'Collaborate' is the present tense of the word collaborated. It indicates that you have experience working with a team, managing multiple tasks and projects simultaneously, and communicating with others.
In resume writing, collaborate is an excellent word that shows that you can work on projects as a team member and communicate effectively. However, it's important to avoid using the exact action verbs repeatedly in your resume; it can become distracting for the recruiter reading your resume.
Instead, use synonyms of the action words you've already used to describe your experience. For example, if you've used the word 'collaborate' three times in your resume, then try using more specific action words—like 'liaised,' 'negotiated,' or 'mediated'—to show that you're an active collaborator.
Using multiple synonyms to describe your experience can help you avoid repeating yourself. You'll still be able to show that you're a team player, but your resume will also be more interesting to read.
I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Collaborate on your resume, followed by real examples I've written for clients (feel free to use them!).
Resume Synonyms for Collaborate:
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Facilitated
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Directed
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Synchronized
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Coordinated
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Managed
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Unified
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Merged
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Conducted
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Pioneered
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Championed
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Mobilized
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Influenced
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Motivated
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Promoted
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Revitalized
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Communicated
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Corresponded
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Counselled
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Negotiated
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Proposed
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Liaised
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Enlisted
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Instructed
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Co-authored
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Mediated
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Teamed
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Cooperated
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Partnered
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Networked
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Engaged
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Advised
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Recommended
How to replace Collaborate with a stronger action verb:
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Collaborate, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Before: Weak example using Collaborate• Collaborate with growth team to launch growth strategies like a waitlist to drive up demand
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After: Using a stronger synonym• Implemented a pre-launch waitlist, leveraging a referral program that encouraged users to share the product on social media; resulted in 5k+ signups at launch .
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with sales and marketing teams to prioritize and manage customer requests
⤸After: Facilitated• Facilitated cross-departmental communication between sales and marketing, leading to a coordinated strategy which boosted client conversion rates by 30%
As a resume writer, swapping 'Collaborate' with 'Facilitated' gave this bullet point more punch. We also quantified the impact by detailing the increase in client conversion rates, creating a better image of success.
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.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with HR team to improve retention and job satisfaction
⤸After: Directed• Directed a team-wide initiative to improve employee retention, resulting in a 20% increase in job satisfaction and reducing turnover by 15%.
In revising this bullet point, changing 'Collaborate' with 'Directed' clarified the candidate's role. The revised statement also implemented metrics to highlight the initiative’s success, showing they had a direct, positive impact.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with engineering team to roll out new product features
⤸After: Synchronized• Synchronized with the engineering department to launch innovative product features which resulted in product usage increase of 25% within the first quarter.
As a recruiter, 'Synchronized' emphasizes your ability to coordinate effectively. Including specific metrics like '25% increase in product usage' gives hiring managers solid proof of effective actions and their outcomes.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with design team to Refresh website look
⤸After: Coordinated• Coordinated with the design team to revamp website aesthetics, resulting in 35% more visitor engagement and a 20% bump in traffic after launch.
We increase candidate's role clarity by replacing 'Collaborate' with 'Coordinated'. Adding specific, quantified outcomes of the revamped aesthetics drives home the value of that individual contribution.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with finance department to allocate project budget
⤸After: Managed• Managed allocation of a $500K project budget in sync with the finance department, successfully adhering to financial guidelines and reducing project overspend by 30%
The change to 'Managed' underscores the candidate’s leadership role in budgeting. Providing hard numbers like '$500K' and 'reducing overspend by 30%' illustrates the candidate’s financial prowess.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with customer service to improve customer experience
⤸After: Unified• Unified customer service and operations teams, leading to a shared initiative that improved customer satisfaction scores by 40%.
In this revision, I changed 'Collaborate' to 'Unified' to underscore the candidate's role in bringing together teams. The solid metric of '40%' improvement evidences their success.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with production team to streamline production processes
⤸After: Merged• Merged concepts from Lean Six Sigma with the production team's insight, achieving a 20% efficiency gain in the assembly line process within six months.
By replacing 'Collaborate' with 'Merged', we've highlighted the ability to combine ideas. We also pinpointed their contribution with a specific strategy (Lean Six Sigma) and gave a numerical value to the improvement.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with a team of software engineers for bug fixes
⤸After: Conducted• Conducted intensive debugging sessions with a team of 5 software engineers, decreasing system downtime by 60% within a year.
To enhance this bullet point, 'Collaborate' was replaced with 'Conducted' to reinforce the active role taken, and the addition of quantifiable impact shows the significance of their accomplishment.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on a new product
⤸After: Pioneered• Pioneered a new product conception and development with cross-functional teams, which increased the company’s market share by 15%.
As a hiring manager, 'Pioneered' demonstrates your groundbreaking efforts. It’s essential to quantify such efforts with numbers, like the increase in market share, as it lends credence to your claim.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate on implementing new safety protocols
⤸After: Championed• Championed the implementation of new safety protocols, leading to a 50% reduction in workplace accidents over a six-month period.
To enhance this bullet point, I replaced 'Collaborate' with 'Championed' to shows leadership. By adding the result of '50% reduction in workplace accidents', it provides a clear picture of what was achieved.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with international partners for a global marketing campaign
⤸After: Mobilized• Mobilized international partners, culminating in a successful global marketing campaign with a reach of over 1 million users in the first month.
The word 'Mobilized' emphasizes proactiveness and ownership. By indicating the number of users reached in the global marketing campaign, the potential employer gauges the scope and effectiveness of your work.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with reception team to improve telephone etiquette
⤸After: Influenced• Influenced telephone etiquette norms among the reception team, reducing miscommunication and client complaints by 45% within three months.
The term 'Influenced' suggests active persuasion. In addition, by quantifying the reduction in miscommunication and client complaints, you have provided measurable evidence of your efficacy.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with a team to meet sales target
⤸After: Motivated• Motivated a team of 7 salespeople to surpass quarterly sales targets by 15%, achieving the highest regional sales for the fiscal year.
Replacing 'Collaborate' with 'Motivated' reflects leadership and motivational skills. Incorporating specific metrics, such as '15%' and 'highest regional sales for the fiscal year' highlights the degree of your success.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate on publicity projects to promote a new product
⤸After: Promoted• Promoted new product through targeted publicity strategies, effectively gaining a 25% increase in customer awareness and a 30% increase in sales.
Using 'Promoted' instead of 'Collaborate' shows direct responsibility. Also, the addition of specific performance metrics adds evidence to underline the effectiveness of your promotional activities.
Before: Collaborate• Collaborate with PR team to refresh brand image
⤸After: Revitalized• Revitalized brand image alongside the PR team, effectively leading to a 40% surge in social media followers and a 20% increase in customer loyalty measurements.
To enhance this point, I chose 'Revitalized' to show the candidate's role in breathing new life into the brand and then added metrics to show the effectiveness of this initiative.
How to use these synonyms in practice
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 Collaborate.
More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms
How to use Assessed on a resume:
• Assessed capacity risks and developed an operating cost model of a $100MM supplier for a private equity client, highlighting $4-6MM potential savings opportunities.
How to use Evaluated on a resume:
• Evaluated acquisition opportunities for a German reinsurer. Performed accretion and dilution analyses, conducted market research to gauge the viability and long term prospects of target's businesses.
How to use Led on a resume:
• Led a 10-week engagement in a four-member team for a solar energy provider; assessed 30+ locations and provided a recommendation for the most suitable location of their new headquarters.
How to use Developed on a resume:
• Developed turnaround strategy for leading telecoms provider with annual losses of $50MM; resulted in 10% increase in revenue, or $5MM profit in first year.
How to use Coordinated on a resume:
• Coordinated execution of LBO in foodservice sector in South Africa, the PE fund's largest investment; led a team of four analysts; negotiated bank financing and developed hedging strategy.
How to use Analyzed on a resume:
• Analyzed impact and effectiveness of in-app UI changes on customer retention; identified features of customer behavior and recommended additional menu modifications [R, MySQL, Chart JS].
Frequently Asked Questions
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