Want another word for Worked to use on your resume? Our team's compiled the most effective action verbs and synonyms you can use instead of the overused resume phrase, "Worked".
People with experience in the field are more likely to succeed in the workplace—they've already proven capable of doing their job, so hiring managers can trust them to do well in their new positions. If you have relevant experience and can be relied on to get things done, the word 'Worked' signifies that.
The term 'worked' in your resume indicates reliability, a desirable trait for many types of jobs. Even so, it doesn't tell the recruiter anything about what you actually did or how it went. It's an action, but not one that conveys any information.
When describing your experience to a hiring manager, you want to be as specific as possible—think about what you did and use power verbs to describe those actions. A better word for 'Worked' that does that would be 'Capitalized,' 'Amplified,' or 'Advanced.'
This will give the recruiter or hiring manager a better sense of what your work was like and what kind of results you were able to produce.
I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Worked on your resume, followed by real examples I've written for clients (feel free to use them!).
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Worked, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Before: Weak example using Worked• Worked on improving processes and reducing the number of customer support calls
After: Using a stronger synonym • Implemented crash reporter and used results to fix three biggest causes of crashes, leading to a 45 percent reduction in customer support calls.
• Worked on the planning of company events
After: Administered • Administered company events that resulted in increased team cohesion and a 15% improvement in employee satisfaction scores
As a hiring manager, I prefer specifics and quantifiable results. The 'after' version not only uses a stronger action verb, 'Administered', but also demonstrates a direct impact - improved employee satisfaction.
Tip: I've prepared a ton of additional examples for you to give you inspiration. Please click on any of the following to expand and see real examples of how I've rewritten client bullet points.
• Worked towards increasing team efficiency
After: Maximized • Maximized team efficiency by introducing a streamlined project management system, contributing to a 20% increase in productivity
What I appreciate about the updated version is that it clearly states what was done and shows the actual impact (20% increase in productivity). 'Maximized' is a strong, impactful verb that conveys leadership and initiative.
• Worked on enhancing the company website
After: Revamped • Revamped the company website, which lead to a 30% increase in traffic and an 18% increase in customer conversions
By changing the verb to 'Revamped', we show assertive action and improvement. We then improve this bullet point further by adding the specific impact the revamping had on the business.
• Worked on establishing a new system
After: Pioneered • Pioneered a cloud-based file management system that reduced misplaced documents by 80% and increased team efficiency by 25%
In this rewrite, we use 'Pioneered' to showcase the initiative and leadership in developing a new system. Adding metrics clearly shows the successful results of this implementation.
• Worked on system design
After: Engineered • Engineered a new data management system, leading to a 40% decrease in processing time and saving the company $20,000 annually
The verb 'Engineered' not only communicates the skills used in creating the system, but also the strategic thinking and planning. Providing specific metrics demonstrates a tangible result of your work.
• Worked with client data
After: Harvested • Harvested and analyzed client data to identify trends, contributing to a 10% increase in sales
Using 'Harvested' gives the action more life and direction, showcasing skills in data management and analysis. Mentioning the effect of these actions on sales pushes the value of your contribution.
• Worked on a team to improve sales
After: Outpaced • Outpaced sales targets by 150% through strategic client engagement and fostering relationships
The verb 'Outpaced' shows a competitive spirit and a drive for success. Detailing how these sales were improved offers a glimpse into your approach and techniques.
• Worked on contracts with new vendors
After: Negotiated • Negotiated favourable terms in contracts with new vendors, saving the company $50,000 in the first quarter
Using 'Negotiated' offers robust detail into your direct involvement. Including the savings adds a strong, impactful metric showing your value to the company.
• Worked on leading new marketing campaign
After: Spearheaded • Spearheaded an innovative marketing campaign that boosted brand engagement by 60% and generated an additional $50,000 in revenue
The word 'Spearheaded' conveys leadership and initiative. Including specific metrics resulting from the campaign differentiates this bullet point and emphasizes the value you brought to the company.
• Worked on building an online training platform
After: Constructed • Constructed an efficient online training platform that increased employee productivity by 15% and reduced onboarding time by 30%
The verb 'Constructed' implies not just working on, but successfully completing a complex project. The metrics show the platform's impact on efficiency, demonstrating your significant contribution.
• Worked to improve customer relationships
After: Cultivated • Cultivated beneficial customer relationships that increased customer loyalty by 25% and boosted the referral rate by 10%
'Cultivated' shows a hands-on, thoughtful approach to handling customer relationships. Metrics showcase the effects of these relationships on customer loyalty and referrals.
• Worked on improving old systems
After: Overhauled • Overhauled outdated systems, resulting in improved efficiency by 50% and reducing system downtime by 30%
The use of 'Overhauled' conveys a significant improvement, rather than a minor tweak. Highlighting the resulting increase in efficiency and decrease in downtime showcases your problem-solving skills and ability to drive change.
• Worked on coordinating project schedules
After: Synchronized • Synchronized project schedules across multiple teams, reducing project completion time by 20%
The approach here emphasizes your abilities to manage and improve processes. 'Synchronized' highlights attention to detail, coordination skills, and your tangible impact on improving project timelines.
• Worked on improving workflow
After: Streamlined • Streamlined an inconsistent workflow, leading to an increase in productivity by 35%
The action verb 'Streamlined' showcases your abilities to identify inefficiencies and improve processes. Examples like this one paint a picture of you as a driver of positive change.
• Worked on solving complex business issues
After: Navigated • Navigated complex business issues resulting in a 20% increase growth in the first year
'Navigated' signifies an ability to handle complexity and make sound decisions. This bullet point is a testimony to your problem-solving skills and strategic thinking that benefits the company's growth.
• Worked to improve team performance
After: Elevated • Elevated team performance by mentoring newer associates, resulting in a team productivity increase of 18%
'Elevated' reflects your intent to lift, improve and inspire. Mentioning mentorship adds a qualitative aspect to your role, and the specific productivity increase quantifiably signals your impact.
• Worked on improving the company brand
After: Revitalized • Revitalized the company brand, increasing social media engagement by 25% and website traffic by 15%
Here 'Revitalized' brings an aspect of vibrancy and rejuvenation, suggesting innovation. By adding metrics, we provide a clear, measurable impact of your work.
• Worked towards introducing new company policies
After: Championed • Championed the adoption of flexible work policies, leading to a 20% increase in staff morale and a 10% improvement in retention rates
The term 'Championed' showcases your proactive stance in advocating for policies that positively affect the company. Quantifying the morale and retention rate boost provides evidence of your successful initiatives.
• Worked on organizing charity events
After: Orchestrated • Orchestrated successful charity events that raised over $50,000 in donations and increased brand visibility by 30%
'Orchestrated' resonates with grandeur and indicates complexity. The specific monetary and percentage metrics quantify your success, emphasizing your effectiveness in this task.
• Worked to motivate sales team
After: Galvanized • Galvanized a sales team to exceed quotas by 15%, resulting in $1.2 million additional annual revenue
Using 'Galvanized' demonstrates inspirational leadership. Highlighting the team's achievement and its impact provides solid evidence of your leadership abilities and positive influence.
We've put together an infographic to give you more examples of how to put this into practice. Note the use of strong action verbs instead of words like Worked.
• Analyzed company's 24-month sales results to develop five-year monthly projections by revenue and customer type.
• Managed a 10-member cross-functional (engineering, product, sales, support) team and coordinated with five business partners towards the successful launch of an e-commerce website.
• Generated 12,000 unique users, 30,000 page views, and 2000+ newsletter signups in 3 weeks by successfully leveraging social media advertising (Facebook and Instagram).
• Performed DCF analysis to evaluate offers for company's sell-side process; qualitative offer comparison and quantitative model outputs were shared directly with client's senior management team.
• Conducted sector research in TMT space through expert interviews, market reports, and engagement with external advisors; created sector map of big data analytics space; prepared recommendations on attractiveness and feasibility on 6+ prospects.
• Optimized budget allocation of the increased marketing spend of $10MM across 5 cities.
