ACTION VERBS

& TRANSFERABLE SKILL CATEGORIES

Below is a list of ACTION VERBS organized under some common TRANSFERABLE SKILL categories. (Transferable
skills are “portable” skills that you develop along the way and take with you into other life/work experiences). Identifying
your transferable skills can help you market yourself better to employers, and using specific action verbs can help you
describe what your skills, abilities and accomplishments are in your résumé.

Creativity Analytical/Financial Skills Organizational Skills

Act Adjust Arrange
Compose Allocate Categorize
Conceptualize Analyze Chart
Create Appraise Collect
Customize Assess Compile
Design Balance Coordinate
Develop Budget Correct
Direct Calculate Distribute
Display Compare Execute
Draw Compute File
Entertain Conserve Follow-through
Establish Estimate Log
Fashion Evaluate Maintain
Formulate Examine Map out
Generate Forecast Monitor
Illustrate Inspect Obtain
Imagine Interpret Operate
Improve Investigate Order
Initiate Manage Organize
Innovate Measure Plan
Introduce Net Prepare
Invent Plan Prioritize
Modify Prepare Process
Originate Program Provide
Perform Project Purchase
Revise Quantify Record
Revitalize Reconcile Review
Shape Record Schedule
Visualize Reduce Submit
Research Supply
Retrieve Systematize
Teaching Skills Review Update
Advise Survey Verify
Assess
Coach
Communicate Teamwork/Team-building Skills Adaptability/Flexibility
Develop Assist Acclimate
Educate Collaborate Adapt
Evaluate Contribute Adjust
Explain Cooperate Alter
Facilitate Coordinate Anticipate
Guide Help Change
Influence Involve Comply
Initiate Participate Evolve
Inspire Share Learn
Instruct Support Modify
Monitor Uphold Revise
Persuade Rework
Provide
Show
Teach
Tutor
Communication/Interpersonal Helping Skills Leadership/Management Skills
Skills Administer Administer
Address Advocate Appoint
Arbitrate Aide Approve
Articulate Alleviate Assign
Author Answer Attain
Clarify Arrange Authorize
Communicate Assess Chair
Compose Assist Contract
Condense Attend to Control
Connect Benefit Coordinate
Consult Clarify Decide
Contact Coach Delegate
Convey Collaborate Develop
Convince Contribute Direct
Correspond Cooperate Eliminate
Debate Counsel Emphasize
Define Demonstrate Enforce
Direct Diagnose Enhance
Discuss Educate Establish
Draft Encourage Evaluate
Edit Ensure Execute
Explain Expedite Facilitate
Express Facilitate Handle
Influence Further Hire
Interact Give Improve
Interpret Guide Incorporate
Interview Help Increase
Lecture Intervene Initiate
Listen Listen Lead
Mediate Motivate Manage
Moderate Prevent Motivate
Motivate Provide Multi-task
Negotiate Refer Navigate
Observe Relieve Organize
Outline Represent Oversee
Persuade Resolve Plan
Present Serve Preside
Propose Support Prioritize
Reason Treat Produce
Reconcile Volunteer Recommend
Report Restore
Resolve Review
Respond Detail Schedule
Speak Arrange Secure
Specify Categorize Select
Suggest Classify Streamline
Summarize Compare Strengthen
Translate Examine Supervise
Write Inspect Terminate
Organize
Process
Record
Sort
Systematize
Research Skills Action Verbs Showing Technical Skills
Analyze “Improvement” or Apply
Clarify “Achievement” Assemble
Collect Accelerate Build
Compare Accomplish Calculate
Conduct Achieve Compute
Critique Advance Conserve
Detect Boost Construct
Evaluate Change Convert
Find Correct Debug
Highlight Enhance Design
Persuade Expedite Determine
Persuade Fix Develop
Propose Further Engineer
Prove Improve Fabricate
Simulate Overhaul Fortify
Quantify Rectify Install
Stimulate Repair Maintain
Study Resolve Operate
Test Restore Overhaul
Train Revamp Print
Transmit Revitalize Program
Save Rectify
Secure Regulate
PR/Advertising Solve Remodel
Advertise Streamline Repair
Communicate Strengthen Replace
Contact Update Restore
Correspond Upgrade Solve
Develop Specialize
Elicit Standardize
Enlist Action Verbs Showing Study
Influence “Initiative” Troubleshoot
Involve Conceptualize Upgrade
Market Create Utilize
Persuade Design
Present Develop (Adapted from:
Promote Devise www.quintcareers.com/action_skill
Propose Establish s.html)
Publicize Found
Recruit Generate
Sell Implement
Show Innovate
Solicit Institute
Introduce
Launch
“Quantifying” Action Words Lead
Cut Motivate
Decrease Originate
Eliminate Pioneer
Increase Produce
Lessen Propose
Lower Set up
Maximize Spearhead
Minimize Start
Raise
Reduce