Having a present tense verb like 'gain' in your resume shows that you're not afraid of hard work—you've pushed through obstacles to get ahead. You have an eye for opportunity and know how to capitalize on it. It shows that you will go above and beyond what is expected of you.

The word 'gain' also gives the hiring manager an idea of the kind of person they might be working with: someone who wants to learn, grow, and improve. However, using this term frequently in your bullet points can make you appear unoriginal and less confident in your own ideas. It's also applicable to use the verb's past tense when highlighting previous achievements (i.e., 'gained').

Instead, use synonyms such as 'acquired,' 'surpassed, 'or 'increased' in place of the action verb 'gain.' This will help show that you're a person with ambition and drive without being repetitive.

Synonyms help draw attention to your skills and accomplishments using various descriptive words. Recruiters can see right away that you want to achieve more than just the bare minimum required by your role and to make an impact on your company or industry, which is why you're putting yourself forward for a job opportunity.

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

Resume Synonyms for Gain:

Amplified
Augmented
Broadened
Enhanced
Elevated
Maximized
Magnified
Improved
Raised
Strengthened
Bolstered
Doubled
Capitalized
Fortified
Multiplied
Enlivened
Intensified
Surpassed
Revitalized
Escalated
Outpaced
Increased
Acquired
Procured
Retrieved
Collected
Obtained
Purchased
Derived
Earned

How to replace Gain with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Gain

• Gained valuable experience in purchasing and inventory management

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Expedited order entry and inventory tracking for 19 large retail chains; slashed inventory levels by 46% within one month of implementation. .

Replacing Gain with Amplified ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained profits by improving sales strategies

⤸

After: Amplified• Amplified business profits by 38% within one year by implementing innovative and effective sales strategies.

Here, I changed 'Gained' to 'Amplified' to make the sentence more impactful and specific. I included the percentage of increase in business profits and the time frame to portray a clear picture of the candidate's achievements.

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 Gain with Augmented ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained positive feedback from customer service interactions

⤸

After: Augmented• Augmented customer satisfaction by 27% within six months through exceptional customer service interactions and issue resolution.

I switched 'Gained' to 'Augmented' to better depict a measurable improvement. The specific percentage of customer satisfaction increase and the time frame also add value and paint a more complete picture.

Replacing Gain with Broadened ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained market share by launching new products

⤸

After: Broadened• Broadened the company's market share by 12% over two quarters by successfully launching three new products.

To clarify the scope of work and its impact, I changed 'Gained' to 'Broadened' and provided specific details about the percentage of increased market share, the time frame, and the number of new products launched.

Replacing Gain with Enhanced ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained a strong rapport with clients

⤸

After: Enhanced• Enhanced relationships with key client accounts, driving a 30% increase in repeat business within the fiscal year.

I replaced the vague verb 'Gained' with 'Enhanced' and demonstrated the impact with concrete metrics. This provides a better understanding of the candidate's client management skills and their quantifiable achievements.

Replacing Gain with Elevated ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained followers through social media campaigns

⤸

After: Elevated• Elevated brand visibility by growing social media followers by 50% in 4 months through engaging campaigns.

The 'before' statement was vague, so I used 'Elevated' instead of 'Gained' to imply higher efforts. I included specific numbers and timeframe to quantify the improvement.

Replacing Gain with Maximized ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained efficiency in operations

⤸

After: Maximized• Maximized operational efficiency by 40% in one year through streamlining workflow and implementing better project management tools.

I replaced 'Gained' with 'Maximized' to underscore the level of improvement. It was also important to detail out how the operational efficiency was achieved to give the reader a better understanding of the candidate's role.

Replacing Gain with Magnified ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained team productivity

⤸

After: Magnified• Magnified team productivity by 35% over two quarters by initiating a flexible work schedule and regular training sessions.

I chose 'Magnified' instead of 'Gained' to represent a significant improvement. The inclusion of specific metrics, strategies used, and timeframe bring life and depth to the statement.

Replacing Gain with Improved ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained my team's performance

⤸

After: Improved• Improved team's performance by 25% in one quarter through effective leadership and conflict resolution strategies.

I changed 'Gained' to 'Improved', which better explains the candidate’s contribution. The percentage of improvement and the methods used express the dynamic leadership qualities of the candidate.

Replacing Gain with Raised ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained on project success rates

⤸

After: Raised• Raised project success rates by 45% within six months by implementing a robust risk management framework.

Instead of 'Gained', I used 'Raised' to exhibit progress. The structured risk management approach and the notable increase in success rates highlight the candidate's sound project management skills.

Replacing Gain with Strengthened ▾

Before: Gain

• Gained user engagement on our website

⤸

After: Strengthened• Strengthened user engagement on the company website by 60% over three months by improving user interface and personalizing content.

I replaced 'Gained' with 'Strengthened' to more accurately reflect the candidate’s efforts. The specific increase in user engagement along with the methods used makes the statement stronger and more impactful.

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 Gain.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Led on a resume:

• Led five developers to establish client's ERP system; identified $1.5MM in cost savings, and secured $1MM+ in additional work for Accenture.

How to use Assessed on a resume:

• Assessed capacity risks and developed an operating cost model of a $100MM supplier for a private equity client, highlighting $4-6MM potential savings opportunities.

How to use Analyzed on a resume:

• Analyzed 50+ companies to identify potential investments, built valuation models, and visited 90+ members of senior management in Germany, Nigeria, Indonesia and Singapore to evaluate companies' growth outlook.

How to use Generated on a resume:

• Generated insights on customer churn and renewal rates from data tables with 100M rows in SQL.

How to use Delivered on a resume:

• Delivered product solutions to institutional and corporate clients; grew customer base by +25% in Europe.

How to use Created on a resume:

• Created a performance reporting template, achieving an 80% reduction in the preparation time of standard client materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Gain on a resume?

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

Escalated
Outpaced
Derived
Doubled
Retrieved
Acquired

What can I say instead of Gain on a resume?

You can say Purchased, Collected or Surpassed instead of Gain.

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

To figure out if you're using the right verbs on your resume, you should upload it to the tool below. It'll analyze at each of your resume's bullet points and verbs, as well as 20+ key criteria hiring managers look for, and tell you if you have any big mistakes that need fixing.

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