Head of Career Advising
Head of Career Advising
Published: November 11, 2025Words are essential, especially on your resume. The right verbs can transform basic job descriptions into impressive career highlights. By swapping dull phrases like “responsible for” or “helped with” for strong action verbs, you can capture a hiring manager’s attention and demonstrate your achievements in a more compelling way.
This guide covers the best power words, when to use them, and examples organized by category so your resume demonstrates confidence and professionalism.
Recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS) often scan your resume in seconds. Using strong verbs immediately conveys initiative and impact. For example, “led a team” sounds more decisive than “was part of a team,” and “increased sales by 20%” is more powerful than “worked on sales.”
Verbs like “boosted,” “implemented,” or “streamlined” signal that you made measurable contributions. They help employers visualize what you achieved rather than what you were told to do.
Dynamic verbs make your resume easier to skim. Each bullet point should start with a strong verb that draws attention, such as “coordinated events,” “negotiated contracts,” or “developed software features.”
If you’re in marketing, words like “launched,” “optimized,” or “expanded” convey creativity and results. In technical fields, “engineered,” “programmed,” or “debugged” verbs show precision and expertise.
Use leadership-oriented verbs (“directed,” “mentored,” “oversaw”) if you managed others. For entry-level positions, focus on verbs highlighting learning or collaboration (“assisted,” “supported,” “contributed”).
Only use verbs that accurately describe your work. Overly aggressive language can seem exaggerated — “spearheaded” isn’t right if you simply assisted. Choose authentic but impactful words.
Use these verbs to show you guided teams, projects, or strategies:
Example: Directed a 10-person marketing team that increased brand awareness by 35% in one year.
Ideal for roles that involve teamwork, customer service, or coordination:
Example: Collaborated with design and engineering teams to deliver new product features two weeks before schedule.
Highlight innovation, originality, and initiative:
Example: Redesigned company website to improve user engagement by 40% through optimized visuals and layout.
Show you can solve problems and use data effectively:
Example: Automated data collection processes, reducing reporting time by 50%.
Convey results and measurable business success:
Example: Secured $500,000 in new client contracts through targeted outreach campaigns.
Perfect for administrative, service, or operations roles:
Example: Streamlined inventory system to reduce order delays by 25%.
Use these if you teach, train, or develop others:
Example: Developed onboarding materials that reduced new employee training time by 30%.
Sometimes it’s not just the verbs that matter, but how you elevate everyday phrases. Use these upgrades to make your resume sound more polished and confident.
| Common Phrase | Strong Synonym or Power Word |
|---|---|
| Responsible for | Directed, Managed, Oversaw |
| Helped with | Supported, Contributed to, Assisted |
| Worked on | Executed, Delivered, Implemented |
| Made | Built, Created, Developed |
| Used | Applied, Leveraged, Utilized |
| Gave | Provided, Presented, Supplied |
| Got | Achieved, Attained, Secured |
| Started | Initiated, Launched, Established |
| Managed | Coordinated, Supervised, Oversaw |
Using a mix of these replacements prevents repetition and adds variety throughout your resume.
Each bullet point should begin with an action-oriented word that describes what you did — no need for “I” or “my.”
Combine verbs with data: “Increased website traffic by 80% or “Reduced costs by $10,000 quarterly.” Numbers reinforce credibility.
Skip words like “helped,” “handled,” or “worked.” They don’t tell employers what value you added.
If you use “managed” five times, swap in synonyms like “coordinated,” “directed,” or “led.” Variety keeps your writing engaging.
Powerful doesn’t mean flashy. Choose words that fit the tone of your industry. A finance resume should sound different from a marketing one.
Before:
After:
Small language changes can significantly affect how professional and confident your experience sounds.
Marketing Coordinator Resume Example
Jordan Brown
Marketing Coordinator | Austin, TX | [email protected]
Professional Summary:
Creative marketing professional with 3+ years of experience developing and executing campaigns that boost engagement and revenue. Skilled at transforming ideas into measurable results.
Experience:
Words like “collaborated,” “partnered,” “contributed,” and “supported” show you work well with others. Pair them with measurable outcomes to make your teamwork stand out.
Avoid repeating the same verb more than twice per section. Use synonyms to maintain interest and reflect a broader range of skills and impact.
Yes — ATS systems often look for industry-specific verbs. Check job descriptions and include matching verbs.
Use past tense for previous jobs (“managed,” “led,” “created”) and present tense for your current role (“manage,” “lead,” “create”). Keep tense consistent within each section.
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