A resume is meant to showcase your past achievements as well as your future potential—using the verb 'doing' (the present participle of 'do') helps to demonstrate both of those things at once. It can also help establish your value by showing that the company will benefit from hiring someone with so much experience and knowledge.

However, when writing your resume, it's important to avoid using 'doing'—it's generic, weak, and not very engaging. It's also not very accurate when describing what you did. It's also worth noting that it's appropriate to write past achievements in the past tense—'did' instead of 'doing.'

In order to make your writing more effective, you should replace weak verbs with power verbs. For example, instead of saying 'Doing,' use action verbs like: 'Realized,' 'Repaired,' or 'Calculated.' These words are more powerful and specific than 'doing,' making them a better choice for writing that needs to be impressive.

Using power verbs over weak verbs such as 'doing' can help make your resume stand out from others in a significant way: it shows that you're taking ownership of your accomplishments and understand how your work contributed to the success of your company.

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

Resume Synonyms for Doing:

Executed
Orchestrated
Analyzed
Maximized
Transformed
Revamped
Allocated
Streamlined
Innovated
Piloted
Refurbished
Eradicated
Enhanced
Expedited
Strengthened
Effectuated
Compassed
Actualized
Realized
Finished
Forged
Progressed
Repaired
Materialized
Amended
Fixed
Installed
Updated
Arranged
Verified
Resolved
Calculated
Minimized
Proposed
Gathered

How to replace Doing with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Doing

• Doing tasks like implementing tracking systems to ensure nothing gets missed

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Implemented 15 tracking systems that improved accountability and ensured that 1.3K purchases were authorized before being released for shipment. .

Replacing Doing with Executed ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks such as organizing and planning events

⤸

After: Executed• Executed 6 high-profit networking events, each with over 100+ attendees, leading to a 30% increase in customer engagement.

As a hiring manager, I appreciate when candidates use strong action verbs like 'Executed', which paints a robust image of their role. I made sure to include an specific number and direct impact ('30% increase in customer engagement') to highlight the candidate's accomplishments.

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 Doing with Orchestrated ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing management tasks on many projects

⤸

After: Orchestrated• Orchestrated the successful completion of 4 complex software development projects, each completed ahead of schedule and 20% under budget.

Employers want to know exactly what you accomplished at your previous job. By specifying the number of projects and the tangible results ('ahead of schedule and 20% under budget'), this bullet point now provides that detail.

Replacing Doing with Analyzed ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing data tasks such as writing reports

⤸

After: Analyzed• Analyzed and reported on 500+ data sets, revealing key trends that increased sales by 25% over 12 months.

The use of a specific verb like 'Analyzed' and explaining exactly what was done ('revealing key trends') paints a clear picture of the candidate's capabilities. Including a measurable outcome ('increased sales by 25%') adds further value.

Replacing Doing with Maximized ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing efficiency tasks and cost cutting

⤸

After: Maximized• Maximized operational efficiency of warehouse by 50% and cut costs by $250K through streamlined inventory system overhaul.

Direct results are attractive to an employer. The action verb 'Maximized' paired with precise improvements ('50% increase in efficiency, $250K in cost cuts') upgrades this bullet point significantly.

Replacing Doing with Transformed ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing processes improvements and product optimizations

⤸

After: Transformed• Transformed manufacturing process, reducing production time by 35%, which enhanced product quality and increased customer satisfaction by 40%.

The verb 'transformed' is more dynamic and paints a better picture of the candidate's role. By adding specific metrics, we showcase the candidate's direct impact on the company.

Replacing Doing with Revamped ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks to improve old systems

⤸

After: Revamped• Revamped outdated filing system to a digitized, cloud-based platform, saving each staff member an average of 10 hrs/week.

To avoid repetition, I chose the action verb 'Revamped' which provides a stronger image of an active contributor. The 'after' statement quantifies the impact of the contribution clearly.

Replacing Doing with Allocated ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks like budgeting and economic allocation

⤸

After: Allocated• Allocated a $1M budget across multiple projects which delivered all projects on time and achieved cost savings of 15%.

The specific action verb 'Allocated' gives a detailed picture of the candidate's job. By adding a detailed outcome, we provide evidence of the candidate's skills in effective resource management.

Replacing Doing with Streamlined ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks to improve office productivity

⤸

After: Streamlined• Streamlined office productivity by creating an updated task management system, improving project completion time by 40%.

By replacing 'Doing' with 'Streamlined', the statement has a stronger start. The addition of 'improving project completion by 40%' quantifies and emphasizes the impact made by this action.

Replacing Doing with Innovated ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing research and development tasks

⤸

After: Innovated• Innovated within the Research & Development department, pioneering a new product line that drove an additional $500k in revenue.

With 'Innovated', the action is clear and active. Adding the effects of the action ('drove an additional $500k in revenue') shows the effectiveness and commercial potential of the candidate.

Replacing Doing with Piloted ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks in the organization of company policies

⤸

After: Piloted• Piloted a new employee feedback system that led to 30% increase in staff retention annually.

In the new bullet point, 'Piloted' illustrates initiative and leadership. Coupling it with a quantified result makes the candidate's accomplishments more tangible.

Replacing Doing with Refurbished ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing remodeling and rearrangement of the office space

⤸

After: Refurbished• Refurbished the office layout which led to a 25% increase in collaboration among teams and boosted productivity by 15%.

'Refurbished' makes it clear the candidate took ownership in improving their work environment. Including the outcomes of their actions also demonstrates their positive impact.

Replacing Doing with Eradicated ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks for debugging and fixing the system

⤸

After: Eradicated• Eradicated system bugs, boosting system reliability by 60% and drastically reducing downtime by 80%.

Using 'Eradicated' shows assertive action and the strong, precise metrics show the candidate's efficacy at problem-solving.

Replacing Doing with Enhanced ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks to improve customer satisfaction

⤸

After: Enhanced• Enhanced customer satisfaction rates, consistently maintaining a 95% positive review score by implementing a customer feedback loop.

Using 'Enhanced' as the action verb captures the improvement more accurately. Quantifying the improvement in customer satisfaction gives this statement more credibility.

Replacing Doing with Expedited ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks to streamline project completion

⤸

After: Expedited• Expedited project timelines by 30% through the introduction of an agile workflow tool, increasing overall productivity.

With the action verb 'Expedited', we emphasize the candidate's promptness and efficiency. The 'after' statement quantifies the rate of improvement, clearly showcasing the candidate's impact.

Replacing Doing with Strengthened ▾

Before: Doing

• Doing tasks to maintain staff relationships

⤸

After: Strengthened• Strengthened staff relationships, reducing staff turnover by 20% after executing an effective team-building program.

Replacing 'Doing' with 'Strengthened' illustrates a proactive approach. Including a precise outcome quantifies the candidate's accomplishments and value to a potential employer.

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 Doing.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Analyzed on a resume:

• Analyzed company's 24-month sales results to develop five-year monthly projections by revenue and customer type.

How to use Designed, on a resume:

• Designed, executed, and optimized digital marketing campaign on Google's AdWords for $20B CPG company, yielding 20% ROI improvements.

How to use Founded on a resume:

• Founded ReferRoom to organize social events for 500 young professionals, and grew it to $20k/year revenue and $8k/year profit..

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 Developed on a resume:

• Developed an iPhone app to help medical professionals measure the insulin needs of patients with diabetes.

How to use Performed on a resume:

• Performed financial analysis to evaluate public and private financing alternatives to strengthen client's balance sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Doing on a resume?

Generic language like Doing are considered to be buzzwords because they're used so often. Consider using synonyms like Progressed, Repaired, Arranged, Resolved, Gathered or Fixed.

What can I say instead of Doing on a resume?

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

Minimized
Actualized
Calculated
Repaired
Gathered
Resolved

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

If you have a version of your resume ready, remember to get it checked using our free resume scanner below. It will make sure all your action verbs are strong enough, and give you feedback on any mistakes you might have overlooked, so you can fix them before a recruiter sees them.

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