Action verbs reveal skill sets and expertise, allowing employers to evaluate candidates. A candidate who organizes well will likely do an excellent job in project management. Employers look for candidates who have demonstrated this skill by including the word 'organize' in their resumes.
The skillset associated with the verb 'organize' is incredibly broad yet generic and can be used to describe any job. For example, you can organize anything from a school fundraiser to a business proposal. To write an effective resume, use power verbs instead of generic ones; also, you should describe your previous experiences in the past tense ('organized').
Power verbs create a mental image for the reader, making them more engaged in your accomplishments. They also show that you've been able to do something specific. So instead of saying that you 'organize,' say that you 'strategized,' 'structured,' or 'systematized,' or whatever it is that happened when you 'organize' something.
By using strong action verbs, you not only show your ability to organize people, projects, and other resources but also demonstrate that you can take something from inception to completion. It shows that you have the ability to lead others through a process and direct them toward results.
I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Organize on your resume, followed by real examples I've written for clients (feel free to use them!).
Resume Synonyms for Organize:
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Arranged
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Devised
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Constructed
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Engineered
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Executed
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Formulated
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Installed
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Overhauled
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Regulated
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Spearheaded
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Streamlined
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Synchronized
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Centralized
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Interpreted
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Revamped
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Systematized
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Outlined
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Classified
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Adjusted
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Assembled
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Structured
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Catalogued
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Compiled
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Filed
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Summarized
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Evaluated
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Consolidated
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Scheduled
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Aligned
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Prioritized
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Strategized
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Framed
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Budgeted
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Tabulated
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Categorized
How to replace Organize with a stronger action verb:
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Organize, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Before: Weak example using Organize• Organized sales database of prospects
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After: Using a stronger synonym• Maintained a sales database of 6K potential clients, increasing the number of new client leads by 69%, an improvement over previous years. .
Before: Organize• Organized company files on the mainframe
⤸After: Arranged• Arranged 10,000+ company files on the mainframe by date and priority, leading to a 35% decrease in document search time for employees.
By specifying the quantity of work done and the improvement that resulted, this rephrased bullet point provides a clearer picture of your impact on the company. Avoiding 'organize' in favour of 'arranged' sounds more professional and less common.
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: Organize• Organized company processes
⤸After: Devised• Devised a streamlined system for company processes that increased team efficiency by 40% and reduced waste by 20%.
In the 'after' text, you communicate detailed, measurable accomplishments. The verb 'devised' denotes leadership and ingenuity in improving company processes.
Before: Organize• Organized digital materials
⤸After: Constructed• Constructed a digital materials database which improved accessibility for 30+ team members and reduced project turnaround time by 20%.
The swap to 'constructed' portrays you as an active participant. The specific figures give an idea of the volume of the task and its impact on company efficiency.
Before: Organize• Organized coordination within the team
⤸After: Engineered• Engineered team coordination tactics that accelerated project deadlines by 15%, leading to a faster go-to-market time.
As a hiring manager, using 'engineered' gives a sense of innovation. Accompanied with the quantifiable impact, it makes you stand out.
Before: Organize• Organized training materials
⤸After: Executed• Executed the restructuring of training materials, reducing onboarding time by 25% for 50+ new hires annually.
The 'after' statement is concrete and quantifiable. 'Executed' suggests that you've successfully carried out a task, which adds weight to your accomplishments.
Before: Organize• Organized meeting agendas
⤸After: Formulated• Formulated an effective meeting agenda method that increased productivity by 30% during meetings of 10+ employees.
The rephrasing demonstrates how your strategy positively affected meeting productivity, making you a valuable asset. 'Formulated' emphasizes ingenuity.
Before: Organize• Organized research data
⤸After: Installed• Installed an efficient research data management system, improving data retrieval times by 35% for 15 team members.
The verb 'installed' suggests you took on a leadership role. The specific numbers emphasize the positive impact of your actions.
Before: Organize• Organized new employee orientations
⤸After: Overhauled• Overhauled new employee orientations, successfully increasing new hire productivity rates by 45% within their first 30 days.
Using 'overhauled' instead of 'organized' suggests a significant improvement. The 'before' statement needed clear evidence of success, which the 'after' version delivers.
Before: Organize• Organized company budgets
⤸After: Regulated• Regulated company budgets and reduced overhead costs by 20% for FY20, leading to a 15% increase in profit margin.
Regulated' implies a sense of control and successful management. The statement is now specific and reveals how you helped the company increase profits.
Before: Organize• Organized company charity events
⤸After: Spearheaded• Spearheaded three company charity events annually, raising over $20,000 each event for local charities.
Spearheaded' connotes leadership and initiative. The enhanced statement now communicates the tangible result of your actions.
Before: Organize• Organized codebases
⤸After: Streamlined• Streamlined codebases across 10+ software products in the company to improve code efficiency by 30%.
Replacing 'organized' with 'streamlined' indicates a clear, efficient process. The revised bullet is precise and showcases your technical expertise.
Before: Organize• Organized team schedules
⤸After: Synchronized• Synchronized team schedules across multiple projects, causing a 25% uptick in on-time project completion.
By using a quantifiable metric and providing a snapshot of what was achieved, recruiters can understand your value. 'Synchronized' is a more effective substitute for 'organized'.
Before: Organize• Organized client contact information
⤸After: Centralized• Centralized the storage of client contact information, resulting in reduced errors by 30% and improving client communication.
The metric reflects the benefit of your work, and 'centralized' gives a sense of improved control and efficiency as opposed to the vague 'organized'.
Before: Organize• Organized legal contracts
⤸After: Interpreted• Interpreted and systematized over 500+ legal contracts, reducing search and retrieval time by 40%.
The word 'interpreted' shows the complexity of the task, and detailing the improvement offers proof of your precise and effective organization.
Before: Organize• Organized the company's filing system
⤸After: Revamped• Revamped the company's filing system, decreasing paperwork by 75% and saving the company $15K annually.
The term 'revamped' suggests major improvements. By adding the financial benefit to the company, your value comes across clearly.
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 Organize.
More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms
How to use Conducted on a resume:
• Conducted sector research in TMT space through expert interviews, market reports, and engagement with external advisors; created sector map of big data analytics space; prepared recommendations on attractiveness and feasibility on 6+ prospects.
How to use Built on a resume:
• Built complete investment pitch books for 4 deals at advanced stages and liaised with 12 prospective international co-investors.
How to use Analyzed on a resume:
• Analyzed $800K of monthly marketing spend data to optimize audience, creative and copy of campaigns; increased conversion by 12% MoM and decreased cost per acquisition by 35%.
How to use Led on a resume:
• Led a 10-week engagement in a four-member team for a solar energy provider; assessed 30+ locations and provided a recommendation for the most suitable location of their new headquarters.
How to use Created on a resume:
• Created method to compute similarity of all methods in a code base; reduced time complexity from O(n2) to O(n log n).
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..
Frequently Asked Questions
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