500+ Resume Action Verbs 2025 - Stand Out to ATS
Transform weak resume bullets into powerful achievement statements with the right action verbs
Recruiters spend just 6-7 seconds scanning your resume. Strong action verbs make every second count by showing impact, not just responsibilities.
Power verbs categorized by skill type
Average time recruiters spend on each resume
More likely to get interviews with strong verbs
On This Page
Why Action Verbs Matter on Your Resume
Action verbs are the difference between a resume that gets interviews and one that gets ignored. Here's why they're critical:
Show Impact, Not Just Duties
"Responsible for managing team" → "Led 12-person team to exceed quarterly targets by 35%" shows what you achieved, not just what you were supposed to do.
Pass ATS Screening
ATS systems scan for specific action verbs from job descriptions. Using industry-standard verbs like "Developed," "Analyzed," or "Optimized" helps you rank higher.
Grab Recruiter Attention
With only 6-7 seconds to make an impression, strong verbs like "Spearheaded," "Transformed," or "Orchestrated" immediately convey leadership and initiative.
Demonstrate Range of Skills
Using varied verbs (Led, Analyzed, Developed, Negotiated) shows you have diverse capabilities rather than just repeating the same tasks.
The difference between a good resume and a great one often comes down to word choice. Passive phrases like "responsible for" or "helped with" make you sound like a task-follower. Action verbs make you sound like a results-driver.
Weak vs. Strong: The Difference Action Verbs Make
See how the right action verb transforms a boring bullet point into a powerful achievement statement:
Responsible for managing social media accounts
Grew social media following by 240% (5K to 17K followers) through targeted content strategy and daily engagement
Helped with customer service issues
Resolved 95% of customer complaints on first contact, improving satisfaction scores from 3.2 to 4.7/5.0
Worked on new website design
Redesigned company website, increasing conversion rate by 43% and reducing bounce rate from 68% to 34%
Assisted team with sales goals
Exceeded quarterly sales targets by 127% ($2.3M vs. $1.8M goal), ranking #1 among 45 sales reps
In charge of training new employees
Mentored 23 new hires, reducing onboarding time from 6 weeks to 3 weeks while improving first-quarter retention by 31%
Duties included analyzing market data
Analyzed competitor pricing across 15 markets, identifying $1.2M revenue opportunity that increased margins by 8%
Key Takeaway
Notice how strong bullets include: (1) Action verb, (2) What you did, (3) Measurable result. This formula works for any role or industry.
200+ Resume Action Verbs by Category
Choose action verbs that match what you actually accomplished. Use different categories for different types of achievements:
Leadership & Management
Use when leading teams, managing projects, or driving initiatives
Achievement & Results
Use when showing improvements, growth, or exceeding targets
Communication & Collaboration
Use when presenting, writing, negotiating, or working with stakeholders
Technical & Development
Use when building, coding, engineering, or creating technical solutions
Analysis & Research
Use when working with data, conducting research, or making decisions
Organization & Process
Use when improving efficiency, organizing systems, or implementing processes
Problem-Solving & Innovation
Use when fixing issues, finding solutions, or creating new approaches
How to Use Action Verbs in Resume Bullet Points
Follow these best practices to maximize the impact of action verbs on your resume:
Start Every Bullet Point with an Action Verb
Never start with "Responsible for," "Duties included," or "Tasked with." Jump straight to the action.
Use Different Verbs for Each Bullet
Variety shows the breadth of your skills. Don't repeat "Managed" five times - use Led, Directed, Coordinated, Supervised, Oversaw instead.
Match the Verb to Your Actual Contribution
Be honest. If you didn't lead the project, don't say "Led" - say "Contributed to" or "Supported." Recruiters can spot exaggeration.
Include Metrics After the Action Verb
Action verb + what you did + measurable result = perfect bullet point formula.
Use Past Tense (Except for Current Role)
Past positions: "Developed," "Led," "Increased." Current position: "Develop," "Lead," "Increase."
Tailor Verbs to the Job Description
If the job posting says "seeking someone to drive revenue growth," use verbs like "Drove," "Accelerated," "Generated," "Increased" in your bullets.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with strong action verbs, these mistakes can undermine your resume:
Overusing "Responsible for" and "Helped with"
These phrases are passive and don't show accomplishments. They make you sound like you just followed orders.
Repeating the Same Verb Over and Over
Using "Managed" in 8 out of 10 bullets makes your resume boring and suggests limited skills.
Using Vague or Buzzword-y Verbs Without Context
"Synergized," "Ideated," "Leveraged" sound like corporate jargon without specific results.
Exaggerating Your Role with Too-Strong Verbs
Don't claim you "Spearheaded" or "Pioneered" something if you were a junior contributor. It's dishonest and easily caught in interviews.
Forgetting Metrics After the Action Verb
"Improved customer experience" is weak without numbers. How much? For how many customers?
Using Industry-Irrelevant Verbs
"Programmed" doesn't make sense for a marketing role. "Diagnosed" is odd for a sales position. Match verbs to your industry.
Before/After Examples by Job Type
See how action verbs transform resume bullets for different roles:
Software Engineer / Developer
Responsible for building new features
Developed 15+ new features using React/Node.js, increasing user engagement by 67%
Worked on fixing bugs and improving performance
Optimized database queries and reduced API response time by 73% (850ms to 230ms)
Marketing Manager / Specialist
Helped with social media campaigns
Orchestrated 12 social media campaigns that generated 2.3M impressions and 45K new followers
Managed email marketing efforts
Increased email open rates from 18% to 34% through A/B testing and personalized segmentation
Sales Representative / Account Executive
Responsible for hitting sales targets
Exceeded quarterly sales quota by 156% ($4.2M vs. $2.7M target), ranking #2 of 67 reps
Worked with enterprise clients
Negotiated contracts with 23 enterprise clients worth $8.9M in total annual revenue
Project Manager
Managed multiple projects simultaneously
Coordinated 8 concurrent projects with 45+ stakeholders, delivering all on time and 12% under budget
Led team meetings and tracked progress
Streamlined project workflows using Agile methodology, reducing delivery time by 40%
Data Analyst / Business Analyst
Analyzed data to find insights
Analyzed 2.4M customer records using Python/SQL, identifying $3.2M revenue opportunity
Created dashboards for leadership team
Built 15 Tableau dashboards that reduced executive reporting time from 12 hours to 45 minutes weekly
Customer Success Manager
Handled customer issues and complaints
Resolved 98% of customer issues within 24 hours, improving NPS score from 42 to 78
Worked to retain customers
Increased customer retention from 73% to 91% through proactive outreach and personalized support
Let JAO Rewrite Your Resume with Powerful Action Verbs
JAO automatically analyzes your resume bullets and rewrites them with strong action verbs matched to your industry. It identifies weak phrases like "responsible for" and transforms them into achievement-focused statements with metrics.
Quick Reference: Action Verb Formula
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Transform Your Resume?
JAO automatically optimizes your resume with powerful action verbs, metrics, and ATS keywords. Get 10 credits with Starter pack (€15) to try it now.
Related Resources
Related Guides
Keywords Guide
Combine action verbs with ATS keywords effectively.
Read moreResume Summary Examples
See action verbs used in powerful resume summaries.
Read moreWrite ATS Resume
Use action verbs that ATS systems recognize.
Read moreAI Resume Builder
AI automatically selects the best action verbs.
Read moreQuantify Achievements
Pair action verbs with numbers for impact.
Read moreReady to optimize your job applications?
Get 5 free credits to analyze jobs, generate ATS-optimized resumes, and land more interviews.