ATS CV

The Power of Action Verbs: Transform Your CV from Passive to Persuasive

Are your bullet points putting recruiters to sleep? Learn how to use powerful action verbs to describe your experience, showcase your impact, and make your CV unforgettable.

July 18, 2024

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From "Responsible for" to "Results-Driven"

One of the quickest ways to improve your CV is to replace passive phrases like "responsible for" or "duties included" with strong, dynamic action verbs. Action verbs convey a sense of ownership and accomplishment, painting a picture of you as a proactive and effective employee.

Why Action Verbs Matter

  • They Grab Attention: Verbs like "Orchestrated," "Accelerated," or "Pioneered" are far more engaging than "Managed" or "Handled."
  • They Demonstrate Skills: The verbs you choose can subtly highlight your key skills, whether in leadership, creativity, or analysis.
  • They Showcase Impact: Action verbs naturally lead to describing results. When you say you "revitalized" something, the next logical question is, "by how much?"

Action Verbs by Skill Category

Here are some examples to get you started. Try to find verbs that accurately and powerfully describe your achievements.

Leadership & Management

  • Instead of: Managed a team
  • Try: Coached, Directed, Guided, Inspired, Mentored, Orchestrated, Oversaw, Supervised

Example: "Orchestrated a cross-functional team of 10 to deliver the project 2 weeks ahead of schedule."

Communication & Teamwork

  • Instead of: Worked with a team
  • Try: Collaborated, Corresponded, Persuaded, Presented, Negotiated, Advocated

Example: "Collaborated with the product and engineering teams to define project specifications and ensure alignment."

Technical & Problem-Solving

  • Instead of: Fixed bugs
  • Try: Analyzed, Debugged, Engineered, Overhauled, Refactored, Resolved, Troubleshot

Example: "Resolved a critical production issue, reducing system downtime by 95%."

Creative & Innovative

  • Instead of: Came up with new ideas
  • Try: Conceived, Designed, Developed, Pioneered, Revitalized, Transformed

Example: "Pioneered a new digital marketing strategy that increased lead generation by 150%."

By swapping out passive language for powerful action verbs, you transform your CV from a simple list of duties into a compelling narrative of your professional accomplishments.