Power Verbs for Your Résumé and Cover Letter
Power verbs bring your résumé to life. They paint a picture for the reviewer by highlighting your skills and accomplishments, affirm your communication skills, and help you stand out in a crowd. Begin each statement or phrase with a power verb, then take you résumé to the next level, by inserting action-packed power verbs into your work history and branding statement.
Tip: Remember to use present tense verbs in your profile and qualifications summary and when creating task, responsibility and accomplishment bullets for a current position. Use past-tense verbs to describe prior positions and experience in your work history.
There are literally thousands of verbs to choose from, so feel free to share your favorites. Here are some of our suggestions (by category) to help you get started.
Achievements/Awards
• Accelerated |
• Generated |
• Prescribed |
• Accomplished |
• Grew |
• Produced |
• Achieved |
• Honored |
• Prevailed |
• Arose |
• Improved |
• Raised |
• Attained |
• Increased |
• Realized |
• Awarded |
• Introduced |
• Reduced |
• Chosen |
• Lessened |
• Revitalized |
• Completed |
• Mastered |
• Streamlined |
• Consummated |
• Maximized |
• Surpassed |
• Circumvented |
• Minimized |
• Topped |
• Established |
• Outperformed |
• Transformed |
• Exceeded |
• Overachieved |
• Won |
• Founded |
• Overcame |
Communication
• Addressed |
• Disseminated |
• Profiled |
• Advertised |
• Documented |
• Proofread |
• Advised |
• Drafted |
• Publicized |
• Alerted |
• Edited |
• Published |
• Amended |
• Emailed |
• Queried |
• Announced |
• Generated |
• Questioned |
• Answered |
• Emphasized |
• Recorded |
• Arbitrated |
• Explained |
• Relayed |
• Articulated |
• Expressed |
• Reported |
• Authored |
• Framed |
• Responded |
• Branded |
• Highlighted |
• Rewrote |
• Briefed |
• Informed |
• Scribed |
• Broadcasted |
• Interacted |
• Search Engine Optimized (SEO’d) |
• Chronicled |
• Interfaced |
• Shared |
• Circulated |
• Interpreted |
• Socialized |
• Cited |
• Interviewed |
• Specified |
• Clarified |
• Liaised |
• Spoke |
• Commended |
• Listened |
• Suggested |
• Communicated |
• Logged |
• Synthesized |
• Compiled |
• Mediated |
• Talked |
• Condensed |
• Moderated |
• Telegraphed |
• Consulted |
• Narrated |
• Transcribed |
• Contacted |
• Notated |
• Translated |
• Conveyed |
• Notified |
• Transmitted |
• Convinced |
• Outlined |
• Tweeted |
• Corresponded |
• Penned |
• Verbalized |
• Crowd Sourced |
• Portrayed |
• Wrote |
• Debated |
• Posted |
• Defined |
• Presented |
• Detailed |
• Proclaimed |
Creativity/Innovation
• Accentuated |
• Drew |
• Merchandised |
• Advertised |
• Enhanced |
• Originated |
• Animated |
• Enlivened |
• Patented |
• Architected |
• Envisioned |
• Personalized |
• Brainstormed |
• Exhibited |
• Piloted |
• Captivated |
• Fashioned |
• Pioneered |
• Captured |
• Formulated |
• Photographed |
• Composed |
• Graphed |
• Redesigned |
• Conceived |
• Hypothesized |
• Renewed |
• Conceptualized |
• Illustrated |
• Revolutionized |
• Crafted |
• Imaged |
• Sculpted |
• Created |
• Imagined |
• Shaped |
• Customized |
• Improvised |
• Showcased |
• Designed |
• Initiated |
• Sketched |
• Devised |
• Innovated |
• Storyboarded |
• Differentiated |
• Instituted |
• Unveiled |
• Displayed |
• Invented |
• Visualized |
• Drafted |
• Marketed |
Leadership
• Advocated |
• Enabled |
• Led |
• Aroused |
• Energized |
• Lobbied |
• Assembled |
• Encouraged |
• Mentored |
• Bolstered |
• Engaged |
• Mobilized |
• Campaigned |
• Enlisted |
• Modeled |
• Catapulted |
• Enticed |
• Moderated |
• Chaired |
• Enthused |
• Motivated |
• Challenged |
• Focused |
• Nurtured |
• Championed |
• Furthered |
• Parlayed |
• Coached |
• Garnered |
• Persuaded |
• Compromised |
• Guided |
• Rallied |
• Counseled |
• Ignited |
• Sparked |
• Drove |
• Influenced |
• Spearheaded |
• Elected |
• Infused |
• Spurred |
• Elicited |
• Inspired |
• Steered |
• Empowered |
• Instilled |
• Stimulated |
Management/Supervisory
• Absorbed |
• Discharged |
• Prepared |
• Accounted for |
• Dissolved |
• Prioritized |
• Accrued |
• Dispensed |
• Procured |
• Acted |
• Dispersed |
• Projected |
• Adopted |
• Doubled |
• Promoted |
• Administered |
• Economized |
• Provisioned |
• Aligned |
• Elevated |
• Pruned |
• Allocated |
• Eliminated |
• Quantified |
• Amended |
• Enacted |
• Ratcheted |
• Anticipated |
• Ensured |
• Rated |
• Appointed |
• Estimated |
• Reapportioned |
• Appraised |
• Examined |
• Recognized |
• Appropriated |
• Executed |
• Recommended |
• Approved |
• Extracted |
• Recruited |
• Assessed |
• Facilitated |
• Redefined |
• Audited |
• Forecasted |
• Reinforced |
• Augmented |
• Fought |
• Reigned in |
• Authorized |
• Fulfilled |
• Reorganized |
• Avoided |
• Furnished |
• Researched |
• Benchmarked |
• Funded |
• Restructured |
• Budgeted |
• Gained |
• Required |
• Calculated |
• Gauged |
• Reversed |
• Capitalized |
• Governed |
• Reviewed |
• Carried out |
• Hired |
• Revised |
• Carved out |
• Injected |
• Risked |
• Cemented |
• Intervened |
• Saved |
• Charged |
• Justified |
• Seized |
• Charted |
• Leveraged |
• Set goals |
• Checked |
• Magnified |
• Sharpened |
• Chose |
• Managed |
• Shortened |
• Commanded |
• Mandated |
• Slashed |
• Commended |
• Maneuvered |
• Solicited |
• Compared |
• Measured |
• Sourced |
• Complied |
• Mitigated |
• Supervised |
• Contracted |
• Monitored |
• Sustained |
• Controlled |
• Mounted |
• Terminated |
• Convened |
• Navigated |
• Transferred |
• Critiqued |
• Normalized |
• Trimmed |
• Cut |
• Off shored |
• Tripled |
• Decided |
• Orchestrated |
• Turned |
• Deduced |
• Outsourced |
• Vetted |
• Delineated |
• Oversaw |
• Weighed |
• Delegated |
• Planned |
• Withstood |
• Designated |
• Praised |
• Directed |
• Predicted |
Teamwork
• Acknowledged |
• Diversified |
• Melded |
• Amassed |
• Embraced |
• Merged |
• Anchored |
• Elevated |
• Nominated |
• Assimilated |
• Encouraged |
• Organized |
• Augmented |
• Energized |
• Participated |
• Balanced |
• Enlisted |
• Partnered |
• Blended |
• Forged |
• Supplemented |
• Buoyed |
• Fostered |
• Syncopated |
• Collaborated |
• Gathered |
• Teamed |
• Coalesced |
• Harmonized |
• United |
• Contributed |
• Ignited |
• Volunteered |
• Coordinated |
• Joined |
• Wove |
• Cultivated |
• Married |
Technical Work
• Accelerated |
• Equipped |
• Qualified |
• Added |
• Evaluated |
• Quality Assured |
• Adopted |
• Expunged |
• Ranked |
• Aggregated |
• Extended |
• Realigned |
• Analyzed |
• Extracted |
• Rebooted |
• Applied |
• Extrapolated |
• Rebuilt |
• Assembled |
• Fabricated |
• Reconciled |
• Authenticated |
• Finalized |
• Reconstructed |
• Automated |
• Fine-Tuned |
• Recovered |
• Backed-up |
• Formatted |
• Rectified |
• Balanced |
• Functionalized |
• Re-engineered |
• Blocked |
• Grouped |
• Refreshed |
• Boosted |
• Hosted |
• Reinforced |
• Branched |
• Identified |
• Rehabilitated |
• Bridged |
• Implemented |
• Released |
• Built |
• Initialized |
• Remodeled |
• Bundled |
• Installed |
• Replicated |
• Calculated |
• Integrated |
• Restored |
• Calibrated |
• Isolated |
• Retooled |
• Certified |
• Launched |
• Retrieved |
• Changed |
• Licensed |
• Retrofitted |
• Checked |
• Linked |
• Revamped |
• Classified |
• Loaded |
• Revised |
• Cleaned |
• Maintained |
• Road mapped |
• Cleansed |
• Manufactured |
• Rolled out |
• Cleared |
• Mapped |
• Rotated |
• Coded |
• Mechanized |
• Routed |
• Collocated |
• Merged |
• Safeguarded |
• Computed |
• Migrated |
• Salvaged |
• Computerized |
• Mined |
• Scanned |
• Configured |
• Mirrored |
• Scoped |
• Consolidated |
• Mobilized |
• Scrubbed |
• Constructed |
• Modeled |
• Secured |
• Corrected |
• Modified |
• Selected |
• Debugged |
• Moved |
• Sequenced |
• Deciphered |
• Networked |
• Solved |
• Decoded |
• Neutralized |
• Stabilized |
• Dedicated |
• Operated |
• Standardized |
• Defended |
• Optimized |
• Straddled |
• Delivered |
• Overhauled |
• Systematized |
• Deployed |
• Packaged |
• Tested |
• Digitized |
• Patched |
• Toggled |
• Discovered |
• Penetrated |
• Traced |
• Dispatched |
• Pinpointed |
• Transitioned |
• Distributed |
• Prevented |
• Updated |
• Duplicated |
• Prioritized |
• Upgraded |
• Enabled |
• Processed |
• Validated |
• Engineered |
• Programmed |
• Verified |
• Enhanced |
• Protected |
• Virtualized |
• Eradicated |
• Prototyped |
• Web-enabled |
• Estimated |
• Provisioned |
Training
• Assessed |
• Enriched |
• Lectured |
• Adapted |
• Enrolled |
• Showed |
• Advised |
• Familiarized |
• Taught |
• Demonstrated |
• Honed |
• Trained |
• Demystified |
• Indoctrinated |
• Tutored |
• Dispensed |
• Informed |
• Educated |
• Instructed |
User/Technical Support Experience
• Appeased |
• Formatted |
• Resolved |
• Allayed |
• Inspected |
• Responded |
• Ascertained |
• Inventoried |
• Satisfied |
• Assisted |
• Investigated |
• Scheduled |
• Assured |
• Issued |
• Served |
• Cabled |
• Labeled |
• Serviced |
• Closed |
• Located |
• Set up |
• Connected |
• Logged |
• Shipped |
• Corrected |
• Monitored |
• Supported |
• Diagnosed |
• Performed |
• Sustained |
• Dispatched |
• Pleased |
• Ticketed |
• Dissected |
• Prioritized |
• Tracked |
• Eased |
• Racked |
• Trailed |
• Escalated |
• Remedied |
• Triaged |
• Expedited |
• Repaired |
• Troubleshot |
• Fixed |
• Requisitioned |
• Uncovered |
[…] power verbs, colorful adjectives and statistics to create one- to two-sentence accomplishment bullets that […]
[…] their job description. Instead of phrases like “officer in charge of,” start bullets with action verbs such as “managed” or […]
[…] you create a technical solution or assist with a project? Ho-hum. Powerful verbs and adjectives paint a picture for the reviewer and bring your resume to […]
[…] Next, search for resume action verb lists online. Start here. […]