Pick the verb that matches the work

An action verb compresses an accomplishment, so the first test is accuracy. The University of Iowa’s career center tells students to take time to choose the verb that most accurately describes what they did. Yale’s Office of Career Strategy frames the same idea from the other direction: go beyond describing what you were responsible for and show what you accomplished, improved, or changed.

A reliable method is to write the bullet in plain language first—what you did, for whom or at what scale, and what resulted—and then choose the verb that fits the reality. Claiming you “spearheaded” a task you carried out under close direction may read well on the page, but it will not survive an interview question about how you led it.

Keep tense consistent and verbs varied

Two conventions keep a resume readable. Use past tense throughout, even for a current position, so the page has a uniform voice; this is the University of Iowa’s recommendation. And avoid repeating the same verb in bullet after bullet, because a page where every line begins with “managed” flattens the work into a single note.

Borrowing from a categorized list is the fastest cure. Iowa organizes verbs by function—planning, organizing, executing, supervising, leading, getting results, problem solving, quantitative work, communicating, and helping—and pairs each category with an example bullet. Yale groups verbs by similar competency areas. Use the categories to find a more precise word, not a more impressive one.

Let the verb open a bullet that carries evidence

A strong verb is a door, not the room. Iowa’s example ties the verb to a result: developed and implemented a training program that increased employee satisfaction by 45 percent. Without the program, the audience, and the outcome, the verb is decoration.

The common mistake is harvesting a long list of verbs and pasting them onto duties that were never led or measured. Before you finish, read every bullet and test whether the verb overstates the work; when it does, replace it with a plainer, accurate one. Every verb on the page should describe something you can explain with a specific example.

Sources consulted

This guide is an original synthesis of the following career guidance. Read the source material for its full context.