Action Words to Use in your Résumé and Interview Answers

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Action Words to Use in your Résumé

and Interview Answers

1. Did you start something?

Activated Formed Initiated Opened

Adopted Founded Instituted Originated

Began Generated Introduced Started

Established Implemented Launched Undertook

2. Did you think up something new?

Conceived Devised Invented Solved

Conceptualized Discovered Originated Synergized

Created Generated Perceived Synthesized

Designed Improvised Pioneered Visualized

Developed Innovated Shaped

3. Did you provide something?

Dispensed Installed Presented Responded

Distributed Offered Provided Submitted

Fitted Performed Rendered Supplied

Furnished

4. Did you make something?

Assembled Drew Made Programmed

Built Engineered Painted Published

Composed Fabricated Photographed Sketched

Constructed Fashioned Prepared Used

Drafted Formed Produced Worked

5. Did you obtain something new?

Acquired Expanded Purchased Secured

Bought Obtained Raised Solicited

Collected Procured Realized

Cultivated Produced Received

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6. Did you improve things?

Advanced Enlarged Increased Surpassed

Augmented Enriched Modernized Streamlined

Corrected Expedited Reduced Treated

Cultivated Extended Resolved Updated

Developed Implemented Revitalized Upgraded

Enhanced Improved Solved

7. Did you make changes?

Adapted Extended Refined Standardized

Adopted Extracted Reorganized Supplemented

Centralized Implemented Restored Systematized

Combined Improvised Restructured Synergized

Condensed Modified Revised Tailored

Converted Reconstructed Separated Unified

Edited Redesigned Simplified United

Expanded

8. Did you discover something?

Ascertained Discovered Perceived Solved

Determined Found Pinpointed Uncovered

Detected Identified Proved Verified

Diagnosed Learned Recognized

9. Did you save the day?

Averted Prevented Saved Succeeded

Diverted Salvaged Solved Withstood

Prevailed

10. Did you finish something?

Achieved Concluded Finalized Reached

Accomplished Ended Finished Realized

Attained Established Fulfilled Terminated

Completed Executed

11. Did you evaluate something?

Analyzed Compared Perceived Rated

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Appraised Evaluated Qualified Reasoned

Assessed Judged Quantified Reviewed

12. Did you observe or pay special attention to something?

Addressed Investigated Perceived Studied

Examined Inspected Questioned Surveyed

Experimented Measured Read Tested

Explored Observed Researched Weighed

13. Did you make decisions?

Activated Approved Decided Resolved

Adopted Concluded Determined Settled

14. Did you negotiate?

Arbitrated Mediated Reasoned Settled

Balanced Moderated Reconciled Solved

Intervened Negotiated Resolved

15. Did you organize something?

Arranged Complied Coordinated Prepared

Assembled Compiled Correlated Structured

Categorized Connected Implemented Summarized

Collected Consolidated Organized Systematized

Combined

16. Did you operate something?

Conducted Handled Performed Repaired

Controlled Implemented Troubleshot Tended

Fixed Maintained Ran Used

Functioned Operated Rebuilt Worked

17. Did you document something?

Certified Logged Recorded Supported

Charted Mapped Researched Tabulated

Documented Proved Substantiated

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18. Did you explain something?

Defined Detailed Elucidated Explained

19. Did you make connections?

Aligned Connected Matched Merged

Networked

20. Did you understand something?

Attributed Grasped Perceived Translated

Discerned Interpreted Transcribed

21. Were you responsible?

Assured Ensured Protected Secured

Confirmed Guaranteed Satisfied Inspected

Delivered Guarded Safeguarded

22. Were you future-oriented?

Estimated Deterred Predicted Projected

Forecasted Hypothesized Prevented Strategized

23. Did you work with people?

Advised Guided Mentored Reinforced

Coached Influenced Motivated Rehabilitated

Convinced Informed Persuaded Served

Counseled Inspired Prescribed Taught

Educated Instructed Probed Trained

Facilitated Listened Recommended Tutored

24. Were you part of a team?

Advised Conferred Fostered Participated

Aided Consulted Helped Served

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Assisted Cooperated Joined Teamed with

Collaborated Facilitated Met with

25. Did you manage or lead?

Acted Governed Led Performed

Administered Handled Maintained Piloted

Advised Headed Managed Processed

Conducted Implemented Motivated Scheduled

Controlled Inspired Navigated Showed

Directed Influenced Ordered Supervised

Facilitated Integrated Oversaw Used

Fostered

26. Did you supervise employees?

Appointed Employed Hired Referred

Awarded Enforced Interviewed Selected

Enlisted Evaluated Nominated Staffed

Elected Fired Recruited Terminated

27. Did you communicate something?

Communicated Lectured Related Spoke

Demonstrated Modeled Reported Submitted

Displayed Persuaded Represented Symbolized

Dramatized Presented Shared Verbalized

Explained Proposed Showed Wrote

Illustrated Publicized

28. Personal Descriptors

Able Confident Intelligent Risk-taking

Accommodating Dynamic Intuitive Self motivated

Accountable Effective Leading edge Sensitive

Analytical Effective writer Learning Serious

Articulate Energetic Open Service-oriented

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Authentic Enthusiastic Organized Sincere

Autonomous Experienced Perceptive Skilled

Available Flexible Powerful Straight-forward

Catalytic Growth-oriented Producing Supportive

Challenged Hardworking Professional Talented

Clear thinker Humorous Quality-oriented Team Contributor

Committed Initiator Quick-study Thorough

Compassionate Insightful Results-oriented Versatile

Concerned