined
  • Strengthened
  • Supervised
  • Taught
  • Trained