Resume Action Words

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Resume action words can make your experience jump off the page if used correctly. As a recruiter, I see hundreds of resumes each week. And while some of them are well done, more often than not I'm reading about how a candidate "coordinated" a project, or served as a "liaison" with another department, or "was responsible for" some task or function. These passive descriptions leave me flat...and a little bored.

If you've been following our advice, you have created a resume that is rich with accomplishments - things you did in each position you've held that you are particularly proud of. Writing these accomplishments up can be a daunting task. But keep in mind that this is the time to brag a bit. Resume action words can help you do that.

Consider the following accomplishments:

Act as a liaison between the product management staff and information technology on product changes. Work with IT staff on testing programming changes and advise of any corrections needed.

Initiate product changes through the information technology group to ensure that all product requirements are met. Direct the testing of programming changes to ensure that all variables are included in the plan. Identify discrepancies between actual and expected outcomes and create an action plans to address issues.

Here's another example:

Responsible for customer sales in the Northeast, including states in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. Coordinate custom requirements with our Operations staff as needed.

Drive sales in the Northeast region through new customer acquisition and active customer retention strategies. Identify any custom requirements needed by customers in the region and facilitate production changes through Operations in order to satisfy customer demands.

Do you see a difference? The key to success is using active words to punch up your presentation. Keep in mind that we don't want to misrepresent our functional responsibilities, but we do want to talk about them in a very action-oriented way.

Here's a comprehensive list of resume action words you can choose from. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should get you thinking in the right direction!

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