'Grew' is a verb that describes an action or process. It shows growth, which candidates want to demonstrate in their careers. It means you've taken something from its original state and made it better, bigger, or more complex than it was before. That's a skill that gets you noticed by hiring managers!

It's a great action verb to demonstrate that you've proven yourself able to implement new strategies that led to development. But avoid committing the common mistake of using 'grew' in every bullet point of your resume. This can be problematic if you have a lot of experience, making it difficult for the reader to follow your story.

The best way to fix this is by using synonyms for 'grew', like 'increase' or 'evolved'. It's essential to do this because you want your resume to be clear, concise, and easy to read—which means using language that doesn't distract from your accomplishments or skills.

By finding synonyms for 'grew,' you'll help recruiters reading your resume understand your accomplishments better and makes them feel like they're reading about someone who's accomplished more than just growing.

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

Resume Synonyms for Grew:

Boosted
Elevated
Expanded
Accelerated
Progressed
Augmented
Propelled
Refined
Amplified
Enhanced
Fortified
Proliferated
Cultivated
Extended
Aggrandized
Bolstered
Enlivened
Intensified
Escalated
Multiplied
Surpassed
Outpaced
Heightened
Increased
Accrued
Enlarged
Inflated
Magnified
Energized
Lifted
Maximized
Tripled
Evolved
Widened
Lengthened

How to replace Grew with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Grew

• Grew sales by closing over 35 deals

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Closed over 35 deals within 53 days of employment, exceeding the departmental average by 80%. .

Replacing Grew with Boosted ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew customer base in the region.

⤸

After: Boosted• Boosted customer base by 40% in the midwest region by implementing targeted marketing campaigns and understanding customer needs.

To improve this bullet point, I replaced 'Grew' with the more powerful verb 'Boosted' and included a precise measurement of the candidate's success. This provides evidence of not only the candidate's achievement but also their methods.

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 Grew with Elevated ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew team productivity.

⤸

After: Elevated• Elevated team productivity by 25% after introducing morning briefings and implementing agile methodologies.

I switched 'Grew' with 'Elevated', to provide a rejuvenating expression. Furthermore, I involved the strategies used to achieve the specified increase in team productivity, thereby indicating the candidate's proactive leadership.

Replacing Grew with Expanded ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew our online reach.

⤸

After: Expanded• Expanded online brand reach by 150% by using effective SEO tactics and social media advertisements.

I replaced the generic 'Grew' with the more descriptive term 'Expanded' and added how the achievement was made along with a clear metric. This illustrates the candidate's skillset and impact more effectively.

Replacing Grew with Accelerated ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew monthly sales.

⤸

After: Accelerated• Accelerated monthly sales by 60%, breaking annual records by dynamically adapting sales techniques to customer preferences.

I opted for 'Accelerated' instead of 'Grew' to create a sense of speed in the improvement. The candidate's strategies and their effects are now clearer, providing a stronger image of the candidate's abilities.

Replacing Grew with Progressed ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew business partnerships.

⤸

After: Progressed• Progressed business partnerships, signing 12 new high-value contracts in Q3 2021 through strategic networking and targeted relationship management.

Replacing 'Grew' with 'Progressed' gives the progress a sense of forward momentum. The addition of a number and date gives a time frame and tangible figure for the achievement.

Replacing Grew with Augmented ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew website traffic.

⤸

After: Augmented• Augmented website traffic by 35% in six months through a successful combination of Google Adwords campaigns and optimized blog content.

The verb 'Augmented' suggests a significant increment and sounds more professional than 'Grew'. Adding the timeframe and strategy used provides recruiters with a complete snapshot of the candidate's success.

Replacing Grew with Propelled ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew social media followers.

⤸

After: Propelled• Propelled social media followers by 50k on Instagram and by 30k on Facebook within 4 months, through engaging content, collaborations with influencers and paid ads.

Swapping 'Grew' with 'Propelled' enforces a strong sense of accomplishment. The specifics of the achievement accompanied by the strategies and timeline make for a compelling bullet point.

Replacing Grew with Refined ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew processes efficiency.

⤸

After: Refined• Refined processes efficiency, reducing the project lifecycle by 20% and thereby saving upwards of 30 man-hours each week.

The verb 'Refined' provides the notion of improving something already in existence. The clarity in timings and numbers paints a clear picture of the candidate's capabilities.

Replacing Grew with Amplified ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew revenue in the first quarter.

⤸

After: Amplified• Amplified Q1 revenue by 25% by introducing a new upselling strategy, resulting in an additional $150K sales.

Changing 'Grew' to 'Amplified' infers a grand scope of improvement. Precise metrics along with the change brough about gives recruiters a clear perspective of the candidate's caliber.

Replacing Grew with Enhanced ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew customer satisfaction levels.

⤸

After: Enhanced• Enhanced customer satisfaction levels, resulting in a 15% increase in repeat customers and a 20% increase in positive online reviews.

The verb ‘Enhanced’ gives the statement a more professional tone and seems more impactful than ‘Grew’. The added numbers give concrete evidence of the improvement.

Replacing Grew with Fortified ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew employee retention rate.

⤸

After: Fortified• Fortified employee retention rate by 30% by launching a comprehensive employee development program.

The switch from 'Grew' to 'Fortified' indicates a strength gained by the company. This richer, precise detail provides a clear cause-effect relationship which strengthens the candidate's impact.

Replacing Grew with Proliferated ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew the customer base for the new service.

⤸

After: Proliferated• Proliferated the customer base for the new streaming service by 40% within the first quarter of its launch through targeted marketing campaigns.

The change from 'Grew' to 'Proliferated' adds a fresh tone to the statement. Mention of a specific service, percentage increase and timeframe provides adequate context.

Replacing Grew with Cultivated ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew relations with clients.

⤸

After: Cultivated• Cultivated relations with 15 new high-stake clients, leading to a 70% increase in referrals within a single fiscal year.

Changing 'Grew' to 'Cultivated' reflects a thoughtful approach to progress. Adding explicit figures and results adds value and substance to the point.

Replacing Grew with Extended ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew network connections.

⤸

After: Extended• Extended network connections by actively attending 8 industry conferences, leading to a direct influence on a 15% rise in strategic partnerships.

Replacing 'Grew' with 'Extended' suggests proactive efforts. Including numbers and an outcome quantifies the impact of networking.

Replacing Grew with Aggrandized ▾

Before: Grew

• Grew proficiency in graphic design skills.

⤸

After: Aggrandized• Aggrandized proficiency in graphic design skills by completing certified courses, further augmenting project delivery times by 20%.

Swapping 'Grew' with 'Aggrandized' augments the scale of accomplishment. Adding the method of skill improvement and its significant impact creates a comprehensive statement of growth.

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 Grew.

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 Grew on a resume?

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

Energized
Accrued
Tripled
Evolved
Magnified
Enlarged

What is another way of saying Grew on a resume?

You can say Lifted, Enlivened or Escalated instead of Grew.

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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