The use of action words / power verbs, are essential in the promotion of your skills and experience. Using these words at the start of each bullet point under the details of your employment will assist the reader in noticing your key achievements.

The words you use will obviously depend upon your experience / industry so try not to just stuff your CV full of power words in the hope that this will look good. For example, a candidate applying for a managerial position will want to make use of words such as "oversaw, developed, improved and reduced", whereas someone looking for a more creative role will want to use words such as "designed, compiled and created".

Power verbs to accentuate organisational skills:

Arranged Categorised Collected Compiled Corrected Distributed Filed Incorporated Logged Maintained Monitored Observed

Ordered Organised Prepared Recorded Registered Reserved Responded Reviewed Scheduled Screened Supplied Updated

Power verbs used to highlight achievements:

Achieved Built Created Developed Established Expanded Founded Identified Implemented

Increased Initiated Instigated Launched Lead Managed Reduced Solved Streamlined

Other power verbs:

Administered Advised Analysed Approved Completed Conducted Controlled Coordinated Defined Delivered Demonstrated

Designed Instructed Introduced Maintained Negotiated Oversaw Performed Planned Presented Supervised Supported

Related Pages:

• How do you write a CV?
• What makes a good CV?
• Functional / Chronological CVs
• How do I explain gaps in employment in my CV?
• What details can be left out of a CV?
• Why was my CV rejected?
• Common CV writing mistakes
• Writing a personal profile for a CV
• Writing a student / graduate CV

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