Hey graduates, it’s time to ditch the “responsible for,” “duties included,” “familiar with,” “knowledgeable in,” and “worked with” stuff.
It’s a waste of valuable resume space that you can use to communicate your accomplishments and what you achieved.
Instead, replace the passive phrases with action verbs that communicate your achievements.
Here are some of the favorites:
ORGANIZATIONAL
- Approved
- Accelerated
- Added
- Arranged
- Broadened
- Cataloged
- Centralized
- Changed
- Classified
- Collected
- Compiled
- Completed
- Controlled
- Defined
- Dispatched
- Executed
- Expanded
- Gained
- Gathered
- Generated
- Implemented
- Inspected
- Launched
- Monitored
- Operated
- Organized
- Prepared
- Processed
- Purchased
- Recorded
- Reduced
- Reinforced
- Retrieved
- Screened
- Selected
- Simplified
- Sold
- Specified
- Steered
- Structured
- Systematized
- Tabulated
- Unified
- Updated
- Utilized
- Validated
- Verified
HELPING
- Assessed
- Assisted
- Clarified
- Coached
- Counseled
- Demonstrated
- Diagnosed
- Educated
- Enhanced
- Expedited
- Facilitated
- Familiarized
- Guided
- Motivated
- Participated
- Proposed
- Provided
- Referred
- Rehabilitated
- Represented
- Served
- Supported
CREATIVE
- Acted
- Composed
- Conceived
- Conceptualized
- Created
- Customized
- Designed
- Developed
- Directed
- Established
- Fashioned
- Founded
- Illustrated
- Initiated
- Instituted
- Integrated
- Introduced
- Invented
- Originated
- Performed
- Planned
- Published
- Redesigned
- Revised
- Revitalized
- Shaped
- Visualized
QUANTITATIVE
- Administered
- Allocated
- Analyzed
- Appraised
- Audited
- Balanced
- Budgeted
- Calculated
- Computed
- Developed
- Forecasted
- Managed
- Marketed
- Maximized
- Minimized
- Planned
- Projected
- Researched
TEACHING
- Adapted
- Advised
- Clarified
- Coached
- Communicated
- Coordinated
- Demystified
- Developed
- Enabled
- Encouraged
- Evaluated
- Explained
- Facilitated
- Guided
- Informed
- Instructed
- Persuaded
- Set Goals
- Stimulated
- Studied
- Taught
- Trained
LEADERSHIP
- Accomplished
- Achieved
- Administered
- Analyzed
- Assigned
- Attained
- Chaired
- Consolidated
- Contracted
- Coordinated
- Delegated
- Developed
- Directed
- Earned
- Evaluated
- Executed
- Handled
- Headed
- Impacted
- Improved
- Increased
- Led
- Mastered
- Orchestrated
- Organized
- Oversaw
- Planned
- Predicted
- Prioritized
- Produced
- Proved
- Recommended
- Regulated
- Reorganized
- Reviewed
- Scheduled
- Spearheaded
- Strengthened
- Supervised
- Surpassed
COMMUNICATION
- Addressed
- Arbitrated
- Arranged
- Authored
- Collaborated
- Convinced
- Corresponded
- Delivered
- Developed
- Directed
- Documented
- Drafted
- Edited
- Energized
- Enlisted
- Formulated
- Influenced
- Interpreted
- Lectured
- Liaised
- Mediated
- Moderated
- Negotiated
- Persuaded
- Presented
- Promoted
- Publicized
- Reconciled
- Recruited
- Reported
- Rewrote
- Spoke
- Suggested
- Synthesized
- Translated
- Verbalized
- Wrote
RESEARCH
- Clarified
- Collected
- Concluded
- Conducted
- Constructed
- Critiqued
- Derived
- Determined
- Diagnosed
- Discovered
- Evaluated
- Examined
- Extracted
- Formed
- Identified
- Inspected
- Interpreted
- Interviewed
- Investigated
- Modeled
- Organized
- Resolved
- Reviewed
- Summarized
- Surveyed
- Systematized
- Tested
TECHNICAL
- Assembled
- Built
- Calculated
- Computed
- Designed
- Devised
- Engineered
- Fabricated
- Installed
- Maintained
- Operated
- Optimized
- Overhauled
- Programmed
- Remodeled
- Repaired
- Solved
- Standardized
- Streamlined
- Upgraded
