The importance of language

Strong 'action' verbs

A straightforward, but effective, technique that can lift your CV and help you to describe your role or contribution to a task in an authentic way is to employ strong 'action' verbs.

Using action verbs at the beginning of a bullet point or early in a sentence can help convey both the content and the quality of your contribution.

 

Some useful English examples include:

Achievement
  • Accomplished
  • Achieved
  • Acquired
  • Advanced
  • Attained
  • Boosted
  • Capitalized
  • Closed
  • Completed
  • Conserved
  • Delivered
  • Discovered
  • Doubled
  • Enhanced
  • Exceeded
  • Expedited
  • Finished
  • Furthered
  • Gained
  • Generated
  • Implemented
  • Improved
  • Led
  • Lifted
  • Maximized
  • Negotiated
  • Produced
  • Reached
  • Reduced
  • Secured
  • Sharpened
  • Showcased
  • Sourced
  • Steered
  • Stimulated
  • Succeeded
  • Surpassed
  • Sustained
  • Targeted
  • Upsold
  • Won
Communication
  • Advised
  • Advocated
  • Authored
  • Briefed
  • Campaigned
  • Chaired
  • Coached
  • Coauthored
  • Composed
  • Consulted
  • Conveyed
  • Convinced
  • Corresponded
  • Counseled
  • Critiqued
  • Defined
  • Demonstrated
  • Documented
  • Drafted
  • Edited
  • Educated
  • Fielded
  • Illustrated
  • Informed
  • Instructed
  • Lobbied
  • Outlined
  • Persuaded
  • Presented
  • Promoted
  • Publicized
  • Recommended
  • Resolved
  • Reviewed
  • Wrote
Taking initiative
  • Built
  • Created
  • Designed
  • Developed
  • Devised
  • Engineered
  • Established
  • Founded
  • Formalized
  • Formulated
  • Implemented
  • Incorporated
  • Initiated
  • Launched
  • Negotiated
  • Pitched
  • Produced
  • Proposed
  • Set up
  • Started
Research
  • Analyzed
  • Assembled
  • Assessed
  • Audited
  • Calculated
  • Compiled
  • Determined
  • Discovered
  • Evaluated
  • Examined
  • Explored
  • Forecasted
  • Identified
  • Interpreted
  • Interviewed
  • Investigated
  • Mapped
  • Measured
  • Modeled
  • Projected
  • Qualified
  • Quantified
  • Reported
  • Searched
  • Surveyed
  • Tested
  • Tracked
  • Visualized
Organization
  • Administered
  • Arranged
  • Authorized
  • Budgeted
  • Coordinated
  • Directed
  • Managed
  • Monitored
  • Navigated
  • Operated
  • Orchestrated
  • Oversaw
  • Partnered
  • Planned
  • Produced
  • Programmed
  • (Re)organized
  • Restructured
  • Scheduled
  • Verified
Change or improvement
  • Centralized
  • Clarified
  • Converted
  • Digitized
  • Enforced
  • Ensured
  • Inspected
  • Integrated
  • Merged
  • Modernized
  • Modified
  • Overhauled
  • Redesigned
  • Refined
  • Refocused
  • Rehabilitated
  • Remodeled
  • Reorganized
  • Replaced
  • Restructured
  • Revamped
  • Revitalized
  • Simplified
  • Standardized
  • Streamlined
  • Strengthened
  • Transformed
  • Updated
Team management
  • Aligned
  • Cultivated
  • Directed
  • Enabled
  • Facilitated
  • Fostered
  • Guided
  • Hired
  • Mentored
  • Mobilized
  • Motivated
  • Recruited
  • Shaped
  • Supervised
  • Taught
  • Trained
  • Unified
  • United