Action verbs
What are action verbs …and why should I use them in my résumé?
Action verbs are words that express an action. The first word of each experience bullet point on your résumé should typically be a strong action verb. Strong action verbs can:
Highlight your relevant skills, experience and accomplishments.
Clarify the nature of your capabilities and contributions.
Help you stand out as a candidate and paint a vivid picture of your skills and accomplishments.
Tips for choosing strong action verbs:
Take time to reflect on what you did or accomplished
Choose precise action verbs that showcase your skills or achievements, and tailor them to the job requirements whenever possible
Integrate industry or role-specific action verbs where possible to showcase your industry knowledge (e.g., consider incorporating some action verbs contained in the job ad)
Ensure the verb you choose accurately reflects your skills and experiences; avoid exaggerating
Use past tense for previous roles and past or present tense for current roles
Action verbs by category
Feel free to refer to the action verb list below as a starting point as you prepare your bullet points.
They’re divided into categories of action verbs associated with broad skill areas to support you in selecting the most precise match for each experience you want to convey. However, most roles require you to use various skills, so feel free to draw from any of the categories!
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