Creating (present participle of the verb create) is a powerful word to show that you're an innovative and forward-thinking problem-solver. It's also a great way to demonstrate that you're not afraid of change because creating something new means taking risks and being willing to try things that may not work out.

It shows you have the drive, creative thinking, and confidence to take on new challenges. But, when you use this word repeatedly in your resume, it can be a missed opportunity to show that you're not only creating something but also improving upon it. That's why it's important to use synonyms.

Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. You should also use the past tense of the verb ('created') to write past accomplishments, provided that it's not an ongoing role. For example, replace 'creating' with other words like 'designed,' 'built,' or 'devised' throughout your resume.

When you use synonyms, you don't just say the same thing over again—you can show off your ability to express yourself in different ways and even better communicate your skills. If you're applying for a job that involves creating things, you must show employers how well you can create or refine something.

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

Resume Synonyms for Creating:

Developed
Generated
Orchestrated
Furnished
Shaped
Forged
Drafted
Initiated
Engineered
Founded
Spearheaded
Pioneered
Revamped
Directed
Hatched
Carved
Implemented
Composed
Formed
Established
Constituted
Designed
Formulated
Produced
Devised
Concocted
Invented
Commenced
Built
Constructed
Started
Conceptualized
Customized
Illustrated
Wrote
Structured
Published

How to replace Creating with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Creating

• Creating a plan to reduce development costs

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Reduced development costs by 25 percent by creating a plan to merge related products into one, more streamlined product..

Replacing Creating with Developed ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a program for client file management

⤸

After: Developed• Developed a comprehensive client file management system, improving efficiency by 35% and saving 20 hours per week of manual labor

By replacing 'creating' with 'developed', we emphasized the action and the outcome. Also adding quantifiable metrics makes the statement more compelling and reinforces the candidate's skills.

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 Creating with Generated ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a new marketing strategy.

⤸

After: Generated• Generated a unique, targeted marketing strategy, increasing product market share by 30% over 6 months.

I replaced the word 'creating' with 'generated', which gives a more concrete impression of what was done. The addition of specific numbers also gives hiring managers a clear idea of the impact of your strategy.

Replacing Creating with Orchestrated ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a pipeline for sales team.

⤸

After: Orchestrated• Orchestrated a client engagement pipeline for the sales team, leading to a 15% increase in the conversion rates over a quarter.

'Orchestrated' beautifies the sentence and depicts the candidate's ability to take the initiative and lead. The measurable improvement also provides a proof of the candidate's capability.

Replacing Creating with Furnished ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a new database system.

⤸

After: Furnished• Furnished an advanced database system, enhancing the data retrieval times by 40%.

The change from 'Creating' to 'Furnished' places emphasis on the accomplishment and the action. Adding the positive result gives hiring managers concrete details about the candidate's capabilities.

Replacing Creating with Shaped ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a product development plan.

⤸

After: Shaped• Shaped a detailed product development plan, which launched 5 successful products within one year, driving revenue growth by 30%.

'Shaped' brings out the skill of giving form or direction, and adding the outcome and impact, provides a proof of the candidate's industriousness and success.

Replacing Creating with Forged ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating collaborations with other organizations.

⤸

After: Forged• Forged solid collaborations with 4 new partner organizations which resulted in an influx of 200 new customers.

Replacing 'Creating' with 'Forged' highlights the action undertaken. The addition of specific numbers and stakeholders makes it easier for hiring managers to understand the impact.

Replacing Creating with Drafted ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a disaster recovery plan.

⤸

After: Drafted• Drafted a robust disaster recovery plan, successfully mitigating two high-risk scenarios with zero data loss.

In this bullet, 'Drafted' gives a more detailed action than 'Creating'. The specific numbers and impacts brought about by the action make a strong case for the candidate's capabilities.

Replacing Creating with Initiated ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a customer feedback system.

⤸

After: Initiated• Initiated a real-time customer feedback system, significantly improving customer service ratings by 20% over six months.

'Initiated', instead of 'Creating', emphasizes the starting point and the candidate's proactive nature. Quantifying the effect also highlights the impact of the candidate's initiative.

Replacing Creating with Engineered ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a backup system for database.

⤸

After: Engineered• Engineered an automatic backup system for the database, which prevented any data loss during three major system crashes.

Replacing 'Creating' with 'Engineered' shows the complexity and technicality of the task. The outcomes signify the importance and effectiveness of the task to the company's operations.

Replacing Creating with Founded ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a networking group for professionals.

⤸

After: Founded• Founded a professional networking group that grew to 200 active members in its first year, providing valuable sector-specific insights.

'Founded' has a more specific, impactful meaning than 'Creating', it implies innovation and leadership. The specific metrics provide tangible evidence of the candidate's accomplishments.

Replacing Creating with Spearheaded ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating new coding standards and guidelines.

⤸

After: Spearheaded• Spearheaded the introduction of new coding standards, resulting in a 30% reduction in system bugs over just 3 months.

'Spearheaded' conveys leadership and initiative, showing that you didn’t just contribute but led the efforts. Including tangible benefits, here the reduction in bugs, drives home the new standards’ impact.

Replacing Creating with Pioneered ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a new employee onboarding program.

⤸

After: Pioneered• Pioneered a comprehensive onboarding program that reduced new hire ramp-up time by 50%.

I selected 'Pioneered' to highlight the novelty and innovativeness of the onboarding program. Including specific metrics provides clear evidence of tangible success for employers.

Replacing Creating with Revamped ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a social media strategy.

⤸

After: Revamped• Revamped the company's social media strategy, driving an 80% increase in follower engagement across all channels.

Using 'Revamped' instead of 'Creating' emphasizes the transformation of the social media strategy, giving it a sense of upgrading. The clear metric emphasizes the strategy's impact on engagement.

Replacing Creating with Directed ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a branding campaign.

⤸

After: Directed• Directed a dynamic branding campaign that increased company recognition by 70% within one year.

‘Directed’ shows your leadership role in 'Creating' the campaign. Also, including a specific figure quantifies your accomplishment and demonstrates the tangible impact of your efforts.

Replacing Creating with Hatched ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating an operational process for the team.

⤸

After: Hatched• Hatched a streamlined operational process, enhancing the team's productivity by 60% within the first quarter.

I introduced 'Hatched' as it signifies an innovative approach to a common task. The percentage increase gives the hiring manager a clear understanding of the candidate's contribution.

Replacing Creating with Carved ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating a niche in the new market.

⤸

After: Carved• Carved out a profitable niche in a highly competitive market, ramping up sales by 150% in the first six months.

Here, 'Carved' represents the struggle and strategy involved in 'Creating' a niche. It showcases strategic thinking and ambition. Including the percentage rise indicates the scale of the candidate's achievement.

Replacing Creating with Implemented ▾

Before: Creating

• Creating new methods for project tracking

⤸

After: Implemented• Implemented innovative project tracking methods, reducing project delay incidents by 45% over one year.

By using 'Implemented', we highlight the practical application of methods, showing the direct influence on the workflow. The specified metric illustrates the effectiveness of these methods.

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 Creating.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Reduced on a resume:

• Reduced signup drop-offs from 65% to 15%, increased user-engagement by 40%, and boosted content generation by 15%, through a combination of user interviews and A/B-testing-driven product flow optimization.

How to use Led on a resume:

• Led 2 business analysts to automate repetitive process flows using Excel Macros / VBA and reduce analysis time by 10+ hours per week.

How to use Spearheaded on a resume:

• Spearheaded redevelopment of internal tracking system in use by 125 employees, resulting in 20+ new features, reduction of 20% in save/load time and 15% operation time.

How to use Designed on a resume:

• Designed and implemented an automated system for processing employee timesheets, eliminating the need for manual handwritten timesheets and resulted in a 10/hr per week time saving.

How to use Managed on a resume:

• Managed international stakeholders in India, United Kingdom and Hong Kong by hosting daily standups and coordinating weekly status reports.

How to use Implemented on a resume:

• Implemented crash reporter and used findings to fix three biggest causes of crashes; fixes reduced customer support calls by 30%.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Creating on a resume?

You can say Conceptualized, Wrote or Illustrated instead of Creating.

What can I say instead of Creating on a resume?

Here are some synonyms for commonly repeated words, like Creating, I see on resumes:

Formulated
Invented
Started
Customized
Constituted
Established

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