Describing yourself as someone who plans helps demonstrate that you're more than just a doer—you're also a thinker. The present tense verb 'plan' is a strong verb that indicates you can set goals and work towards them. It demonstrates that you can think ahead and anticipate the outcomes of your actions.

By using the word 'plan,' you're showing how critical you are about what's best for your team/company/organization—and then taking action on those thoughts. However, using this word too frequently in your resume can make it seem redundant—like you're not giving enough thought to the words you use. It's also best to describe past achievements in the past tense—i.e., 'planned.'

Look at how you can describe what you've done and ensure that you vary them. For example, use synonyms for 'plan,' such as forecasted, strategized, devised, etc. This helps to create variety in your sentences, which makes them more interesting to read.

Synonyms give you more flexibility while writing your resume—you can tailor it according to the needs of different employers. Using other words for 'plan' in your resume shows recruiters that you have an organized and strategic mind, as well as a creative approach toward problem-solving.

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

Resume Synonyms for Plan:

Arranged
Orchestrated
Designed
Formulated
Sculpted
Engineered
Conceptualized
Organized
Spearheaded
Fabricated
Led
Generated
Gathered
Governed
Handled
Measured
Calculated
Studied
Projected
Budgeted
Charted
Framed
Strategized
Plotted
Drafted
Contrived
Devised
Outlined
Sketched
Proposed
Schemed
Modeled
Composed
Wrote
Forecasted

How to replace Plan with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Plan

• Planned social media approach to grow the company's Twitter audience

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Created and implemented a social media plan that increased the company's Twitter followers from 1250 to 4700+ within one month on the job..

Replacing Plan with Arranged ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned a conference for industry professionals

⤸

After: Arranged• Arranged a groundbreaking conference for 500+ industry professionals which increased company's visibility by 35%.

The revised bullet point leverages concrete metrics to show the impact of your contributions. Instead of the vague 'planned', we use 'arranged' to imply organization and structured execution of the task.

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 Plan with Orchestrated ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned marketing strategies for new products

⤸

After: Orchestrated• Orchestrated robust marketing strategies for 5 new products, boosting sales by 60% within the first quarter.

In the revision, 'orchestrated' gives a sense of a well-coordinated plan and accomplishment. We also incorporated numbers to quantify the impact these strategies had on sales.

Replacing Plan with Designed ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned ways to optimize the company website

⤸

After: Designed• Designed and executed an optimization plan for the company website leading to a 40% increase in user engagement.

To improve this bullet point, 'designed' was used instead of 'planned', as it reflects creativity and detailed work. It also suggests implementation, not just ideation.

Replacing Plan with Formulated ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned the business development strategy

⤸

After: Formulated• Formulated an aggressive business development strategy that attracted 5 high-value clients within three months.

'Formulated' implies a thoughtfully constructed plan. The figures in the revised version turn vague, general claims into specific, measurable achievements.

Replacing Plan with Sculpted ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned the roadmap for product launch

⤸

After: Sculpted• Sculpted a detailed roadmap for a product launch that led to a 200% increase in pre-orders.

Replaced 'Planned' with 'Sculpted' to depict the careful, refined process of creating a roadmap. Quantifying the result using pre-order numbers indicates a clear achievement.

Replacing Plan with Engineered ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned to reduce the production cost

⤸

After: Engineered• Engineered cost-saving processes that reduced production cost by 15%, saving $50,000 annually.

Used 'engineered' to signify a hands-on, problem-solving approach. Concrete dollar savings and a percentage reduction demonstrate the financial impact.

Replacing Plan with Conceptualized ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned new concepts for company’s products

⤸

After: Conceptualized• Conceptualized and launched innovative product features leading to a 30% increase in user retention rate.

'Conceptualized' alludes to original and innovative thinking. Incorporated specific results to show the measure of success from the change.

Replacing Plan with Organized ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned client meetings

⤸

After: Organized• Organized 50+ successful client meetings, which led to a 20% increase in customer retention.

Substituting 'planned' with 'organized' implies not just setting up but ensuring the desired outcome of the meetings. The increased customer retention rate ties this role to tangible business results.

Replacing Plan with Spearheaded ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned improvements to product line

⤸

After: Spearheaded• Spearheaded improvements to the product line, contributing to a 25% increase in sales over one quarter.

Using 'spearheaded' suggests leadership and initiative. Including a metric presents a measurable result, while 'over one quarter' provides a timeframe for the accomplishment.

Replacing Plan with Fabricated ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned structure of new office building

⤸

After: Fabricated• Fabricated structure plans for a new office building reducing construction time by three months.

'Fabricated' was used to confer the sense of 'making' something from nothing, highlighting creativity. The time saved provides a clear, meaningful impact.

Replacing Plan with Led ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned team initiatives

⤸

After: Led• Led team initiatives that boosted collaboration by 70% and improved project delivery times.

Using 'led' showcases leadership prowess, and specific metrics added emphasis on timely delivery and team cooperation improvements, demonstrating your team leadership capacity.

Replacing Plan with Generated ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned methods to meet sales goals

⤸

After: Generated• Generated successful strategies meeting $2M sales goals three months ahead of schedule.

The verb 'generated' signifies a proactive, results-driven approach. By stating how far ahead the goal was met, we've added a significant achievement.

Replacing Plan with Gathered ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned market research for strategic decision-making

⤸

After: Gathered• Gathered key market insights that informed strategic decisions and propelled company's market share by 18%.

'Gathered' showcases your ability to acquire and use information. The inclusion of specific results makes the impact clear to anyone reading this.

Replacing Plan with Governed ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned the company’s operations

⤸

After: Governed• Governed the company’s operations leading to a 15% uptick in operational efficiency.

'Governed' represents overseeing, managing and making key decisions. The boost in efficiency gives a solid metric of your impact.

Replacing Plan with Handled ▾

Before: Plan

• Planned customer service procedures

⤸

After: Handled• Handled the reconfiguration of customer service procedures, resulting in a 10% decrease in customer complaints.

'Handled' signifies managing something potentially difficult, and it presents the task in a better light compared to just 'planned'. The decrease in customer complaints highlights the positive outcome.

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 Plan.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

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 Collaborate on a resume:

• Collaborate with developers and product management team to assess project outcomes and prioritize future app features.

How to use Evaluated on a resume:

• Evaluated strategies and synergies surrounding potential acquisition targets for a major car manufacturer..

How to use Selected on a resume:

• Selected as a case interviewer for analyst candidates (usually reserved for Senior Consultant+ level).

How to use Developed on a resume:

• Developed web scraping program in Python to help the firm download public data, including over 10,000 company descriptions and stock quotes, enriching internal data and increasing research efficiency by over 50%.

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%.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Plan on a resume?

Words like Plan are overused on resumes. Instead, you should use other phrases like Outlined, Budgeted, Measured, Devised, Projected or Sketched.

What can I say instead of Plan on a resume?

Here are some synonyms for commonly repeated words, like Plan, I see on resumes:

Measured
Contrived
Composed
Framed
Budgeted
Strategized

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