Resumes are about selling yourself as the perfect candidate for a job. Using the present tense verb 'complete' in your resume can help employers see that you have resilience and determination, someone who can see projects through from beginning to end. They'll know that you'll be able to keep their business running efficiently once they hire you.

So, if you want to show that you're someone who gets things done expeditiously, the verb 'complete' is a good place to start. Just be mindful that you don't use it repeatedly in your resume—it'll make it seem as though you're just listing the number of jobs you've had. Ensure also that you use the verb's past tense ('completed') when writing your previous roles.

For example, another word for complete, like yielded, delivered, and attained, adds meaning to your writing and shows that you're not just listing your past jobs.

Synonyms help your resume stand out from others by making it look less like a list of job titles and more like a narrative of your experience. You'll also have the opportunity to show off more aspects of your skills and accomplishments, showing you have what it takes to succeed in any situation.

I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Complete on your resume, followed by real examples I've written for clients (feel free to use them!).

Resume Synonyms for Complete:

Achieved
Implemented
Established
Negotiated
Coordinated
Spearheaded
Revitalized
Engineered
Cultivated
Expanded
Finished
Concluded
Enforced
Enacted
Functioned
Bettered
Constituted
Formed
Enriched
Perfected
Attained
Captured
Delivered
Earned
Yielded
Rendered
Visualized
Pursued

How to replace Complete with a stronger action verb:

Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Complete, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.

Before: Weak example using Complete

• Completed market research and data analysis

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Conducted comprehensive data analysis and market research and successfully identified growth opportunities for 15 products..

Replacing Complete with Achieved ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed successful marketing campaigns

⤸

After: Achieved• Achieved a significant 35% increase in brand awareness after strategizing and launching innovative marketing campaigns, that ultimately boosted sales by 25% in three quarters.

The use of 'achieved' eliminates vagueness and rightly demonstrates success. The addition of metrics conveys the impact, enhancing its appeal to the hiring manager. It now shows not just what you did, but the positive effect it had.

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.

Replacing Complete with Implemented ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed a new project management system

⤸

After: Implemented• Implemented a robust project management system that streamlined workflow, increased team efficiency by 40%, and improved on-time project completion rate by 30% within six months.

The word 'implemented' makes it clear that you didn't just finish setting up the system, you put it into action. The precise metrics provided demonstrate the measurable impact you made.

Replacing Complete with Established ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed set up of a new department

⤸

After: Established• Established a highly efficient Customer Service department from scratch, recruiting a team of 12 and achieving a 95% satisfactory rate from customers within the first year.

Transforming 'completed' to 'established' better highlights the initiative and leadership skills involved in starting a department. Also, showcasing a quantifiable outcome and stakeholder positively illustrates your impact.

Replacing Complete with Negotiated ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed business agreements with partners

⤸

After: Negotiated• Negotiated and secured lucrative business agreements with five industry-leading partners, generating an additional $1M in annual revenue.

The 'after' text doesn't just tell that you sealed deals, it communicates how this benefited your former employer. Replacing 'completed' with 'negotiated' emphasizes an important business ability.

Replacing Complete with Coordinated ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed various logistics tasks

⤸

After: Coordinated• Coordinated logistics tasks, effectively managing a $2M inventory, reducing warehouse idle time by 20% and optimizing supply chain efficiency by 15%.

By swapping 'completed' to 'coordinated', it gives strength to your logistic skills. The specific results highlight the tangible benefits your coordination skills brought to the organization.

Replacing Complete with Spearheaded ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed software development initiatives

⤸

After: Spearheaded• Spearheaded critical software development initiatives that improved system performance by 50%, benefitted 500+ users and reduced system downtime by 30%.

'Spearheaded' works better than 'completed', showing your leadership role in the initiative. The explicit numbers and beneficiaries help visualize the scale and impact of your work.

Replacing Complete with Revitalized ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed company website redesign

⤸

After: Revitalized• Revitalized the company's outdated website, improving user interface, resulting in a 60% increase in site traffic and a 30% boost in conversion rates in eight months.

By using 'revitalized' instead of 'completed', we're emphasizing the transformation that your work brought about. The amount of improvement and the time frame give the hiring manager a concrete sense of the value you could bring.

Replacing Complete with Engineered ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed infrastructure improvements

⤸

After: Engineered• Engineered extensive infrastructure improvements that increased system reliability by 90%, while cutting maintenance downtime by 50% over a year period.

The term 'Engineered' indicates proactivity, planning, and technical ability. It's more dynamic and action-oriented than 'Completed'. The specific figures and timescale show the effectiveness of the improvements.

Replacing Complete with Cultivated ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed partnership deals

⤸

After: Cultivated• Cultivated strategic partnerships, fostering relationships that led to an xx% expansion of the business network and drove a 30% growth in annual revenue.

'Cultivated' showcases your active involvement in developing relationships with partners, rather than just finalizing deals. Quantifying the broadened business network and the accompanied revenue growth frames a clearer picture of your impact.

Replacing Complete with Expanded ▾

Before: Complete

• Completed client base growth tasks

⤸

After: Expanded• Expanded client base by 70% in under a year, successfully closing high-value contracts and driving an increase in annual revenue by 45%.

'Expanded' directly points out the growth you drove, giving the statement more oomph. The time-bound, quantitative growth in clients and revenue emphasizes the scale and speed of your accomplishments.

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 Complete.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Developed on a resume:

• Developed web scraping program in Python to help the firm download public data, including over 10,000 company descriptions and stock quotes, enriching internal data and increasing research efficiency by over 50%.

How to use Conducted on a resume:

• 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.

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 50+ companies to identify potential investments, built valuation models, and visited 90+ members of senior management in Germany, Nigeria, Indonesia and Singapore to evaluate companies' growth outlook.

How to use Created on a resume:

• Created and implemented Google AdWords strategy; increased customer acquisitions by 20% and decreased cost per acquisition by 50%.

How to use Generated on a resume:

• 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).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Complete on a resume?

You can say Enforced, Rendered or Constituted instead of Complete.

What can I use instead of Complete on a resume?

You should vary up your language on your resume, instead of using Complete over and over again. Good synonyms to use instead include:

Yielded
Captured
Enriched
Pursued
Attained
Functioned

Get a free resume review: Find out if your action verbs are strong enough.

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