Action Verbs & Power Words for CV: 200+ Examples
Combining action verbs and power words in your CV can drastically improve the impression you make with your application. In this article, we provide a comprehensive list of the best action verbs and power words for your CV, with examples of how to use them for maximum impact.
When it comes to making a strong impression with your CV, it’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. Using action verbs will show employers what you did, and how your actions match the requirements of the job description, while power words can show how you did it, and the impact it created.
By reading this article, you'll discover:
- The difference between action verbs and power words, and how to use each in a CV.
- A comprehensive list of 200+ action verbs and power words to maximise the impact of your application.
- Where to place action verbs and power words in your CV.
- Examples of CV sections containing action verbs and power words.
What's the difference between action verbs and power words?
Both action verbs and power words can have a significant impact on your CV, and help convince employers you have the skills and experience for the job. It can be easy to get the two mixed up, but each serves a distinct purpose in your CV, and understanding the usage and purpose of each can help you write a more effective job application. So, let's take a look at what each term means:
Action verbs
Action verbs are functional, descriptive words that show employers what you did. You typically place action verbs at the start of a CV bullet point to describe an action you took, replacing phrases like 'responsible for' or 'involved in'. Action verbs help you showcase your impact and can reflect the keywords and skills contained in the job description, to make your application more relevant.
Power words
Power words are a broader collection of high-impact words that show the scale, complexity and significance of your achievements. Power words can be verbs, but they also include adjectives and nouns to frame your career history in the most positive, engaging way. While action verbs describe what you did, power words affect how the reader perceives your actions.
To help you understand the difference, here are a few examples of action verbs and power words for CVs:
Action verbs | Power words |
|---|---|
Led | Strategic |
Developed | Innovative |
Delivered | Transformation |
Colaborated | Comprehesive |
Analysed | Efficient |
100+ action verbs for your CV
Elevate your CV by selecting from the action verbs listed below to describe your actions in previous roles. Match the action verbs to qualities and skills outlined in the job description to increase your likelihood of progressing to the interview stage:
Leadership & ownership
- Led
- Managed
- Directed
- Supervised
- Mentored
- Headed
- Delegated
- Governed
- Coordinated
- Guided
- Influenced
- Empowered
Project & delivery
- Delivered
- Implemented
- Completed
- Executed
- Administered
- Facilitated
- Organised
- Launched
- Deployed
- Integrated
- Achieved
- Scheduled
Growth, sales & revenue
- Generated
- Increased
- Boosted
- Maximised
- Converted
- Achieved
- Exceeded
- Secured
- Sold
- Promoted
- Grew
- Retained
Efficiency & improvement
- Improved
- Optimised
- Enhanced
- Streamlined
- Refined
- Restructured
- Reduced
- Automated
- Strengthened
- Modernised
- Transformed
- Upgraded
Analysis & research
- Analysed
- Evaluated
- Researched
- Investigated
- Identified
- Forecast
- Reviewed
- Audited
- Assessed
- Measured
- Interpreted
- Monitored
Communication & stakeholders
- Communicated
- Presented
- Liaised
- Negotiated
- Consulted
- Briefed
- Advised
- Facilitated
- Corresponded
- Partnered
- Represented
- Reported
Customer service
- Assisted
- Served
- Supported
- Responded
- Resolved
- Helped
- Guided
- Handled
- Managed
- Escalated
- Coordinated
- Improved
Tech & digital
- Programmed
- Developed
- Configured
- Installed
- Upgraded
- Optimised
- Automated
- Tested
- Deployed
- Engineered
- Designed
- Monitored
Creativity & marketing
Created
Designed
Produced
Developed
Marketed
Innovated
Launched
Published
Generated
Curated
Conceptualised
Promoted
Compliance, risk & quality
- Monitored
- Reviewed
- Audited
- Inspected
- Controlled
- Enforced
- Documented
- Safeguarded
- Inspected
- Standardised
- Certified
- Improved
100+ power words for your CV
Power words for your CV emphasise the impact you made and help the reader to form a positive impression of your strengths and qualities. When using power words in a CV, you must provide evidence to support them. There's no benefit to saying you're 'adaptable', 'collaborative' or 'analytical' without providing evidence to support it.
Add these power words to emphasise the significance of your achievements in your career to date, in the following areas:
Performance & results
- Results-driven
- High-performing
- Strategic
- Productive
- Goal-oriented
- Impactful
- Successful
- Accomplished
- Efficient
- Revenue-focused
- Profit-conscious
- Performance-led
- KPI-focused
- Proactive
- Competitive
- Commercially aware
- Outcome-focused
- Resourceful
- Driven
- Target-oriented
- Analytical
- Value-generating
Work style & reliability
- Dependable
- Reliable
- Organised
- Consistent
- Dedicated
- Professional
- Detail-oriented
- Self-motivated
- Punctual
- Accountable
- Disciplined
- Trustworthy
- Hardworking
- Efficient
- Methodical
- Conscientious
- Focused
- Diligent
- Responsive
- Structured
Problem-solving & thinking
- Analytical
- Innovative
- Logical
- Solution-focused
- Critical thinker
- Insightful
- Investigative
- Strategic
- Data-driven
- Rational
- Decisive
- Perceptive
- Practical
- Inventive
- Thoughtful
- Curious
- Forward-thinking
- Evaluative
- Process-minded
- Conceptual
Collaboration & leadership
- Collaborative
- Influential
- Supportive
- Motivational
- Inspirational
- Team-oriented
- Communicative
- Empowering
- Diplomatic
- Personable
- Coordinated
- Engaging
- Respectful
- Confident
- Approachable
- Leadership-focused
- Mentoring
- Cooperative
- Stakeholder-focused
- Charismatic
Adaptability & growth
- Adaptable
- Agile
- Flexible
- Resilient
- Versatile
- Growth-minded
- Fast-learning
- Dynamic
- Open-minded
- Evolving
- Progressive
- Curious
- Ambitious
- Innovative
- Responsive
- Change-oriented
- Future-focused
- Trainable
- Multifaceted
- Self-developing
How to use action verbs and power words in your CV
Knowing which action verbs and power words to use in your CV isn't much help, unless you know how to use them. Take a look below for a step-by-step guide to how to use these impactful words for maximum effect:
Step 1: Start bullet points with verbs
The work experience section of your CV is the ideal place to use action verbs. If you have space to add bullet points to your education section, this can also be valuable (especially for junior candidates). Start each bullet point in these sections with action verbs, to describe an action you took, and then proceed to showcase the impact of that action.
For example:
- Managed a team of 12 sales executives...
- Delivered monthly financial reports...
- Developed award-winning apps...
Step 2: Quantify results
Always support action verbs and power words with evidence that quantifies your achievements. Using an action verb is your introduction to showcase an achievement, while using a power word is what makes your achievements have a greater impact with the reader. However, you'll still need to offer evidence that shows the scope of your successes and the value you added for the employer.
Take a look at these CV example work experience entries, one using action verbs and power words, but without evidence, while the other includes quantifiable evidence to support its claims:
With evidence
Spearheaded strategic cross-functional project delivery for a £2M transformation programme, coordinating 15+ stakeholders and streamlining operational workflows, reducing delivery delays by 30% and achieving project completion two weeks ahead of schedule.
Without evidence
Spearheaded strategic cross-functional project delivery, proactively coordinating stakeholders and streamlining operational workflows to ensure efficient and successful programme execution.
Step 3: Tailor to the job ad and ATS keywords
Tailoring your action verbs and power words to match the job ad will serve two valuable functions. Firstly, it will help our CV to pass the ATS stage, as ATS software scans CVs to see how close they match the job description. Secondly, your experience and skills will appear more relevant to the reader, as they'll easily be able to pick out elements of your CV that fulfil the job description.
If you're struggling to tailor your CV language to the keywords and phrases of the job description, an online CV builder like Jobseeker can help. Jobseeker provides AI suggestions to improve the wording of your CV based on your target job title. Just type in your CV content, and hit the 'AI suggestions' button to see a refined version, using more impactful keywords and phrases.
Take a look at these example bullet points from a UX designer's CV below. One example shows a tailored approach for an applicant looking to step up from a senior UX designer role to a UX manager position. The other shows a more generic bullet point describing responsibilities, but lacking references to keywords and skills that could be useful for a management role:
Tailored bullet point
- Led cross-functional UX initiatives across web and mobile products, mentoring junior designers, facilitating stakeholder workshops, and influencing product strategy through user-centred design recommendations and collaborative decision-making.
Generic bullet point
- Designed user-centred wireframes, prototypes, and interface improvements across web and mobile platforms, collaborating with developers and product teams to enhance usability and user experience consistency.
Step 4: Where to place them
Your work experience section gives you the biggest opportunity to use CV action verbs and power words, as you'll want to include a few bullet points for every previous job, showing the actions you took, and the impact they had. However, depending on your chosen CV template and structure, other sections of your CV also provide the opportunity to use these impactful words and phrases:
CV title/headline
This single line, placed within the header of your CV, can help you make a strong first impression and set the tone for your application. It's an ideal place to include one or two power words that perfectly summarise your key strengths and qualities. For example: 'Strategic leader driving revenue growth'.
CV summary/profile
Use one or two key, select action verbs and power words in this section to immediately make a positive impression and show the reader what you're all about. These action verbs and CV power words should closely match the job description so the reader can immediately identify you as a relevant candidate. For example:
With
Accomplished chartered accountant with five years’ experience at a reputable accounting firm. Collaborate with a team of accountants, using leadership skills to partner with clients across a range of sectors, producing monthly financial reports and developing forecasts to help firms manage their finances.
Without
I’m a chartered accountant with five years’ experience working for a reputable accounting firm. I work with a team of accountants and a range of clients and specialise in monthly financial reporting and forecasting.
Work experience
This is the main place to showcase action verbs and power words. Start each work experience bullet point with an action verb, and include at least one power word in each bullet point that demonstrates the impact your actions had. Remember to support all this with quantifiable evidence. For example:
With
- Training new starters on company policy and HR systems
- Spearheading recruitment operations to hire senior management and directors
- Managing payroll operations to ensure the smooth processing of salaries for 50+ employees
Without
- I work as a human resources professional with management skills, experience in training, recruitment and payroll departments.
Education
In this section, focus on action verbs and power words that show your commitment to learning and professional development. If you're a junior candidate, you can also use this section to add action verbs and power words to showcase skills you might not have had the chance to use in the workplace yet. For example:
With
BSc Business Management, The University of East Anglia, 2013-2016
- Developed a strong foundation in strategic analysis, financial planning, and organisational leadership while consistently applying data-driven thinking and problem-solving across academic projects and case studies.
Without
BSc Business Management, The University of East Anglia, 2013-2016
- Studied core topics including business strategy, finance, marketing, operations, and organisational behaviour, with coursework and assessments based on case studies, group projects, and written examinations.
Skills
If you're writing a functional, or skills-based, CV, you have the chance to comment on your skills and add context that shows your skills in action. Group your key skills into categories that match the job description, and add bullet points that include action verbs and power words in a similar way to a work experience section in a traditional CV layout.
With
- Researching user journeys to identify pain points in website navigation
- Building wireframes to illustrate potential website architecture
- Developing creative and innovative website UI designs to meet customer needs
Without
- User journey research skills
- Wireframing
- UI design
Optional sections
Volunteering, hobbies and interests, projects and achievements sections all provide further opportunities to include action verbs and power words in a CV. Only include these sections if you need to showcase skills and achievements that you've been unable to mention in any of the core CV sections.
Cover letter
You can also use action verbs and power words to strong effect in your cover letter. Use the paragraph showcasing your skills and experience to emphasise several of the most impactful action verbs and power words for the job. For help constructing a cover letter that uses action verbs and power words effectively, see Jobseeker's cover letter examples.
Key takeaways for adding CV action verbs and power words
If you're looking to boost your chances of progressing to the interview stage by adding CV power words and action verbs to your application, remember this key advice:
- Use action verbs and power words in your work experience bullet points to show the actions you took, and the impact they had.
- Where appropriate, add action verbs and power words to other CV sections, including your CV summary, education section, skills list and other optional sections.
- Tailor the action verbs and power words you use to match the requirements specified in the job description.
- Always back up your action verbs and power words with evidence that shows your achievements, and the impact you made in a clear, measurable way.
If you're still unsure how to write a compelling, engaging CV that uses power words and action verbs to strong effect, and helps your application stand out, check out Jobseeker's CV resources and CV examples. They can equip you to create a CV that puts you in the frame for the job. You can also choose from CV and cover letter templates to help you create a professional-looking application that matches the role you're applying for, and your personal style. Sign up today to get started.
CV action verb and power word FAQs
Are action verbs, action words, power words and power verbs all the same?
Action verbs, action words, power words and power verbs are all similar, but there are some subtle differences. Action verbs, action words or power verbs are all broadly the same. These are the 'doing' words that describe to the reader the action you took. Power words, on the other hand, are the words that show the impact, significance or scale of an action or achievement. In a CV, you would use action verbs to show what you did, and power words to show the impact you had.
Should every bullet start with an action verb?
While it's not a hard and fast rule to start every CV bullet point with an action verb, it can help your CV make a stronger impact if you do. Following this format ensures each bullet point has a clear focus and showcases an action you took, followed by the outcome or achievement. Other reasons this is a strong approach include making it easier for the reader to digest each bullet point, optimising your CV for ATS and tailoring your CV more closely to the job description.
How many action verbs or power words is too many?
Overloading your CV bullet points with action verbs and power words can make it appear like you're over-selling yourself, or 'keyword stuffing' your CV. It can make your prose feel forced and inauthentic. As a general rule, use a single action verb at the start of each bullet point to demonstrate an action you took, followed by one or two power words to show the impact you made.
Are action verbs important for ATS?
Action verbs can optimise your CV for ATS screening, by helping you include more relevant words and phrases that match the job description. Review the job description to understand the key skills and experience required for the role. Then, ensure you start each bullet point in your CV with an action verb that reflects these, to make a stronger impact with the reader and increase your chances of passing the ATS stage.
What if my role was mostly “supporting” work?
If your previous role was mostly “supporting” work, you can still use action verbs and power words to show the impact you made. Focus your keywords and phrases on teamwork and your contribution to collective success, rather than trying to twist your experience to make it appear like you succeeded alone. This will show employers that you're a team player who recognised their role in the group, and contributed something meaningful to the wider success of the organisation.
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