A helpful word in your resume is the action verb 'established'. It shows that you have experience setting up and maintaining a business, project, or organization. It also indicates that you have the experience and skills necessary to manage and lead others and the necessary knowledge to establish goals and ensure they are met.

This is an essential skill for many positions and industries. However, don't overuse the word 'established.' Using it too frequently in your resume can make it seem repetitive and not allow room for further elaboration.

Instead, use synonyms to replace 'established' with action verbs like 'conceived,' 'founded,' or 'pioneered.' Using synonyms will help you convey your experience in a more relevant way that is more likely to attract employers' attention.

Conversely, synonyms make your resume more engaging and informative, which is very important when writing your resume. It also allows you to describe exactly how much you've accomplished. If your goal is to impress an employer with how well-written your resume is, then using synonyms for established will help you achieve that goal.

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

Resume Synonyms for Established:

Launched
Implemented
Formed
Created
Instituted
Initiated
Developed
Devised
Constructed
Cultivated
Defined
Mobilized
Engineered
Chartered
Settled
Substantiated
Validated
Verified
Authenticated
Recorded
Confirmed
Pioneered
Founded
Instituted
Innovated
Devised
Conceived
Fathered
Contrived
Inaugurated
Originated
Concocted
Installed
Fashioned

How to replace Established with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Established

• Established new training programs for employees

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Spearheaded a new training program that decreased turnover rate by 10% and increased sales revenue by 39%. .

Replacing Established with Launched ▾

Before: Established

• Established seasonal marketing promotions

⤸

After: Launched• Launched two highly targeted marketing promotions, resulting in a 15% increase in store traffic and a 25% uptick in sales for key periods.

For this bullet point, I wanted to emphasise the initiative factor and creativity. Rather than simply establishing promotions, launching them projects dynamism. And more importantly, I inserted clear numbers to show the impact of these promotions, giving hiring managers a taste of the applicant's results-driven approach.

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 Established with Implemented ▾

Before: Established

• Established new operational procedures

⤸

After: Implemented• Implemented dynamic operational procedures, reducing errors by 40% and boosting overall productivity by 60%.

I choose 'Implemented' as it denotes a more hands-on approach to problem-solving. The change made also showcases specific metrics to underline the candidate’s potential impact.

Replacing Established with Formed ▾

Before: Established

• Established a cross-functional team

⤸

After: Formed• Formed a cross-functional team of seven engineers and product managers, streamlining workflow which resulted in a 30% increase in efficiency.

Forming a team implies a more active, leadership-oriented role. Adding exact numbers avoids vagueness and helps portray the real impact made by the candidate's decision.

Replacing Established with Created ▾

Before: Established

• Established sales strategies

⤸

After: Created• Created effective sales strategies which drove up annual revenue by an impressive $1.2M

The verb 'Created' has more of an innovative connotation, making the applicant seem forward-thinking and proactive. I added a hard-hitting metric to portray the scale of the candidate’s contributions.

Replacing Established with Instituted ▾

Before: Established

• Established feedback routine

⤸

After: Instituted• Instituted a weekly feedback routine that reduced project revisions by 50% and improved the team's turn-around time by 20%.

Replacing 'Established' with 'Instituted' shows authority. By adding specific percentages, it shows that the candidate is able to execute decisions that have a measurable positive impact.

Replacing Established with Initiated ▾

Before: Established

• Established a customer loyalty program

⤸

After: Initiated• Initiated a custom loyalty program, driving repeat business up by 30% and growing annual sales by 20%.

'Initiated' sends a stronger message than 'established', indicating a candidate's drive and creativity in making business improvements. Addition of clear metrics proves its success.

Replacing Established with Developed ▾

Before: Established

• Established a new software

⤸

After: Developed• Developed a proprietary software solution that enhanced customer satisfaction by 50% and cut response times by 30%.

By using 'Developed' we highlight that the candidate not just established but built something from scratch. Definite numbers are added to quantify the benefits received from the new software.

Replacing Established with Devised ▾

Before: Established

• Established an orientation program for new hires

⤸

After: Devised• Devised a robust orientation program that reduced new hire ramp time by 20% and increased employee retention by 15%.

'Devised' implies careful planning and strategizing, making the candidate look thoughtful and efficient. Definite improvements are also mentioned to show the effect of such planning.

Replacing Established with Constructed ▾

Before: Established

• Established health and safety protocols.

⤸

After: Constructed• Constructed comprehensive health and safety protocols, reducing workplace accidents by 60% and increasing employee satisfaction by 25%.

Replacing 'established' with 'constructed' emphasizes the thorough planning and building involved. Quantifying the reduction in accidents and increase in satisfaction provides concrete evidence of the protocols' success.

Replacing Established with Cultivated ▾

Before: Established

• Established relationships with key stakeholders

⤸

After: Cultivated• Cultivated relationships with key stakeholders that led to 25% more investment and 15% increase in market share.

'Cultivated' not only indicates the creating of something, but the careful nurturing of it as well. Those specifics paint a picture of a productive, relationship-building professional.

Replacing Established with Defined ▾

Before: Established

• Established company standards and expectations

⤸

After: Defined• Defined company standards that increased employee performance by 35% and cut down operational costs by 20%.

'Defined' indicates direct involvement, making the candidate appear an integral part of the company's growth. By showing how operational costs went down and employee performance went up, we demonstrate the candidate’s effectiveness in a clear, concrete way.

Replacing Established with Mobilized ▾

Before: Established

• Established a project task force

⤸

After: Mobilized• Mobilized a project task force that cut project completion time by 40% and drove project success rates up by 30%.

'Mobilized' emphasizes strong leadership and action. The metrics show the impressive results that came from this leadership, making the candidate more appealing.

Replacing Established with Engineered ▾

Before: Established

• Established a new product line

⤸

After: Engineered• Engineered a new product line that increased annual revenue by $2M and boosted market share by 10%.

The usage of 'Engineered' conveys a sense of ingenuity and expertise. Quantitative metrics indicate the candidate's significant contributions to revenue and market share growth.

Replacing Established with Chartered ▾

Before: Established

• Established an internal mentoring program

⤸

After: Chartered• Chartered an internal mentoring program, resulting in a 40% increase in employee promotion rates and a 30% decrease in annual turnover.

'Chartered' as a synonym for 'established' instills a sense of directive and control. Including key metrics, such as the increase in promotion rates and decrease in turnover provides tangible measures of the program's success.

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 Established.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

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 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 Overhauled on a resume:

• Overhauled the company's website by increasing graphics usage by 50% and mobile responsiveness by 100%; generated 70% more leads via email capture forms, reduced bounce rate by 20%.

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).

How to use Evaluated on a resume:

• Evaluated acquisition opportunities for a German reinsurer. Performed accretion and dilution analyses, conducted market research to gauge the viability and long term prospects of target's businesses.

How to use Led on a resume:

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Established on a resume?

You can say Innovated, Conceived or Authenticated instead of Established.

What are other words for Established on a resume?

Generic language like Established are considered to be buzzwords because they're used so often. Consider using synonyms like Authenticated, Fashioned, Recorded, Verified, Instituted or Confirmed.

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

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