Action Verbs give your resume power and direction. Below you will find a list of action verbs to use in your resume and cover letters.

Boston College Action Verb List
Easy to print pdf version

Adapted, enlarged list inspired by Employment Development Department of Palo Alto, CA

Management skills	Communication skills	Clerical or detailed skills
administered analyzed assigned attained chaired contracted consolidated coordinated delegated developed directed evaluated executed improved increased organized oversaw planned prioritized produced recommended reviewed scheduled strengthened supervised	addressed arbitrated arranged authored corresponded developed directed drafted edited enlisted formulated influenced interpreted lectured mediated moderated motivated negotiated persuaded promoted publicized reconciled recruited spoke translated wrote	approved arranged catalogued classified collected compiled dispatched executed generated implemented inspected monitored operated organized prepared organized prepared processed purchased recorded retrieved screened specified systematized tabulated validated

Research skills	Technical skills	Teaching skills
clarified collected critiqued diagnosed evaluated examined extracted identified inspected interpreted interviewed investigated organized reviewed summarized surveyed systematized	assembled built calculated computed designed devised engineered fabricated maintained operated overhauled programmed remodeled repair solved trained upgraded	adapted advised clarified coached communicated coordinated developed enabled encouraged evaluated explained facilitated guided informed initiated instructed persuaded set goals stimulated

Financial skills	Creative skills	Helping skills
administered allocated analyzed appraised audited balanced budgeted calculated computed developed forecasted managed marketed planned projected researched	acted conceptualized created designed developed directed established fashioned founded illustrated instituted integrated introduced invented originated performed planned revitalized shaped	assessed assisted clarified coached counseled demonstrated diagnosed educated expedited facilitated familiarized guided referred rehabilitated represented

Management skills

Communication skills

Clerical or detailed skills

Research skills

Technical skills

Teaching skills

Financial skills

Creative skills

Helping skills