In recruiting, certain words stand out to hiring managers and recruiters. Using these words in your resume shows that you're prepared for the job and ready to take on the challenge. The word 'prepare' is one such word that indicates a lot about a candidate. It shows that you're ready for new challenges in your career and willing to put in extra effort to ensure things go smoothly.

The verb 'prepare' shows you have a track record of success. Active verbs like this are essential to writing a successful resume but don't overdo it. Use alternate words and synonyms to keep your resume concise while demonstrating ability. You should also use the past tense for terms, like 'prepared,' if it's already complete, whereas 'prepare' is still ongoing.

To illustrate, instead of writing 'prepared budgets,' consider using the word 'analyzed' so that your resume reads, 'Analyzed financial plans.' This will help you avoid repetition and show that you have a variety of skills.

Synonyms ensure that your resume reads fluidly and effectively conveys your skills and experience. It also allows recruiters to get a feel for your ability to work in multiple fields, not just one.

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

Resume Synonyms for Prepare:

Constructed
Administered
Drafted
Spearheaded
Formulated
Designed
Orchestrated
Engineered
Pioneered
Instituted
Directed
Devised
Facilitated
Coordinated
Mobilized
Programmed
Shaped
Curated
Consolidated
Organized
Optimized
Evaluated
Supervised
Overhauled
Indexed
Budgeted
Compiled
Generated
Processed
Strengthened
Updated
Arranged
Calculated
Consolidated
Systematized
Standardized
Centralized
Collected
Revitalized
Catalogued
Recorded
Classified
Analyzed
Screened

How to replace Prepare with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Prepare

• Prepare new social media marketing plan to get more users to the app

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Re-designed website and developed social media marketing plan; increased total membership by 28% and social media followers by 17%.

Replacing Prepare with Constructed ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare monthly sales reports

⤸

After: Constructed• Constructed detailed monthly sales reports identifying potential areas for revenue increase of up to 15%

What I like about this change is the action verb 'constructed' which signifies an active role in the task. More importantly, I've also highlighted the impact of the task, showing potential areas for revenue increase, which is a strong selling point.

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 Prepare with Administered ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare team meeting agenda

⤸

After: Administered• Administered weekly team meetings; included strategic planning and assignments resulting in increased productivity by 20%

In this case, I swapped 'prepare' with 'administered' to illustrate leadership. I also specified the frequency of the meetings and noted a specific result: increased productivity.

Replacing Prepare with Drafted ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare legal documents

⤸

After: Drafted• Drafted and reviewed 30+ legal documents per week, identifying errors and reducing review times by 25%

As a recruiter, I'd want to know more about the task, its extent and the results. Hence, I replaced 'prepare' with 'drafted' and quantified the task and its impact.

Replacing Prepare with Spearheaded ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare professional development seminars

⤸

After: Spearheaded• Spearheaded bi-annual professional development seminars leading to a company-wide skill upgrade of 40%

I replaced 'prepared' with 'spearheaded' to emphasize leadership. I also included specifics like frequency, and the resulting increase in company-wide skills to show the impact of the task.

Replacing Prepare with Formulated ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare business strategies

⤸

After: Formulated• Formulated innovative business strategies which increased quarterly revenue by 18%

The action verb 'formulated' generally has a stronger impact than 'prepare'. Additionally, by specifying the increase in revenue, I further emphasized the candidate's contribution to the business.

Replacing Prepare with Designed ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare project plans

⤸

After: Designed• Designed comprehensive project plans resulting in an improved completion rate by 30%

I replaced the verb 'prepare' with 'designed' to convey the creative and strategic role of the candidate. I also added a concrete positive result to highlight the candidate's effectiveness.

Replacing Prepare with Orchestrated ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare events

⤸

After: Orchestrated• Orchestrated successful corporate events leading to a 15% increase in brand awareness and networking opportunities

By replacing 'prepare' with 'orchestrated' I highlighted the candidate's role in managing the events and included the impact on brand awareness and networking.

Replacing Prepare with Engineered ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare complex calculations

⤸

After: Engineered• Engineered complex structural calculations for 5 mega projects, contributing to their timely completion under budget

The term 'engineered' correlates to precision and expertise. By adding context (structural calculations for mega projects) and highlighting the positive result (timely completion under budget), the statement becomes much more compelling.

Replacing Prepare with Pioneered ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare marketing campaigns

⤸

After: Pioneered• Pioneered digital marketing campaigns that boosted web traffic by 25% and increased conversions by 30%

Replacing 'prepared' with 'pioneered' gives the impression of innovation. Stating the increase in web traffic and conversions also presents a quantifiable impact of the candidate's role.

Replacing Prepare with Instituted ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare compliance framework

⤸

After: Instituted• Instituted a comprehensive compliance framework reducing legal discrepancies by 40%

I have used 'instituted' instead of 'prepared' to highlight the candidate's role in creating the framework. Including the reduced discrepancies emphasizes the importance of the contribution.

Replacing Prepare with Directed ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare operational guidelines

⤸

After: Directed• Directed the creation of operational guidelines leading to an improvement in shop floor efficiency by 25%

Replacing 'prepare' with 'directed' confers leadership. Adding the context (shop floor) and the improvement in efficiency adds weight to the statement.

Replacing Prepare with Devised ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare client proposals

⤸

After: Devised• Devised compelling client proposals securing 10+ high-value contracts in the financial year

'Devised' suggests creativity and strategy. Including the outcome (10+ secured contracts) provides a measurable accomplishment.

Replacing Prepare with Facilitated ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare training sessions

⤸

After: Facilitated• Facilitated technical training sessions resulting in staff efficiency increase by 30%

By changing 'prepare' to 'facilitated', I highlighted the candidate's active role. Including the increase in staff efficiency quantifies the impact of the seminars.

Replacing Prepare with Coordinated ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare company meetings

⤸

After: Coordinated• Coordinated company-wide meetings that improved cross-department communication by 20%

'Coordinated' emphasizes organizational skills while specifying the improvement in cross-department communication quantifies the candidate's positive impact.

Replacing Prepare with Mobilized ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare team for new project

⤸

After: Mobilized• Mobilized and led team on new project, exceeding delivery targets by 15%

Swapping 'prepare' with 'mobilized' emphasizes leadership and proactivity. Including the exceeded delivery targets gives a measurable outcome.

Replacing Prepare with Programmed ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare automation scripts

⤸

After: Programmed• Programmed robust automation scripts reducing manual intervention by 35%

Replacing 'prepare' with 'programmed' implies technical expertise. Adding the reduction in manual intervention quantifies the productivity increase.

Replacing Prepare with Shaped ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare annual budget guidelines

⤸

After: Shaped• Shaped rigorous annual budget guidelines helping to trim unnecessary expenses by 18%

'Shaped' infers influence and authority. Outlining the savings achieved presents a clear and impactful result.

Replacing Prepare with Curated ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare content for blog

⤸

After: Curated• Curated engaging blog content resulting in a 50% increase in website traffic over six months

'Curated' is a more powerful and specific action verb than 'prepared'. Adding the significant increase in website traffic demonstrates the candidate's effective contribution.

Replacing Prepare with Consolidated ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare audit work papers

⤸

After: Consolidated• Consolidated crucial audit work papers, optimizing the audit process and reducing time spent by 25%

Switching 'prepare' with 'consolidated' implies a sense of order and efficiency. Including the reduction in time spent gives a measurable outcome of the candidate's role.

Replacing Prepare with Organized ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare inventory reports

⤸

After: Organized• Organized comprehensive inventory reports, highlighting discrepancies and resulting in a 20% decrease in stock wastage

The active verb 'organized' is more effective than 'prepared'. Highlighting the decrease in stock wastage quantifies the candidate's impact.

Replacing Prepare with Optimized ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare work schedules

⤸

After: Optimized• Optimized work schedules, cutting overtime expenses by 30% and increasing productivity by 18%

'Optimized' not only replaces the vague 'prepared' but also enhances the importance of the task. Providing both cost savings and productivity improvement gives an overall picture of accomplished optimization.

Replacing Prepare with Evaluated ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare expense reports

⤸

After: Evaluated• Evaluated and streamlined expense reports, identifying cost-saving opportunities and reducing overall expenses by 12%

Replacing 'prepare' with 'evaluated' underlines the analytical aspect of the role. Including the savings achieved gives a clear, quantifiable result.

Replacing Prepare with Supervised ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare staff rosters

⤸

After: Supervised• Supervised the development of efficient staff rosters, reducing scheduling conflicts by 40% and enhancing productivity

Switching 'prepare' with 'supervised' emphasizes leadership. Quantifying the reduction in scheduling conflicts and the improvement in productivity creates a strong, results-oriented statement.

Replacing Prepare with Overhauled ▾

Before: Prepare

• Prepare company policies

⤸

After: Overhauled• Overhauled company policies, including revamp of quality control procedures, leading to a 15% decrease in production errors

'Overhauled' gives a stronger impression than 'prepared' and emphasizes the magnitude of the candidate's contribution. The decrease in production errors quantifies the benefit of their initiative.

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 Prepare.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Evaluated on a resume:

• Evaluated acquisition opportunities for a German reinsurer. Performed accretion and dilution analyses, conducted market research to gauge the viability and long term prospects of target's businesses.

How to use Crafted on a resume:

• Crafted strategic plan for a major client with revenues >$40B through insights from market trend analysis, organizational effectiveness diagnostic, and interviews with senior stakeholders.

How to use Launched on a resume:

• Launched Miami office with lead Director and recruited and managed new team of 10 employees. Grew office revenue by 200% in first nine months (representing 20% of company revenue).

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 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 Created on a resume:

• Created a DCF valuation model to analyze a potential IPO of a major technology startup in New York.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Prepare on a resume?

You should vary up your language on your resume, instead of using Prepare over and over again. Good synonyms to use instead include:

Centralized
Indexed
Processed
Generated
Collected
Arranged

What can I say instead of Prepare on a resume?

Generic language like Prepare are considered to be buzzwords because they're used so often. Consider using synonyms like Processed, Revitalized, Consolidated, Strengthened, Systematized or Updated.

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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