Action Verbs
Action verbs are strong, specific verbs used to begin resume bullet points that clearly describe accomplishments and responsibilities.
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Action Verbs
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What it means
Action verbs are powerful, descriptive verbs that lead resume bullet points and immediately communicate what you did in a role. Instead of starting with passive phrases like "responsible for" or "duties included," action verbs create concise, impactful statements that highlight your contributions.
Examples of effective action verbs include "spearheaded," "optimized," "negotiated," "implemented," and "streamlined." The best action verbs are specific to your industry and the level of your role. A project manager might use "orchestrated" or "facilitated," while an engineer might use "architected" or "deployed."
Using varied, precise action verbs serves two purposes: they make your resume more engaging for human readers, and they introduce relevant keywords that ATS software may scan for. Avoid repeating the same verb across multiple bullet points — variety signals a broader skill set and keeps the reader's attention.
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Related terms
5 connections
01
Bullet Points
Bullet points are concise, formatted list items used on resumes to present work experience, accomplishments, and skills in a scannable format.
02
Quantified Achievements
Quantified achievements are resume bullet points that use specific numbers, percentages, or metrics to demonstrate the measurable impact of your work.
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Work Experience Section
The work experience section is the core part of a resume that details your employment history, responsibilities, and accomplishments for each role.
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Resume Keywords
Resume keywords are specific words and phrases from a job description that ATS software and recruiters look for when screening applications.
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ATS Parsing
ATS parsing is the process by which an Applicant Tracking System extracts and categorizes information from a resume into structured, searchable data fields.