500+ Best Resume Action Verbs for 2024

Action verbs are valuable for showcasing your skills on a resume, within a cover letter, during a job interview or in any professional setting where you want to emphasize your capabilities and past experiences. Here are examples of action verbs used to describe various skills.

30 action verbs to describe communication

These action verbs can describe the various skills and activities involved in effective communication skills, whether verbal, written, non-verbal, interpersonal or digital.

Communication action word examples:

30 action verbs to describe customer service

Using action verbs can describe excellent customer service skills, whether in-person interactions, phone conversations or emails.

Customer or client action verb examples:

30 action verbs to describe computer skills

Using action verbs can effectively convey your expertise and accomplishments when describing your computer skills on a resume or during an interview.

Computer action verbs examples:

30 action verbs to describe teamwork

Check out these action verbs that help convey the teamwork skills and actions involved in collaborating effectively with others toward a common goal.

Teamwork action verb examples:

30 action verbs to describe interpersonal skills

This list of action verbs shows how you can effectively highlight your interpersonal skills, demonstrating your ability to communicate, empathize and negotiate.

Interpersonal skills action verbs examples:

30 action verbs to describe research skills

Research action verb examples:

30 action verbs to describe analysis or problem-solving

Analysis or problem-solving action verbs:

30 action verbs to describe transferable skills

Transferable skills are those versatile abilities and qualities that you retain across various jobs and industries, making them valuable in various career paths and job roles.

Transferable skills actions verbs examples:

50 action verbs for jobs in sales

Using strong action verbs in sales jobs can make your accomplishments and contributions more impactful and memorable, demonstrating your ability to work toward and achieve sales targets.

50 action verbs for accountants

Emphasize your mathematical abilities and expertise in balancing budgets and managing spreadsheets with these action verbs for accountant jobs.

50 action verbs for teachers

Use the following teacher action verbs to highlight your ability to convey information clearly and effectively to students of varying ages and backgrounds.

50 action verbs for designers

Designer job titles include graphic designer, web designer, interior designer, fashion designer, industrial designer and more. Use these action verbs to describe how you create visual concepts, products and experiences.

20 action verbs for the management industry

Consider these action verbs to describe the various responsibilities and skills involved in management jobs, such as team leadership, project management, resource allocation and strategic planning.

20 action verbs for the education industry

These action verbs can describe various roles and responsibilities within education jobs, such as teaching jobs, curriculum development and student support.

20 action verbs for the customer service industry

Add action verbs to your customer service industry to describe your excellent communication skills and the ability to direct users to what they need.

20 action verbs for the IT industry

These action verbs are commonly used in IT resumes to describe various technical tasks, projects and responsibilities, showcasing your expertise in software development, system administration and network management.

Adding action verbs to your resume can greatly enhance its impact and make your accomplishments stand out. Here’s how you can incorporate action verbs into the five different sections of your resume:

1. Professional summary or objective statement

In this section, you want to grab the hiring manager’s attention right away. Just below your resume headline, aim for two to three strong action verbs to start your resume summary or objective statement. Use these words to describe your skills, experience and career objectives.

Examples:

2. Work experience

Each bullet point under your work experience section should start with a powerful action verb that describes your accomplishments and responsibilities. Use past tense for previous roles and present tense for current roles.

Examples:

3. Skills section

Use action verbs in the skills section to describe how you applied your soft skills and hard skills. This gives employers a clearer picture of your capabilities.

Examples:

4. Education

Even in the education section, you can use action verbs to highlight your achievements, honors or extracurricular activities.

Examples:

Action verbs can also significantly enhance your cover letter by demonstrating your achievements, skills and qualifications compellingly and dynamically. Here’s how you can use action verbs effectively in your cover letter:

1. Opening paragraph

In the opening paragraph, you want to grab the hiring manager’s attention and introduce yourself. Use action verbs to describe your enthusiasm for the position and relevant experiences.

2. Body paragraphs

In the body paragraphs, use action verbs to describe your specific skills, experiences and cover letter accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for. Focus on how you can add value to the company.

Showcase your knowledge of the company and how your skills align with its goals and values. Use action verbs to demonstrate your understanding of the company’s needs and how you can meet them.

3. Closing paragraph

In the closing paragraph, reiterate your enthusiasm for the position and express your eagerness to discuss how your skills and experiences align with the company’s needs. End with a strong call to action.

Our Cover Letter Builder simplifies the process of tailoring your cover letter with impactful resume action verbs and customizable content. Select a cover letter template, respond to a few prompts, and we’ll handle the rest! For inspiration to write your cover letter yourself, check out our cover letter examples.