Action verbs for your resume: the verbs each field's own job descriptions use.
Most verb lists are someone's favourite words. This one starts from O*NET, the US government's occupation database: the verbs that open the task statements for every occupation in a field. Use them when they describe what you actually did.
Start every resume bullet with a past-tense action verb that names what you did, then add the scale and the result. Choose the verb the job itself uses: the verbs below are the ones that open O*NET task statements in each field. Replace vague verbs like 'helped' or 'worked on' with the specific action, and drop buzzwords you can't back with a result.
Illustrative examples to adapt
Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.
Verb + scale + result formula
When to use: Every experience bullet.
[Past-tense action verb] [what you did] for [who or how many], [how often], which [result you can prove: time saved, errors cut, money, people served].
Before and after
When to use: Replacing weak openers.
Helped with scheduling -> Scheduled [number] staff across [number] shifts a week Worked on the website -> Rewrote [number] product pages, cutting support questions by [result] Responsible for inventory -> Counted and reordered [number] items weekly, ending stock-outs on [product line]
Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Every sample on this page is free to use without buying anything.
Replacements for overused verbs
| Instead of | Try (when true) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Managed | Directed, supervised, scheduled, budgeted, coordinated | Supervised weekend cashiers |
| Helped | Assisted, trained, supported, resolved | Resolved billing questions by phone |
| Worked on | Built, designed, wrote, tested, analyzed | Tested releases before launch |
| Responsible for | Maintained, operated, monitored, prepared | Maintained patient records |
| Led | Launched, organized, chaired, headed | Organized a regional training day |
| Improved | Reduced, increased, shortened, simplified | Shortened patient intake |
Verbs each field's job descriptions start with
Data The most frequent opening verbs of core O*NET 31.0 task statements, by occupation group, in the past tense.
| Field | Most frequent task verbs |
|---|---|
| Management | Developed, Directed, Prepared, Reviewed, Monitored, Implemented, Coordinated, Maintained, Evaluated, Conducted |
| Business and financial | Reviewed, Prepared, Developed, Maintained, Analyzed, Monitored, Evaluated, Conducted, Directed, Provided |
| Computer and math | Developed, Designed, Analyzed, Maintained, Documented, Implemented, Identified, Performed, Provided, Evaluated |
| Architecture and engineering | Designed, Prepared, Developed, Conducted, Analyzed, Maintained, Provided, Reviewed, Evaluated, Directed |
| Science | Developed, Conducted, Prepared, Analyzed, Provided, Maintained, Studied, Wrote, Reviewed, Planned |
| Community and social service | Developed, Counseled, Maintained, Provided, Planned, Conducted, Supervised, Prepared, Collaborated, Referred |
| Legal | Prepared, Reviewed, Examined, Conferred, Researched, Issued, Analyzed, Evaluated, Conducted, Ruled |
| Education | Prepared, Maintained, Evaluated, Graded, Supervised, Planned, Administered, Compiled, Participated, Conducted |
| Arts, media and sports | Conferred, Developed, Selected, Reviewed, Prepared, Planned, Coordinated, Attended, Directed, Maintained |
| Healthcare practitioners | Provided, Performed, Maintained, Conducted, Evaluated, Developed, Prepared, Administered, Monitored, Treated |
| Healthcare support | Performed, Maintained, Prepared, Assisted, Provided, Cleaned, Recorded, Transported, Instructed, Collected |
| Protective service | Maintained, Inspected, Monitored, Directed, Conducted, Provided, Patrolled, Examined, Prepared, Reported |
| Food service | Cleaned, Prepared, Served, Took, Stocked, Cooked, Performed, Inspected, Checked, Recorded |
| Building and grounds | Cleaned, Maintained, Inspected, Directed, Performed, Prepared, Recommended, Trimmed, Supervised, Assisted |
| Personal care | Provided, Maintained, Performed, Cleaned, Arranged, Monitored, Evaluated, Applied, Observed, Directed |
| Sales | Prepared, Maintained, Provided, Answered, Identified, Contacted, Arranged, Developed, Monitored, Kept |
| Office and administrative | Prepared, Maintained, Performed, Recorded, Answered, Sorted, Operated, Reviewed, Compiled, Verified |
| Farming, fishing and forestry | Inspected, Drove, Maintained, Recorded, Monitored, Observed, Repaired, Trained, Conferred, Operated |
| Construction and extraction | Installed, Cleaned, Applied, Removed, Repaired, Measured, Maintained, Inspected, Operated, Prepared |
| Installation and repair | Repaired, Tested, Installed, Replaced, Inspected, Adjusted, Maintained, Cleaned, Removed, Performed |
| Production | Inspected, Cleaned, Operated, Adjusted, Measured, Examined, Monitored, Maintained, Removed, Recorded |
| Transportation | Inspected, Maintained, Monitored, Operated, Cleaned, Checked, Recorded, Directed, Observed, Performed |
The same line, rewritten
Illustrative example with placeholders.
| Version | Example |
|---|---|
| Weak | Responsible for managing social media and helping with marketing projects. |
| Strong | Wrote and scheduled [number] social posts a week and analyzed results monthly, raising newsletter sign-ups by [result you can prove]. |
Why it matters: 'Responsible for' describes a duty, not an action. The strong bullet uses three specific verbs, each describing something the reader can picture, and ends with a result.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting every bullet with the same verb.
- Using a powerful-sounding verb for something you didn't do ("spearheaded" a project you joined).
- Mixing tenses: past tense for past jobs, present tense only for your current job.
- Stuffing buzzwords such as 'synergy' or 'go-getter' that say nothing checkable.
Build yours
Questions people ask
What are good action verbs for a resume?
What can I say instead of 'managed'?
Should resume bullets be in past or present tense?
Are resume buzzwords bad?
How this page is built
Written by Maid Dizdarevic, a career coach and 8x LinkedIn Top Voice. Advice is labelled as advice. Every sample uses a fictional person marked '(illustrative)' or a 'Your name' placeholder, and every employer, school, date and result is a bracketed placeholder for your own true details.
- What a specific employer screens for: always read the posting.
- Your results: we never invent numbers, and you should never copy a result you did not achieve.
- Outcomes: no resume, letter or program can promise an interview or a job.
- TryHired editorial guidance by Maid Dizdarevic, career coach, Nov 2, 2026.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.