Keywords and Action Verbs
Keywords
Keywords are specific words or phrases that job seekers use to search for jobs and employers use to find the right candidates.
- These are most easily found in the job description under the responsibilities, tasks and recommended skills sections.
- Try the company mission statement or values on their website for additional ideas.
- You can also search online. For example, 鈥渒eywords for nursing resumes.鈥
- Keywords can include action verbs, technical skills (programs, software, language, equipment, etc.) and desired personal qualities.
- Review your major related text books for vocabulary.
Action verbs
- Action verbs describe your skills, accomplishments, and experiences.
- Review our action verbs below and search online for words/phrases specific to your area of study and expertise. For example, 鈥渁ction verbs for mechanical engineering resumes.鈥
Communication
addressed
advertised
arbitrated
articulated
clarified
collaborated
communicated
composed
conferred
consulted
contacted
conveyed
corresponded
debated
defined
described
directed
discussed
drafted
edited
encouraged
enlisted
explained
expressed
formulated
incorporated
interacted
interpreted
interviewed
involved
listened
marketed
mediated
moderated
motivated
negotiated
observed
outlined
participated
persuaded
presented
proposed
publicized
reconciled
recruited
referred
reinforced
reported
resolved
responded
solicited
suggested
summarized
synthesized
translated
wrote
Critical thinking and creativity
adapted
analyzed
applied
assessed
combined
composed
conceptualized
created
customized
designed
developed
directed
displayed
drew
established
evaluated
fashioned
formulated
illustrated
improved
initiated
instituted
integrated
introduced
invented
modified
predicted
revised
revitalized
shaped
Financial data
administered
adjusted
allocated
analyzed
appraised
assessed
audited
balanced
budgeted
calculated
computed
conserved
corrected
determined
developed
estimated
measured
planned
prepared
processed
programmed
projected
reconciled
reduced
researched
retrieved
Helping / Customer service
adapted
advocated
aided
answered
arranged
assisted
cared for
coached
collaborated
communicated
contributed
cooperated
counseled
demonstrated
encouraged
facilitated
familiarized
guided
helped
improved
listened
monitored
motivated
organized
prioritized
provided
reconciled
rehabilitated
represented
resolved
responded
retained
scheduled
served
supported
trained
valued
volunteered
Leadership / Management
administered
appointed
approved
assigned
attained
authorized
chaired
considered
contracted
controlled
coordinated
decided
delegated
demonstrated
developed
directed
eliminated
enforced
established
executed
generated
handled
headed
hired
hosted
improved
implemented
increased
initiated
managed
merged
motivated
overhauled
oversaw
planned
presided
prioritized
produced
recommended
replaced
restored
scheduled
secured
selected
streamlined
strengthened
supervised
trained
transformed
Organization and details
arranged
catalogued
categorized
charted
classified
coded
collected
compiled
corrected
distributed
generated
implemented
incorporated
inspected
logged
maintained
ordered
organized
prepared
recorded
registered
reserved
reviewed
routed
scheduled
screened
submitted
supplied
standardized
systematized
updated
validated
verified
Teaching
adapted
advised
clarified
coached
communicated
conducted
coordinated
critiqued
developed
enabled
encouraged
evaluated
explained
facilitated
focused
guided
individualized
informed
instilled
instructed
motivated
persuaded
set goals
simulated
stimulated
taught
tested
trained
transmitted
tutored
Research and technical
adapted
analyzed
applied
assembled
authored
built
calculated
clarified
collected
compared
computed
conducted
conserved
constructed
converted
critiqued
designed
detected
determined
developed
devised
diagnosed
engineered
evaluated
examined
experimented
explored
extracted
formulated
gathered
identified
implemented
inspected
integrated
interpreted
interviewed
invented
investigated
located
maintained
measured
modified
operated
organized
printed
programmed
regulated
repaired
replaced
researched
restored
reviewed
searched
simulated
solved
specialized
standardized
studied
summarized
surveyed
systematized
tested