Need an easy trick to boost your resume? Replace boring phrases with resume action words, power words, and adjectives for resume. Make your resume sound like a bestseller.
Career Expert
You’ve just finished writing your resume and feel proud of yourself. But after the initial feeling of accomplishment passed, you’ve taken a critical look at it. And it feels… dry. Boring. Forgettable. But there is an easy fix for that. Just replace the cliché phrasing with strong resume words. You know, like resume action words or resume adjectives.
Never heard of them? Don’t worry—you’ll become an expert on resume words in minutes.
In this guide:
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Some words hold power. No, I don’t mean words such as hocus-pocus or abracadabra. I mean words that convey more meaning than others. They can serve different purposes, but in this article, I will talk only about those that can make a resume sound better.
are single words or phrases that you can use to improve the tone of your resume. They are also called active verbs or power words. If you use them well, they can highlight your key skills and show the hiring manager that you’re a great candidate for the job.
See, it’s not about opening a dictionary and choosing the fanciest synonyms for all the conventional words in your resume. That might make your application sound fake. It’s all about knowing the right balance—and the right power words, too.
So, what are good words for a resume? They come in different forms, such as:
This article will focus on the first two categories: action words and resume adjectives. For resume keywords, check our separate guide: Resume Keywords You Need to Pass ATS
Technically, you know how to write a resume. But you’ve just spotted that your application is full of passive words and phrases such as “participated in”, “helped with”, “worked on”, or “responsible for.” Well, it’s time to replace them with some exciting action words.
Here’s a list of good action words for a resume, divided into various categories:
You can go through each list or just jump to the category you need right now.
How to replace “assisted” with these resume words? For example, instead of writing: “Assisted the senior project manager with project scheduling and presenting updates,” you can say: “Scheduled project milestones and presented updates in collaboration with the senior project manager.”
Since over 80% of managers see teamwork skills as essential, it’s not surprising that you may want to talk about working with others on your resume. You can skip the word “collaborated” by replacing it with the words from the list above. For example, don’t write: “Collaborated with external contractors,” but instead say: “Liaised and negotiated with external contractors.”
How to replace the word “created” with a resume action word? Instead of saying something like: “Created the graphic interface for a mobile application”, say: “Designed the graphic interface.”
Want to replace the word “developed” with an action verb for a resume? Instead of saying things along the lines of “Developed a successful marketing strategy,” try writing something like “Launched a new marketing campaign that resulted in …”
How to use these strong action verbs for a resume? For example, don’t say, “Ensured all team members fulfilled their responsibilities within deadlines”, but instead, write: “Delegated tasks to all team members and enforced strict deadlines.”
“Helped” is a boring word. Try using the resume action words from the list above instead. For example, don’t say: “Helped a team of four junior software developers during their onboarding process,” but write: “Mentored four junior software developers…” It’s a small tweak that will make you sound more agile.
Try using these resume words like this—instead of saying, “Led weekly team meetings,” write: “Chaired team meetings.”
How can you use these strong resume verbs? For example, don’t say: “Maintained a safe working environment.” Instead, write: “Strengthened safety protocols to ensure a safe working environment.”
“Managed” is one of the most overused resume words. You can replace it using the action verbs for a resume from the list above. For example, instead of writing: “Managed a team of eight software engineers,” say: “Supervised a team of …” Or, instead of saying: “Managed email communication in the customer service team,” say: “Facilitated effective email communication.”
How can you use these resume verbs? For example, don’t say: “Performed all tasks within deadlines,” but write: “Completed all duties within deadlines” instead.
Here’s how to use these resume power words instead of saying “provided”. For example, don’t write “provided training sessions,” but say: “delivered training sessions” instead.
Don’t write things like “was responsible for data analysis for the sales department.” Instead, say: “Performed data analysis for…”
Want to write “worked on multiple software projects”? Don’t. Instead, write: “Contributed to multiple software projects.”
Use these resume words to skip the phrase “worked with” on your resume. For example, don’t write “Worked with five research assistants,” but instead, say: “Teamed with five research assistants.”
Of course, the lists above don’t include all action words—there are over 800 of these. But there’s enough to choose from and add to your resume.
You want to write a catchy resume summary or a career objective, but it comes out less than impressive. Rather than sounding like a catchy elevator pitch, it resembles an extended version of Moby-Dick.
Well, let’s look at the words you’ve chosen to describe yourself. Hmmm… “Experienced,”“motivated”, and—oh dear—“professional.” No wonder your introduction doesn’t spark joy. It’s time to spice things up with some good resume adjectives.
Best words to describe yourself on a resume include:
Just pick the words that match your personality traits and use them to summarize your qualifications on a resume. For example, if you’re a customer service representative, you could describe yourself as personable, enthusiastic, or attentive.
Do you know what are the 2 words to never use on a resume?
“Responsible for”. Using these two words will make you seem idle in the eyes of a hiring manager. But the list of resume clichés is longer than that.
Here’s a list of good resume words you can use as synonyms for overused buzzwords:
You can check all the resume words or just jump to the category you need right now.
You can use the synonyms below if you want to describe your personality. But if you want to describe your work experience on a resume, you need something else.
Replace the boring “responsible for” phrase with a resume action word. For example, don’t say: “Responsible for software development projects.” Instead, say: “Coordinated software development projects.”
Let’s say you wanted to write: “Customer service agent with 3+ years of experience working with Microsoft Excel.” Instead, try: “Customer service agent with a good command of Microsoft Excel.”
Don’t use the word “passion” too often in your job application. You can replace it with the resume words above. For example, instead of writing “I’d like to express my passion for this line of work,” you can say: “I’d like to express my enthusiasm…” or “I’m enthusiastic about …”
“Opportunity” is a word that is often repeated in cover letters. Instead of writing “I’d like to thank you for this opportunity” over and over, you can replace the word with “chance” or rephrase the sentence and try a different word.
Hiring managers feel tired of hearing the word “leadership” too often. Instead of writing “Used leadership skills to manage the sales department” or something similar, try to highlight your leadership qualities differently: “Expressed encouragement and provided guidance for the sales department”.
Instead of saying “I’m a team player” on your resume, try these phrases:
These phrases can also come in handy when you’re writing a cover letter or even when you’re describing your work history during a job interview.
Instead of writing “demonstrated excellent performance,” you can type: “demonstrated outstanding performance” in your resume. You might also use these words to describe your professional achievements. For example, you might’ve provided invaluable feedback to colleagues or created a first-class design for a website.
Some recruiters sigh when they see “hard-working” on a resume. Try using other words to describe yourself or demonstrate relevant achievements that will speak for you.
There are different ways to add action verbs and power words to a resume. As with everything, remember not to overdo it. Your resume must sound natural, so don’t try to replace every single word with a fancy term straight out of a dictionary.
Follow these instructions to boost your resume using action verbs and power words:
Experts agree that writing a resume profile is one of the best practices of resume writing. Introduce yourself with strong resume words—just like in the example below:
Dependable secretary with 4+ years of experience in office administration. Keen to simplify the administrative processes and support the board at SparkGlass Inc. using my time management and organizational skills. Certified Microsoft Office Specialist. Coordinated training sessions and organized the work-from-home scheme for office staff at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adding action verbs or good adjectives for a resume might be difficult at first, so give it a few tries before deciding on the final version.
Did you know that every sentence describing your previous experience should start with a resume action word? Well, now you know. Just like in the examples below:
If you add information about extracurricular activities or academic achievements to your resume, use resume power words to highlight your skills. Check the examples below:
When adding extra resume sections, such as volunteer experience or personal interests, to your resume, use power words to pull the hiring manager’s focus. Rather than listing dry facts like names of organizations or dates, show what you’ve done. Check the samples below:
Volunteer Work
Associations & Memberships
Interests
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Here’s a reminder of the main points from this article:
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Have you got any questions about resume words? Maybe you’ve got tips to share with other readers? Let us know in the comments below!
At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.
Written by Roma Kończak, CPRWRoma is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and career expert with international work experience and a background in education and humanities. She has spent considerable time assisting individuals in advancing their careers by helping them improve their communication skills in diverse cultural and professional settings. She has written over 50 articles on effective approaches to resume writing and career advice.
You're about to change your career. Learn how to write a career change resume that will get you the dream job.
Roma Kończak, CPRW
Land of the brave, home of the free. You’re free to do as you like here! Apart from the US resume format. Turns out Americans are pretty attached to it.
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