Hiring managers seek candidates who can take charge of a situation, lead others, and get projects done on schedule. You might think you can show all these things by using the phrase 'In charge of' in your resume. But, you shouldn't overuse it.

'In charge of' shows that you can take ownership over projects and make them happen—a skill every hiring manager wants to see! However, it is essential to vary the language in your resume so that you don't come across as repetitive or boring. 'In charge of' is one of the most overused phrases we see, which means you should probably use something else instead of it.

There are many ways to express that you were in charge of something on your resume. For example, if you were 'In charge of a project,' you could use other words like 'Superintended' or 'Managed' instead of 'In charge of.' This would create more variety in your resume and make it more engaging for the recruiter.

Using synonyms will help you avoid repetition and improve the flow of your resume. Hiring managers also appreciate seeing how you've applied skills in different settings or industries, so be sure to substitute overused words with ones relevant to a position's challenges or problems.

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

Resume Synonyms for In charge of:

Directed
Managed
Piloted
Initiated
Transformed
Streamlined
Elevated
Maximized
Authorized
Chaired
Cultivated
Delegated
Facilitated
Fostered
Guided
Mobilized
Orchestrated
Spearheaded
Trained
Represented
Designated
Advanced
Appointed

How to replace In charge of with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using In charge of

• In charge of analyzing data, creating detailed reports of my findings and presenting them to key stakeholders

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Prepared a 10 page report summarizing findings from design study and presented analysis to key stakeholders.

Replacing In charge of with Directed ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of leading the sales team

⤸

After: Directed• Directed a 5-person sales team and increased annual sales by an impressive 30% in the first fiscal year alone

To give a more pointed insight into the candidate's leadership skills, I elected to use 'Directed' in place of 'In charge of'. This active verb illustrates the way the individual guided their team to achieve an impressive result, with specific metrics demonstrating their success.

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 In charge of with Managed ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of handling customer complaints

⤸

After: Managed• Managed customer complaints, reducing escalations to management by 80% within six months

As a hiring manager, I chose 'Managed' to transform the vague 'handling customer complaints' into a specific achievement that quantifies the candidate's impact on reducing complaints escalation. This paints a clearer picture of the candidate's problem-solving and management skills.

Replacing In charge of with Piloted ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of implementing a new software system

⤸

After: Piloted• Piloted the implementation of a new CRM software, increasing customer data accuracy by 65%

What I like about this change is that we replaced 'In charge of implementing' with 'Piloted', projecting a proactive approach to responsibilities. Including specific impacts in numbers brings clarity and weight to the candidate's skill and achievements.

Replacing In charge of with Initiated ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of starting a new marketing campaign

⤸

After: Initiated• Initiated a successful multimedia marketing campaign, growing social media followership by 70,000 in two months

As a recruiter, this rephrased bullet point appeals to me because the verb 'Initiated' demonstrates a sense of drive and self-starting, beneficial qualities in a candidate. By quantifying the increase in social media followers, we are able provide a hard metric of the campaign's success.

Replacing In charge of with Transformed ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of rebranding the company

⤸

After: Transformed• Transformed the corporate brand leading to a 50% increase in market share in a highly competitive industry within one year

I opted for 'Transformed' because its implication of dramatic change directly attributes the candidate's success in rebranding the company to the improvement in market share. This emphasizes the candidate's potential to effect substantial improvements in a future role.

Replacing In charge of with Streamlined ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of improving the company's financial processes

⤸

After: Streamlined• Streamlined the company's financial processes, saving the organization $1.5M annually and reducing end-of-month closing times by 8 days

This phrasing change emphasizes action and results. 'Streamlined' suggests efficiency and improvement, and the detailed metrics clearly demonstrate substantial contributions to the company's financial operations.

Replacing In charge of with Elevated ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of improving the team's performance

⤸

After: Elevated• Elevated team performance, with a resultant 40% increase in productivity and 30% decrease in employee turnover in one year

For this bullet point, 'Elevated' replaced 'improving' to signify the candidate's influence and the success they achieved. The precise metrics used give hiring managers a clear idea of the improvements the candidate could bring to their team.

Replacing In charge of with Maximized ▾

Before: In charge of

• In charge of increasing sales

⤸

After: Maximized• Maximized regional sales, achieving 180% of the target within the first quarter

You should use powerful verbs like 'Maximized' to reveal the extent of your impact. This change not only shows that you exceeded expected sales targets but solidifies your result with specific numbers.

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 In charge of.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Optimized on a resume:

• Optimized budget allocation of the increased marketing spend of $10MM across 5 cities.

How to use Created on a resume:

• Created economic model to assess financial feasibility and operational synergies throughout the supply chain; identified >$50M in savings.

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 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 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 Conducted on a resume:

• Conducted competitor benchmarking analysis, competitor/distributor interviews and data analysis to determine that the existing sustained decline in a luxury skincare product business was reversible, building the case for a successful $150MM acquisition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for In charge of on a resume?

Here are some synonyms for commonly repeated words, like In charge of, I see on resumes:

Guided
Authorized
Trained
Fostered
Chaired
Designated

What is a better way of saying In charge of on a resume?

Synonyms you can use instead of the overused phrase In charge of include:

Authorized
Guided
Facilitated
Chaired
Designated
Cultivated

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

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