Start every resume bullet with a strong action verb
November 3, 2026 · 3 min read
Recruiters skim. The first word of each bullet decides whether they keep reading, so it should say what you did, not what you were assigned.
Swap duty phrases for verbs
“Responsible for”, “Helped with” and “Worked on” describe a job description. Verbs like Led, Built, Reduced, Negotiated and Launched describe what you actually did.
Before
Responsible for the weekly sales report.
After
Rebuilt the weekly sales report, cutting prep time from 4 hours to 1.
Pick the most precise verb
“Managed” is vague. Did you hire, schedule, coach or budget? Choose the verb that matches the real work; it also helps your bullet match the keywords in job postings.
Vary them
Starting five bullets with “Managed” blurs them together. Mix verbs so each bullet stands on its own.
Examples are illustrative.
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