Action Verbs for Your CV: 60+ Strong Words by Skill (and the Weak Ones to Replace)
The verb at the start of each bullet decides whether it reads as a duty or an achievement. 60+ CV action verbs grouped by skill — leadership, results, creation, analysis, communication — plus the weak phrases to delete.
Recruiters skim. In the few seconds they spend on each section, the first word of every bullet does most of the work. Responsible for, helped with and worked on tell them you were present. Led, cut and launched tell them something changed because you were there. Choosing the right verb is the cheapest improvement you can make to a CV.
Leadership and management
- Led, managed, directed, supervised, mentored, coached, delegated, recruited, built (a team), headed.
Results and improvement
- Increased, grew, reduced, cut, saved, improved, accelerated, doubled, exceeded, outperformed.
Creating and launching
- Built, launched, designed, developed, created, established, founded, introduced, pioneered, implemented.
Analysis and problem-solving
- Analysed, identified, diagnosed, evaluated, forecast, modelled, audited, resolved, investigated, streamlined.
Communication and influence
- Negotiated, presented, persuaded, secured, trained, authored, advised, represented, briefed, partnered.
Organisation and delivery
- Coordinated, organised, planned, scheduled, delivered, executed, prioritised, standardised, migrated, rolled out.
Weak phrases to replace
- Responsible for — replace with what you actually did: Managed, Ran, Owned.
- Helped with / assisted in — say what your part was: Prepared, Drafted, Built.
- Worked on — name the outcome: Delivered, Shipped, Completed.
- Duties included — cut it and start with the verb.
- Participated in — only keep it if you add your contribution.
Three rules for using them
- Past tense for previous roles, present tense for your current one.
- Do not repeat the same verb more than twice on a page.
- A verb is only half the bullet: follow it with the result and, where possible, a number.
Weak: Responsible for onboarding new clients. Strong: Onboarded 45 new clients in six months, cutting setup time from 10 days to 4.
Upload your CV to CV Analyz: the AI rewrites duty-style bullets into achievement bullets with strong verbs, in the language and country conventions you choose.
Improve your CV nowFrequently asked questions
What are action verbs on a CV?
Strong verbs that start each bullet point and describe what you did, such as led, reduced or launched, instead of passive phrases like responsible for.
Should CV bullets be in past or present tense?
Past tense for previous jobs, present tense for your current role. Be consistent inside each role.
What should I write instead of responsible for?
The verb that describes the real action — managed, ran, owned, delivered — followed by the result.