When choosing which verbs to use in your resume, remember what kind of work you've done and how much experience you have doing it. So if you want to show off your skills as a manager or how well-rounded your skill set is, try using the verb 'managing' in your resume!
'Managing' indicates that you are responsible and have a high level of control over your tasks, which makes it easier for employers to rely on you. But keep in mind that repeating the same word in your resume makes it seem like you aren't as passionate or competent as you should be. Moreover, use the past tense of the verb in resumes when describing a completed responsibility. For example, use 'managed' instead of 'managing' unless it's an ongoing role.
You can use synonyms (i.e., words with similar meanings) to rectify this problem, but it's essential to ensure that the synonym is still appropriate for the job you're applying for. Words to use on resume instead of 'managing' includes 'streamlined,' 'controlled,' or 'programmed.'
Describing your responsibilities in concise statements led by strong verbs is crucial. But use different forms so you don't sound repetitious or boring on your resume!
I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Managing on your resume, followed by real examples I've written for clients (feel free to use them!).
Resume Synonyms for Managing:
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Spearheaded
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Orchestrated
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Revitalized
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Piloted
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Eliminated
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Elevated
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Maximized
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Masterminded
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Synchronized
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Supervised
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Enhanced
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Rallied
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Harmonized
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Directed
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Energized
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Refocused
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Expanded
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Transformed
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Repositioned
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Restructured
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Captained
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Initiated
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Formulated
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Pioneered
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Transitioned
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Assigned
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Chaired
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Contracted
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Delegated
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Evaluated
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Prioritized
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Scheduled
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Authorized
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Controlled
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Designated
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Employed
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Programmed
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Counseled
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Cultivated
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Groomed
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Inspired
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Overhauled
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Streamlined
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Mobilized
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Taught
How to replace Managing with a stronger action verb:
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Managing, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Before: Weak example using Managing• Managing departmental budgets and worked on reducing department overspend
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After: Using a stronger synonym• Achieved $200K reduction in department overspend by establishing ROI metrics and budget controls to improve prioritisation of the $4MM department budget.
Before: Managing• Managing a team project without a clear outcome
⤸After: Spearheaded• Spearheaded a vital infrastructure project, leading a team of 5 to deliver the project on time and under budget by 15%
In this change, I've demonstrated specific team leadership by using the verb 'Spearheaded'. Quantifying budget and timeline benefits also shows the tangible impact this person had on the project.
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.
Before: Managing• Managing the coordination of large company events.
⤸After: Orchestrated• Orchestrated the company-wide conference, drawing 500+ attendees across the globe, securing 15 sponsors, and hitting 105% of the desired registration target.
By replacing 'Managing' with 'Orchestrated', the candidate now highlights the large-scale coordination and leadership involved. Incorporating real numbers offers more impact and credibility.
Before: Managing• Managing underperforming sales staff.
⤸After: Revitalized• Revitalized the sales team by coaching under-performing members, resulting in a 30% increase in quarterly sales.
The change supports the idea that the candidate not only managed the team but also improved their performance significantly. Including the percentage increase quantifies the success.
Before: Managing• Managing the launch of a new software product.
⤸After: Piloted• Piloted the successful launch of new accounting software, driving efficiencies that resulted in 40% time savings for the finance department.
The verb 'Piloted' conveys leadership and initiative. The number 40% emphasizes the significant time savings brought to the department through the new software.
Before: Managing• Managing product defects and customer complaints.
⤸After: Eliminated• Eliminated 90% of product defects through improved QA processes, resulting in a 60% reduction in customer complaints over six months.
By changing 'Managing' to 'Eliminated', the bullet point accentuates the candidate's problem-solving capabilities. It also provides clear metrics to highlight the improvement.
Before: Managing• Managing company's online presence.
⤸After: Elevated• Elevated the company's online presence by enhancing social media strategy, increasing website traffic by 45% and gaining 10k instagram followers in just 3 months.
In altering 'Managing' to 'Elevated', we emphasize the candidate's ability to boost the company's online profile effectively. This is further exemplified by the quantifiable increase in website traffic and followers.
Before: Managing• Managing storage and inventory to reduce losses.
⤸After: Maximized• Maximized storage efficiency and minimized waste, reducing company-wide losses by 35% in one year.
Using 'Maximized' instead of 'Managing' shows the candidate's ability to use resources effectively. The percentage reduction is a solid metric showing the candidate's impact on the company's bottom line.
Before: Managing• Managing the creation of marketing campaigns.
⤸After: Masterminded• Masterminded a social media campaign that led to a 120% increase in engagement and boosted sales by 18% in Q4 2020.
The term 'Masterminded' enhances the candidate's role to a strategic planner. The metrics included clearly depict the campaign's effect, demonstrating the candidate's capability to generate results.
Before: Managing• Managing cross-departmental communication.
⤸After: Synchronized• Synchronized cross-departmental communication resulting in task completion rate improvement of 25% in three months.
By switching 'Managing' with 'Synchronized', it implies the candidate's role in bringing together the different departments. The metrics introduced provide a frame of reference for the impact the candidate made.
Before: Managing• Managing a team to meet project deadlines
⤸After: Supervised• Supervised a team of 8, successfully delivering 100% of projects on time for two consecutive years.
Using 'Supervised' encompasses not just management but also oversight responsibility. The specific team size and success rate underscores the leadership skills and consistency of the candidate.
Before: Managing• Managing client relations and customer service issues.
⤸After: Enhanced• Enhanced company reputation by successfully resolving 95% of customer service complaints, leading to a 20% increase in returned customers.
The verb 'Enhanced' infers that the candidate can make improvements. The percentage of resolved complaints and its direct impact on customer retention outlines the candidate's effectiveness.
Before: Managing• Managing company morale during challenging times.
⤸After: Rallied• Rallied the team during a difficult corporate downsizing, maintaining productivity at 90% and retaining 95% of the remaining staff.
By swapping 'Managing' with 'Rallied', it implicates the candidate's role in boosting morale significantly. The productivity and retention rates included exhibit the tangible effects of these efforts.
Before: Managing• Managing internal operational procedures.
⤸After: Harmonized• Harmonized internal operational procedures, cutting process times by 30% and raising efficiency by 20%.
Replacing 'Managing' with 'Harmonized' suggests the candidate has improved and unified practices. The cut in process times and rise in efficiency are clear indicators of the candidate's impact.
Before: Managing• Managing product development and launch.
⤸After: Directed• Directed the product development and successful launch of 5 new products, resulting in a 22% increase in revenue.
Through using 'Directed' instead of 'Managing', the candidate denotes a commanding role. Providing the number of products launched and revenue increase showcases the direct results of the candidate's actions.
Before: Managing• Managing sales team performance.
⤸After: Energized• Energized a struggling sales team, refocused strategy, and achieved 40% increase in sales for consecutive quarters.
Substituting 'Managing' with 'Energized' indicates the candidate's role in motivating the team. The sales increase quantifies the success of the new strategic focus.
Before: Managing• Managing the development of company marketing strategy.
⤸After: Refocused• Refocused the company marketing strategy, increasing brand recognition by 65% in less than a year.
Using 'Refocused' instead of 'Managing' accentuates the candidate's proactive role in change. The percentage increase in brand recognition quantifies the positive impact of this refocus.
Before: Managing• Managing the growth of business operations.
⤸After: Expanded• Expanded operations by entering two new markets, increasing annual revenue by $2 million.
By switching 'Managing' with 'Expanded', it signifies the candidate's role in initiative and growth. The financial impact included provides a tangible value to the candidate's actions.
Before: Managing• Managing the company’s digital strategy.
⤸After: Transformed• Transformed the company's digital strategy, attracting 30k new online visitors and raising online sales by $150k within one quarter.
In replacing 'Managing' with 'Transformed', the candidate demonstrates their ability to significantly change the status quo. The metrics then quantify the large scale success of this shift.
Before: Managing• Managing brand image and market position.
⤸After: Repositioned• Repositioned brand image that led to a 30% increase in customer base and a 25% growth in market share within two years.
In substituting 'Managing' with 'Repositioned', the language now highlights the candidate’s ability to significantly alter perceptions. Documenting the growth in both customer base and market share showcases the candidate's large-scale impact.
Before: Managing• Managing company organization and workflow.
⤸After: Restructured• Restructured company's organizational structure, speeding up processes by 25% and increasing overall productivity by 40%.
Moving from 'Managing' to 'Restructured' elevates the candidate's input from simply managing to initiating significant organizational changes. Incorporating efficiency and productivity rates demonstrates the success of their efforts.
Before: Managing• Managing team towards achieving sales targets.
⤸After: Captained• Captained a sales team of 12, exceeding sales targets by 35% for four straight quarters in 2020.
Switching 'Managing' with 'Captained' places emphasis on leadership skills. Documenting the team size and how significantly the goals were exceeded provides proof of successful leadership.
Before: Managing• Managing steps to improve profit margins.
⤸After: Initiated• Initiated the implementation of cost-saving measures that improved profit margins by fifteen percent in six months.
By using the term 'Initiated' instead of 'Managing', the candidate establishes a proactive approach. Giving a precise figure shows the quantifiable and impactful results of their initiative.
Before: Managing• Managing new business strategies and plans.
⤸After: Formulated• Formulated novel business strategies, which led to a marked increase of 50% in annual profit.
The shift from 'Managing' to 'Formulated' indicates the candidate’s contribution in crafting new strategies. The percentage increase in annual profit provides a clear measure of success.
Before: Managing• Managing efforts to establish the company in a new market.
⤸After: Pioneered• Pioneered the company's successful entry into an untapped market, generating an extra $3.5M in revenue in one year.
In modifying 'Managing' to 'Pioneered', the candidate's role moves from a managerial to a pioneering one. Additionally, the revenue generated paints a clear picture of the financial value of these efforts.
Before: Managing• Managing movement to digital platforms.
⤸After: Transitioned• Transitioned business operations to an efficient digital platform, resulting in a 40% reduction in operational costs and a 20% increase in productivity.
Substituting 'Managing' with 'Transitioned' highlights the role of the candidate in implementing significant change. Furthermore, detailing the cost reduction and productivity enhancement quantifies the candidate's effectiveness.
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 Managing.
More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms
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 Created on a resume:
• Created and implemented Google AdWords strategy; increased customer acquisitions by 20% and decreased cost per acquisition by 50%.
How to use Coordinated on a resume:
• Coordinated execution of LBO in foodservice sector in South Africa, the PE fund's largest investment; led a team of four analysts; negotiated bank financing and developed hedging strategy.
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 Evaluated on a resume:
• Evaluated strategies and synergies surrounding potential acquisition targets for a major car manufacturer..
How to use Assessed on a resume:
• Assessed the product portfolio and created a brand turnaround strategy for a global fashion company; conducted qualitative interviews with industry experts and quantitative analysis to determine barriers to purchasing and distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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