Hiring managers like to see the word 'ensure' in your resume because it indicates that you are a go-getter and a leader—and they can trust that you will do what needs to be done for things to run smoothly. You're someone who is confident in your ability to make sure something is done correctly and efficiently, and it shows that you know how to be proactive in your approach to a task.

The word 'ensure' is a strong one—it indicates that you have the capacity to make sure that something happens. While this word has many positive connotations, when used too often on your bullet points, it loses its impact. Your goal with a resume is to convey your credentials in an engaging way.

If you find yourself using 'ensure' more than once, try replacing the word with synonyms, such as 'assured,' 'outpaced,' 'propelled,' or 'magnified.' Avoid overusing the same words in your resume by using synonyms.

Using different words to describe something makes your resume more engaging and interesting, which helps you stand out from other applicants.

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

Resume Synonyms for Ensure:

Elevated
Boosted
Enforced
Activated
Hiked
Escalated
Transitioned
Retained
Accrued
Assured
Curtailed
Decreased
Diminished
Earned
Inflated
Guaranteed
Inflated
Lifted
Magnified
Minimized
Outpaced
Propelled
Slashed
Trimmed

How to replace Ensure with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Ensure

• Ensured strong customer retention through effective onboarding and feedback processes

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Created customer satisfaction survey utilizing MS Project increasing customer retention by 12% and onboarding 3 new customers..

Replacing Ensure with Elevated ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure proper coordination of team assignments to meet client deadlines.

⤸

After: Elevated• Elevated team coordination techniques sacrificing personal time which resulted in timely project delivery, well within client deadlines.

In this revised bullet, the action word 'Elevated' suggests a deliberate initiative to improve the team's coordination, which is more active and compelling. Also note the inclusion of a specific outcome which provides clear and quantifiable evidence of the individual's effectiveness.

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 Ensure with Boosted ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure customer satisfaction through regular follow-ups.

⤸

After: Boosted• Boosted customer satisfaction by 15% in 6 months by implementing regular follow-ups and close interaction policy.

Switching 'Ensure' to 'Boosted' creates a more impactful action verb that shows the candidate took an active role in improving customer satisfaction. Secondly, giving a timeline and a quantifiable metric, it becomes transparent and credible.

Replacing Ensure with Enforced ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure compliance with safety protocols and guidelines.

⤸

After: Enforced• Enforced company safety protocols which led to a 20% decrease in workplace incidents over a 12 month period.

The term 'Enforced' connotes the regulatory nature of the task and shows an active involvement by the candidate. Adding specific metrics and a timeline makes the contribution readily measurable.

Replacing Ensure with Activated ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure department goals align with overall company objectives.

⤸

After: Activated• Activated a bottom-up feedback system that aligned department goals with company objectives, resulting in a 30% rise in overall productivity.

The term 'Activated' shows the candidate as proactive, and the specific method mentioned adds depth to the understanding of their role. Including a metric provides tangible evidence of the successful outcome.

Replacing Ensure with Hiked ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure sales targets are achieved monthly.

⤸

After: Hiked• Hiked monthly sales targets achievement by 18% by introducing an incentive scheme for the sales team.

'Hiked' is not only attention-grabbing but also translates to the candidate's capability to approach problems innovatively. The result is quantifiable, and the solution applied is highlighted.

Replacing Ensure with Escalated ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure speedy resolution of customer complaints.

⤸

After: Escalated• Escalated the customer complaint resolution rate by 20% within a quarter by implementing a prioritization tool.

The action verb 'Escalated' points to a decisive action taken by the candidate. Including both the tangible impact (resolution rate increase) and the strategy used enables hiring managers to clearly see the candidate's contributions and skills.

Replacing Ensure with Transitioned ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure smooth changeover during systems migration.

⤸

After: Transitioned• Transitioned organization's legacy systems to new platforms seamlessly with zero downtime, due to careful planning.

The term 'Transitioned' captures the essence of the job better than 'Ensured'. The zero downtime claim provides a strong measure of the candidate’s competence.

Replacing Ensure with Retained ▾

Before: Ensure

• Ensure high retention of key talent.

⤸

After: Retained• Retained 96% of the key talent over two years by developing a robust career progression structure.

The action verb 'Retained' is more specific and direct than 'Ensured'. It communicates the success achieved in talent retention, and gives insight into the approach used.

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 Ensure.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Managed on a resume:

• Managed a cross-functional team of 10 in 3 locations (London, Mumbai and New York), ranging from entry-level to Ph.D. analysts, and closely collaborated with business development, data analysis, operations and marketing teams.

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%.

How to use Developed on a resume:

• Developed and maintained ETL scripts in Python and Perl to scrape data from external web sites into a mySQL database..

How to use Analyzed on a resume:

• Analyzed industry trends in the automobile sector and presented long and short equity investment ideas for 12 large-cap stocks that outperformed the Bloomberg sector benchmark by 7% in 2014..

How to use Pitched on a resume:

• Pitched 25+ stocks to the investment team and portfolio managers, resulting in the addition of 6 stocks to the firm's portfolio with investment returns of more than 15% in 12 months.

How to use Interviewed on a resume:

• Interviewed future end users in London and New York daily to identify and analyse the inefficiencies in the existing manual process of bulk updating customer details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Ensure on a resume?

Below are some alternative words and synonyms to add to your resume instead of Ensure:

Minimized
Assured
Inflated
Magnified
Outpaced
Inflated

What is a better word for Ensure on a resume?

Synonyms you can use instead of the overused phrase Ensure include:

Guaranteed
Decreased
Inflated
Diminished
Trimmed
Propelled

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

Hiring managers are unnecessarily picky when it comes to resumes, and it's hard to know what they want to see. That's why you should upload your resume to the free resume checker below. It'll check your bullet points and identify any mistakes on your resume that recruiters specifically look out for.

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