Establishing yourself as a leader in your field is a powerful way to set yourself apart in the job market. When you use the verb 'establish' in your resume, you're saying that you've been able to lead others toward success, which great leaders do.

The word 'establish' (present tense of verb established) shows that you have a vision—that you can see what needs doing and then go out there and get it done. It's a great action verb to demonstrate achievement; however, use it sparingly. Otherwise, the repetition may bore your reader.

To fix this, use synonyms—words that connote the same thing but may be used to convey different tones and feelings. Also, when writing your bullet points, past tense verbs are generally appropriate for describing previous experiences. Words to use on resume instead of 'establish' include 'founded,' 'originated,' or 'pioneered.'

Synonyms can help you craft a more professional and engaging tone in your resume. By using synonyms, you can change a word that sounds dull or overly formal into something more interesting to read. You can also use synonyms to replace words that don't fit your desired tone or aren't appropriate for the job you are applying for.

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

Resume Synonyms for Establish:

Formed
Developed
Designed
Crafted
Created
Outlined
Devised
Generated
Rendering
Implemented
Promoted
Introduced
Engineered
Constructed
Laid
Initiated
Inaugurated
Founded
Constructed
Installed
Constituted
Pioneered
Planted
Authored
Fathered
Originated
Conceived
Fabricated
Manufactured
Enlarged
Materialized
Progressed
Evolved
Contrived
Invented

How to replace Establish with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Establish

• Establish new hiring processes to make the company more efficient

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Incorporated new cost-effective recruiting methods, such as video interviewing & behavioral quizzes, saving the company $10K+ monthly in recruitment costs..

Replacing Establish with Formed ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish customer service guidelines

⤸

After: Formed• Formed comprehensive customer service guidelines that led to a 35% decrease in customer complaints

As a recruiter, I value specific impact. So, I changed the verb to 'Formed', highlighting the candidate's proactive role and added a numerical value to show the measurable impact of the candidate's action.

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 Establish with Developed ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish sales training program

⤸

After: Developed• Developed an innovative sales training program resulting in a 20% increase in closed deals per representative

This change articulates the candidate's specific role in increasing sales effectiveness. By using 'Developed', it implies originality and thought leadership. The inclusion of metrics validates the achieved outcome.

Replacing Establish with Designed ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish quality control procedures

⤸

After: Designed• Designed transformative quality control procedures, reducing product defects by 45%

Here, the verb 'Designed' emphasizes the creativity and complex process involved in the task. The incorporation of a specific metric enhances the candidate's impact.

Replacing Establish with Crafted ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish new marketing strategy

⤸

After: Crafted• Crafted an effective marketing strategy that boosted web traffic by 70%

The term 'Crafted' signifies precision and skill. By indicating a specific deliverable with its impactful results, the candidate appears more competent and result-oriented.

Replacing Establish with Created ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish a research roadmap

⤸

After: Created• Created a 3-year comprehensive research roadmap that pioneered 5 patent submissions

The use of 'Created' highlights the candidate’s innovative approach. Adding a time frame along with direct results gives more weight to the accomplishment.

Replacing Establish with Outlined ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish operational policies

⤸

After: Outlined• Outlined comprehensive operational policies, improving overall efficiency by 30%

Choosing 'Outlined' emphasizes the candidate’s strategic planning skills. The specific percentage increase shows the effective outcome of these policies.

Replacing Establish with Devised ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish health and safety protocols

⤸

After: Devised• Devised stringent health and safety protocols that decreased incidents by 40% over the following year

The synonym 'Devised' showcases the candidate's resourcefulness. The specific metrics provide clear evidence of the positive result of their actions.

Replacing Establish with Generated ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish new procedures for documentation

⤸

After: Generated• Generated efficient procedures for project documentation, resulting in a 25% reduction in time spent on paperwork

The action verb 'Generated' implies innovation and initiative. By showcasing the time saved, we underline the practical value of the candidate’s contribution.

Replacing Establish with Rendering ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish a framework for data-driven decision making

⤸

After: Rendering• Rendered a solid framework for data-driven decision making that resulted in a 15% increase in gross profit margin

The synonym 'Rendered' emphasizes the candidate's skill in execution. The measurement of profits provides a tangible evidence of the candidate's impact on the organization.

Replacing Establish with Implemented ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish first response protocols

⤸

After: Implemented• Implemented thorough first-response protocols, cutting down emergency response times by 50%

The term 'Implemented' showcases the candidate’s ability to execute and enforce protocols. Dramatically lowering the response time provides real-world evidence of the applicant’s effectiveness.

Replacing Establish with Promoted ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish a positive work environment

⤸

After: Promoted• Promoted a positive work environment leading to a 20% drop in employee turnover rate

Switching 'Establish' to 'Promoted' calls out the candidate's ability to nurture a healthy work ambience. The reduced employee turnover rate underlines the success of this effort.

Replacing Establish with Introduced ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish software best practices

⤸

After: Introduced• Introduced software best practices that improved coding efficiency by 35%

By using 'Introduced', the candidate demonstrates their active role in promoting productive practices. The measurable improvement in efficiency cements their achievement.

Replacing Establish with Engineered ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish new product development process

⤸

After: Engineered• Engineered an efficient product development process, reducing time-to-market by 20%

The term 'Engineered' highlights the candidate's technical acumen and influence on critical processes. The tangible result of reduced time-to-market substantiates their claim.

Replacing Establish with Constructed ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish process standards for production

⤸

After: Constructed• Constructed result-oriented process standards for production, accelerating output by 30%

The switch to 'Constructed' emphasizes on the candidate's systematic approach to task. By providing definitive result of enhanced output, the resume will stand out in a pile.

Replacing Establish with Laid ▾

Before: Establish

• Establish an IoT infrastructure

⤸

After: Laid• Laid the groundwork for a robust IoT infrastructure, that expedited data collection by 50%

Choosing the verb 'Laid' communicates the candidate’s foundational role in the setup. The mention of expedited data collection articulates return on investment.

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 Establish.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Promoted on a resume:

• Promoted within 12 months due to strong performance and organizational impact - ahead of schedule by 12 months.

How to use Designed on a resume:

• Designed and implemented 50+ E2E tests using Selenium & Protractor, simulating each user group's actions.

How to use Crafted on a resume:

• Crafted strategic plan for a major client with revenues >$40B through insights from market trend analysis, organizational effectiveness diagnostic, and interviews with senior stakeholders.

How to use Led on a resume:

• Led consolidation of 8 data systems into 1; resulted in over $55k in annual savings.

How to use Created on a resume:

• Created and maintained models for M&A plans, Discounted Cash Flow Analysis, Product SVA Analysis, Credit Risk Assessment Models, and Common Stock Liquidity Comparisons.

How to use Managed on a resume:

• Managed a 10-member cross-functional (engineering, product, sales, support) team and coordinated with five business partners towards the successful launch of an e-commerce website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Establish on a resume?

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

Installed
Originated
Invented
Constituted
Manufactured
Evolved

What is a better word for Establish on a resume?

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

Manufactured
Conceived
Originated
Contrived
Progressed
Constituted

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

As a next step, I'd recommend going through each of your resume's verbs and improving each one with stronger action verbs. The most effective way to do that is by uploading your resume to tool below. It'll tell you which parts of your resume need work, so you can improve them before a recruiter rejects you for them.

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