Action Verbs for CVs, Cover Letters and Application Forms

Using precise and positive verbs in a CV or in an application form can give it additional impact and make a stronger impression on potential employers.

A simple way to begin building action verb statements is to first write your experiences in complete sentences beginning with the pronoun ‘I’.  Then, drop the pronoun ‘I’ and use action verbs to provide more details. For example:

• ‘For my final-year project, I did a survey about teachers’ and students’ attitudes to material available in a self-learning centre.’ ⇒ ‘Devised and prepared a survey of teachers’ and students’ attitudes to material available in a self-learning centre for my final-year project.’
• I made a database to keep the data. ⇒ ‘Created a database to analyse and interpret this material.’

Interpersonal skills

Administrative skills

Management and technical skills

You may notice that all verbs are in past tense. Why? Your CV is mainly about your past working experiences or achievements, which happened in the past. If you write about your current job or some ongoing events, you should use present tense.

Reference: ELC 3504: English for effective workplace communication. (2009). English Language Centre, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.