Positive action verbs make your resume achievements sound even more impressive. Use this long list of action verbs to make your resume sizzle.
All the resume action verbs you’ll ever need
In alphabetical order:
- Accelerated
- Accomplished
- Accounted for
- Accumulated
- Achieved
- Acquired
- Acted
- Activated
- Active in
- Adapted
- Addressed
- Adjusted
- Administered
- Advanced
- Advertised
- Advised
- Advocated
- Affected
- Aided
- Alerted
- Allocated
- Amplified
- Analyzed
- Answered
- Anticipated
- Applied
- Appointed
- Appraised
- Approved
- Arbitrated
- Arranged
- Arraigned
- Arrested
- Articulated
- Ascertained
- Aspired
- Assembled
- Assessed
- Assigned
- Assisted
- Assumed responsibility
- Assured
- Attained
- Attracted
- Audited
- Authored
- Automated
- Awarded
- Balanced
- Billed
- Blazed
- Boosted
- Bought
- Briefed
- Broadened
- Budgeted
- Built
- Calculated
- Campaigned
- Captured
- Carried out
- Cataloged
- Caused
- Centralized
- Chaired
- Championed
- Changed
- Channeled
- Charted
- Checked
- Clarified
- Classified
- Closed
- Coached
- Co-directed
- Collaborated
- Collected
- Co-managed
- Combined
- Commanded
- Commended
- Commented
- Communicated
- Compared
- Compiled
- Completed
- Composed
- Computed
- Conceived
- Conceptualized
- Condensed
- Conducted
- Conferred
- Conserved
- Considered
- Consolidated
- Constructed
- Consulted
- Contacted
- Contained
- Contracted
- Contributed
- Controlled
- Converted
- Convicted
- Coordinated
- Corrected
- Correlated
- Corresponded
- Corroborated
- Costed
- Counseled
- Counted
- Created
- Critiqued
- Crowned
- Cultivated
- Cured
- Customized
- Cut
- Dealt with
- Decided
- Decreased
- Defined
- Delegated
- Delivered
- Demonstrated
- Described
- Designated
- Designed
- Detected
- Determined
- Developed
- Devised
- Diagnosed
- Directed
- Discovered
- Dispatched
- Dispensed
- Displayed
- Dissected
- Distinguished
- Distributed
- Documented
- Doubled
- Drafted
- Drove
- Earned
- Economized
- Edited
- Educated
- Effected
- Eliminated
- Emphasized
- Employed
- Empowered
- Enabled
- Enacted
- Encouraged
- Ended
- Endorsed
- Energized
- Enforced
- Engaged
- Engineered
- Enhanced
- Enlarged
- Enlisted
- Ensured
- Entertained
- Established
- Estimated
- Evaluated
- Examined
- Exceeded
- Executed
- Expanded
- Expedited
- Experienced
- Experimented
- Explained
- Explored
- Expressed
- Extended
- Extracted
- Fabricated
- Facilitated
- Familiarized
- Fashioned
- Filed
- Filled
- Finalized
- Financed
- Fine-tuned
- Fixed
- Focused
- Forecast
- Forecasted
- Formed
- Formulated
- Fostered
- Found
- Founded
- Fulfilled
- Functioned as
- Furnished
- Gained
- Gathered
- Generated
- Graded
- Graduated
- Granted
- Grew
- Guided
- Halved
- Handled
- Harmonized
- Harnessed
- Headed
- Helped
- Hired
- Hypothesized
- Identified
- Illustrated
- Imagined
- Implemented
- Impressed
- Improved
- Improvised
- Incorporated
- Increased
- Indexed
- Indoctrinated
- Influenced
- Informed
- Initiated
- Innovated
- Inspected
- Inspired
- Installed
- Instigated
- Instituted
- Instructed
- Insured
- Integrated
- Interpreted
- Interviewed
- Introduced
- Invented
- Inventoried
- Invested
- Investigated
- Involved
- Issued
- Joined
- Judged
- Justified
- Kept
- Launched
- Lead
- Learned
- Leased
- Lectured
- Led
- Liaised
- Licensed
- Listed
- Located
- Logged
- Machined
- Made
- Magnified
- Maintained
- Managed
- Marketed
- Mastered
- Matched
- Maximized
- Measured
- Mediated
- Merged
- Met
- Met with
- Minimized
- Mobilized
- Moderated
- Modernized
- Modified
- Monitored
- Motivated
- Moved
- Named
- Navigated
- Negated
- Negotiated
- Netted
- Observed
- Obtained
- Opened
- Operated
- Optimized
- Orchestrated
- Ordered
- Organized
- Originated
- Outlined
- Overhauled
- Oversaw
- Participated
- Perceived
- Performed
- Persuaded
- Photographed
- Piloted
- Pinpointed
- Pioneered
- Placed
- Played
- Planned
- Predicted
- Prepared
- Presented
- Presided
- Prevented
- Printed
- Prioritized
- Processed
- Procured
- Produced
- Programmed
- Prohibited
- Projected
- Promoted
- Proofread
- Proposed
- Protected
- Proved
- Provided
- Publicized
- Published
- Purchased
- Pursued
- Qualified
- Queried
- Questioned
- Raised
- Ran
- Ranked
- Rated
- Reached
- Realigned
- Realized
- Reasoned
- Received
- Recognized
- Recommended
- Reconciled
- Recorded
- Recruited
- Redesigned
- Reduced
- Referred
- Registered
- Regulated
- Rehabilitated
- Reinforced
- Related
- Remodeled
- Rendered
- Reorganized
- Repaired
- Replaced
- Replied
- Reported
- Represented
- Reputed
- Researched
- Resolved
- Responded
- Restored
- Restructured
- Retrieved
- Revamped
- Reversed
- Reviewed
- Revised
- Revitalized
- Routed
- Saved
- Scheduled
- Screened
- Searched
- Secured
- Selected
- Separated
- Served
- Serviced
- Set or set up
- Shaped
- Shared
- Showed
- Simplified
- Simulated
- Sketched
- Slashed
- Sold
- Solidified
- Solved
- Sorted
- Sought
- Sparked
- Spearheaded
- Specialized
- Specified
- Spoke
- Sponsored
- Staffed
- Standardized
- Started
- Steered
- Stimulated
- Stored
- Streamlined
- Strengthened
- Stressed
- Stretched
- Structured
- Studied
- Submitted
- Substituted
- Succeeded
- Suggested
- Summarized
- Superseded
- Supervised
- Supplemented
- Supplied
- Supported
- Surpassed
- Surveyed
- Synchronized
- Synergized
- Systematized
- Tabulated
- Tackled
- Targeted
- Taught
- Terminated
- Tested
- Tightened
- Took or took over
- Totaled
- Toured
- Traced
- Tracked
- Traded
- Trained
- Transcribed
- Transferred
- Transformed
- Translated
- Transmitted
- Transported
- Traveled
- Treated
- Triggered
- Trimmed
- Tripled
- Triumphed
- Troubleshot
- Turned
- Tutored
- Typed
- Umpired
- Uncovered
- Understood
- Understudied
- Undertook
- Underwent
- Underwrote
- Unearthed
- Unified
- United
- Unraveled
- Updated
- Upgraded
- Urged
- Used
- Utilized
- Validated
- Valued
- Verbalized
- Verified
- Visited
- Vitalized
- Volunteered
- Waged
- Weighed
- Widened
- Won
- Worked
- Wrote
Sources
- Resume Action Verbs – Use Them to Add Pizzazz and Power to Your Resume
- 100 Top Action Verbs to Use to Write Powerful, Effective Resume Subheads that Will Win You the Job
- Resume Action Words
- Action Words That Make An Amazing Resume
- CV Action Words
Other useful resources in this series
- 130 Positive Personality Adjectives For Your Next Job Interview
- 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews (this article)
- 60 Resume Achievement Writing Ideas and Expressions
- 111 Smart Resume Section Headings and Titles
Share this list with anyone else you know that’s looking for a job.
Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for the best job search resources on the Web.
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Jacob Share is the founder and SVP of 
RT @danschawbel: RESOURCE: 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews @jacobshare http://bit.ly/w1NKt
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— July 8, 2009 #
RT: danschawbel: RESOURCE: 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews @jacobshare http://bit.ly/w1NKt
Trackback by Robyn McMaster
— July 9, 2009 #
I’d love to see a list like this translated into Hebrew….
Comment by Robin
— July 9, 2009 #
This is a great list, but it would also be nice to have a list like this in Hebrew.
Comment by Avi Rosenberg
— July 9, 2009 #
@ Commentators above me:
Use Google Translator (http://translate.google.com/translate_t#
Since these are mere words, you will get them right I guess.
:)
Comment by Arun Basil Lal
Twitter: @ArunBasilLal — July 9, 2009 #
RT @danschwabel RESOURCE: 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews http://bit.ly/w1NKt
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— July 9, 2009 #
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Trackback by Alana Lombardi
— July 9, 2009 #
Of course it helps if you really do display the characteristics behind those action words.
Comment by Senthil Nambi
Twitter: @senthilnambi — July 10, 2009 #
This is a great list and more thorough than many I’ve seen.
Of course, as @senthilnambi pointed out, you must display the characteristics behind the words – but provided that you do, this can help your resume stand out further by getting away from standard, boring phrases like “responsible for” and “duties included”. Focus on results you achieved, not just re-hashing your job description.
Comment by David B. Wright
Twitter: @getajob — July 10, 2009 #
[...] Wörter (Job Mob): 500 positiv besetzte englische Verben, die in einer Bewerbung Eindruck [...]
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— July 13, 2009 #
500 positive action verbs: What action do you need to take today? http://twurl.nl/wsgpwr
Trackback by Curt Rosengren
— July 14, 2009 #
500 positive action verbs: What action do you need to take today? http://twurl.nl/wsgpwr
Trackback by Curt Rosengren
— July 14, 2009 #
A great list of verbs. I agree that your resume you should use active verb instead of passive verb. There are so many tools for job seekers. You just have to pay attention and use the resources available.
Comment by Mrs. Laughingpants
— July 26, 2009 #
I am curious as to why ‘utilized’ is present. It always struck me as an odd, out-of-place-anywhere-it-was-used kind of word.
Comment by Ron Pierce
Twitter: @NanoRon — August 17, 2009 #
I’m not one to be pedantic, but the word ‘resume’ is missing the accent over the ‘e’. Punctuation ain’t in the list. Well, I must now resume my previous activity.
Comment by Samatha
— August 27, 2009 #
[...] 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews | JobMob jobmob.co.il/blog/positive-resume-action-verbs – view page – cached Positive action verbs make your resume achievements sound even more impressive. Use this long list of action verbs to make your resume sizzle. — From the page [...]
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— August 31, 2009 #
[...] Gmail: How to Get Rid of the Non-Essentials -Zen Habits Job Search and Careers 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews – [...]
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— September 4, 2009 #
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— September 15, 2009 #
[...] 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews – Positive action verbs make your resume achievements sound even more impressive. Use this long list of action verbs to make your resume sizzle. [...]
Pingback by Tech Thoughts Daily Net News – October 18, 2009 « Bill Mullins’ Weblog – Tech Thoughts
— October 18, 2009 #
Wow, I should use these great verbs for my resume!
Comment by Elam Landry
Twitter: @elamlandry — October 20, 2009 #
[...] Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews | JobMob via [...]
Pingback by 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews | JobMob « mensonblog
— November 7, 2009 #
http://jobmob.co.il/blog/positive-resume-action-verbs http://bit.ly/positive-resume-verbs
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— November 20, 2009 #
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Trackback by Preetha Prasad
— November 20, 2009 #
coming from a U N background you left out one of our faves – ‘positioned’. well done list.
Comment by barry kulick
— November 25, 2009 #
[...] 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews | JobMob (tags: resume writing jobs) [...]
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— November 26, 2009 #
barry- ‘positioned’ seems neither positive nor negative, but it does depend on the context. Can you give me an example where it’s used positively e.g. by people at the UN?
Comment by Jacob Share
Twitter: @jacobshare — November 30, 2009 #
[...] 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews [...]
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— December 9, 2009 #
[...] accomplishments. A list of job duties won’t cut it — really beautify your résumé with words that paint a vivid picture of your skills and accomplishments that quantify the value that you brought to previous [...]
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— December 12, 2009 #
[...] accomplishments. A list of job duties won’t cut it — really beautify your résumé with words that paint a vivid picture of your skills and accomplishments that quantify the value that you brought to previous [...]
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— March 22, 2010 #
[...] 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs that Get Job Interviews [...]
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— March 22, 2010 #
[...] Upon Request” and Other Resume Ink Wasters How to Write a Cover Letter that Gets Read 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews Why Your Resume Gets Tossed 7 Mistakes To Avoid On Your Next Job Application [...]
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— March 31, 2010 #
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— July 12, 2010 #
Another fine article: RT @ResumeBear: 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews | JobMob http://su.pr/1fip3O
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— August 8, 2010 #
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— August 9, 2010 #
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Trackback by Heather Stewart
— August 9, 2010 #
Positive action verbs: these were meant for resumes, but we like them for biz and sales proposals too:… http://fb.me/HzHos3Ja
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— September 20, 2010 #
another good site I found 500 Resume action verbs http://jobmob.co.il/blog/positive-resume-action-verbs/
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— October 11, 2010 #
500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews http://bit.ly/9MVeCy @jacobshare
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— October 28, 2010 #
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— October 28, 2010 #
All the interview words you ever need http://bit.ly/1vE6D6 @articlewebbiz
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— November 2, 2010 #
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— November 5, 2010 #
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— December 16, 2010 #
This is just a list of verbs…
Comment by Brian
— February 21, 2011 #
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— February 27, 2011 #
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— February 27, 2011 #
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— March 5, 2011 #
http://dld.bz/Q6hh -I supplemented, empowered & optimized my resume with these 500 Positive Action Verbs
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— March 10, 2011 #
500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews
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#TribOo
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— March 13, 2011 #
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— March 13, 2011 #
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— March 13, 2011 #
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— March 13, 2011 #
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— March 13, 2011 #
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— March 22, 2011 #
dear sir hello,
i am syed muammad taha jaffery from pakistan i am requirements for work in germany please u r allowed me work premit, i hop u r responsibility for me and other information required so please this is my e-mail . taha2jaffery@gmail.com
taha50jaffery@hotmail.com.
thank you ..
syed muhammad taha jaffery
(pakistan)
Comment by syed muhammad taha jaffery
Twitter: @taha2jafferytwitter.com — May 12, 2011 #
[...] a good hard look at your career to the present point or try scanning over a list of action verbs and then reverse engineering them into a compelling account of your professional achievements. You [...]
Pingback by Why “Motivated & Resourceful Professionals” Never Get Hired | Free Web Resume
— July 12, 2011 #
[...] + Accomplishment + DetailsIf you need help thinking of action verbs, here is a list of 500 of them:http://jobmob.co.il/blog/positiv…This answer .Please specify the necessary improvements. Edit Link Text Show answer summary [...]
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— August 24, 2011 #
[...] manage how you let it affect you. Read more positive action articles here: Positive Action ArticlesUse Positive Action To Deal With Frustration We all get frustrated from time to time, but it takes p…uple-arguing-on-street-uid-1453653.jpg" alt="positive action" width="181" height="272" />We all get [...]
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— September 28, 2011 #
This is a great list. It can be difficult sometimes to dig out of your brain just the right word for your resume or in other writing situations and a thesaurus does not always help. I got a few good positive verbs here. Thanks and good luck with your site!
Comment by Brian
— November 30, 2011 #
Like how it has “Inspected,” “Pursued,” “Ran,” “Tackled,” “Arrested,” and “Questioned,” but not Convicted. Great resume material.
Comment by mcd
— April 21, 2012 #
mcd- perhaps for e.g. law enforcement positions, “convicted” could be used as a positive resume verb. I’ve added it.
Comment by Jacob Share
Twitter: @jacobshare — April 22, 2012 #
[...] http://jobmob.co.il/blog/positive-resume-action-verbs/ [...]
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— April 29, 2012 #
[...] Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/positive-resume-action-verbs/#ixzz1vctJJUo6 Posted in Home | Tagged Action Verbs, Tips, [...]
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— August 26, 2012 #