Including the term 'Responsible for' in your resume indicates that you have taken on significant responsibility and succeeded in your role. It shows that you're willing to take on responsibility and won't shy away from it when the opportunity arises.

But, on your resume, you should describe what you've accomplished, not your responsibilities. Your bullet points should not begin with 'Responsible for' or other statements that describe your job. It's essential to focus on what you did, not what you were responsible for.

If you want to avoid this mistake on your resume, use action words describing the results you achieved and their impact. Words to use on resume instead of 'Responsible for' include 'Repositioned,' 'Outperformed,' or 'Standardized.' You can also try using power verbs that show your role in the process, such as 'Masterminded,' 'Audited,' or 'Officiated.'

By using other words for 'responsible for,' you can ensure that your resume doesn't read like a list of tasks or responsibilities—it will read more like an accomplishment list!

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

Resume Synonyms for Responsible for:

Orchestrated
Engineered
Negotiated
Spearheaded
Championed
Formalized
Launched
Influenced
Strengthened
Elevated
Refined
Optimized
Maximized
Transformed
Innovated
Accumulated
Audited
Classified
Collected
Conceptualized
Diverted
Forecasted
Helmed
Masterminded
Officiated
Outperformed
Ranked
Repositioned
Revitalized
Standardized
Surpassed

How to replace Responsible for with a stronger action verb:

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

Before: Weak example using Responsible for

• Responsible for the coordinated management of multiple projects directed toward strategic business and other organizational objectives

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Managed a 5-member cross-functional (product, engineering, sales, support) team and coordinated with six business partners toward the successful launch of an e-commerce platform.

Replacing Responsible for with Orchestrated ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for leading the department's strategic planning

⤸

After: Orchestrated• Orchestrated the strategic planning of a 20-person department, resulting in a 40% efficiency boost within 6 months

In this revision, I switched from 'responsible for' to 'orchestrated' to highlight the leadership role. Also, I added specifics about the team size and the quantifiable outcome to demonstrate the candidate's impact.

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 Responsible for with Engineered ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for the development and implementation of marketing strategies

⤸

After: Engineered• Engineered the development and implementation of 10 marketing strategies that resulted in a $2M revenue increase

I chose 'engineered' to emphasize the creativity and technical skill required in this role. The addition of the number of strategies and total revenue increases now showcases the candidate's significant impact.

Replacing Responsible for with Negotiated ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for multiple contract negotiations

⤸

After: Negotiated• Negotiated 30+ high-stakes contracts, securing partnerships that generated $5M+ in annual revenue

Strategically, I replaced 'responsible for' with 'negotiated' as it speaks volumes about the diplomacy and negotiation skills of the candidate. Explicitly stating the number of contracts and the revenue they generated enhances understanding of the candidate's effectiveness.

Replacing Responsible for with Spearheaded ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for team's performance metrics

⤸

After: Spearheaded• Spearheaded a lean efficiency overhaul that increased team performance by 25% within the first quarter

Swapping 'responsible for' with 'spearheaded', denotes leadership and initiative. By specifying the action taken and the impact observed, it provides a clear picture of the candidate's ability to drive improvements.

Replacing Responsible for with Championed ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for customer satisfaction

⤸

After: Championed• Championed innovative customer interaction strategies, boosting customer satisfaction rates by 35% within six months

I opted for 'championed' to reflect the candidate's commitment to customer satisfaction. It's always powerful to display rate of improvement or success, which in this case, shows significant progress within a short timespan.

Replacing Responsible for with Formalized ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for company's workflow optimization

⤸

After: Formalized• Formalized a structured workflow optimization approach that reduced operational downtime by 15% annually

Choosing 'formalized' as an alternative to 'responsible for' illustrates the candidate's ability to create systems for success. By quantifying the downtime reduction, we provide a clear metric demonstrating the candidate's impact on operations.

Replacing Responsible for with Launched ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for initiating company's digital presence

⤸

After: Launched• Launched the company's first comprehensive digital campaign, boosting web traffic by 75% within three months

Starting the sentence with 'launched' immediately shows the candidate's initiative. Including the direct outcome of the digital campaign launch gives more weight to the candidate's achievement.

Replacing Responsible for with Influenced ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for team's culture and morale

⤸

After: Influenced• Influenced a positive team culture that resulted in a 90% staff retention rate over two years

I replaced 'responsible for' with 'influenced' to highlight the candidate's positive impact on team culture. The high retention rate makes a compelling case for the candidate's people skills.

Replacing Responsible for with Strengthened ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for team collaboration enhancement

⤸

After: Strengthened• Strengthened team collaboration by introducing Agile methodologies, improving project delivery speed by 30%

Using 'strengthened' instead of the passive 'responsible for', shows the candidate as an active contributor. The specified method, Agile, and the outcome of faster project delivery bring clarity and context to the job the candidate performed.

Replacing Responsible for with Elevated ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for upscaling customer service procedures

⤸

After: Elevated• Elevated customer service procedures by integrating AI technology, reducing resolution time by 20%

The term 'elevated' strengthens the weight of the candidate's role and denotes a level of sophistication. By specifying AI integration and the reduced resolution time, the result is a concrete and impressive achievement.

Replacing Responsible for with Refined ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for improving training programs

⤸

After: Refined• Refined company-wide training programs, leading to a 60% increase in employees' skills set within one year

I substituted 'responsible for' with 'refined' to imply the expertise the candidate brought to the role. Providing a percentage increase in skill sets over a specific time frame quantifies the success of their work.

Replacing Responsible for with Optimized ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for company's website performance

⤸

After: Optimized• Optimized company's website performance, boosting load speed by 50% and doubling organic traffic in 8 months

The term 'optimized' connotes technical competency and leadership in this area. Specific metrics about website speed and organic traffic growth provide a clear picture of the candidate's effectiveness in that role.

Replacing Responsible for with Maximized ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for the efficiency of logistics operations

⤸

After: Maximized• Maximized logistics operations efficiency, reducing costs by 25% and improving delivery speeds by 15% in 6 months

By using the term 'maximized', we convey the candidate's ability to drive positive changes. Statistics on both reduced costs and improved delivery speeds amplifies the candidate's achievement, framing them as an impact player.

Replacing Responsible for with Transformed ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for the company's digital transformation

⤸

After: Transformed• Transformed the company's operations through a digital shift that increased productivity by 30% in one year

The term 'transformed' suggests thorough and impactful change influenced by the candidate. Quantifying the productivity increase pinpoints their success and value within this role.

Replacing Responsible for with Innovated ▾

Before: Responsible for

• Responsible for new product designs

⤸

After: Innovated• Innovated award-winning product designs that boosted sales by 40% in a competitive market

By replacing 'responsible for' with 'innovated', we portray the candidate as a thought-leader. Including a metric such as a 40% sales boost substantially showcases the candidate's effectiveness and impact.

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 Responsible for.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

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 Led on a resume:

• Led interview campaign with existing customers (300+ person survey, 40+ face-to-face discussions) to formulate requirements of a new product to help couples manage their expenses; outputs directly impacted product roadmap.

How to use Conducted on a resume:

• Conducted the due diligence of three retailers for a private equity investor with potential EBITDA impact of $200MM+ by 2020; developed customer acquisition strategy across channels.

How to use Selected on a resume:

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

How to use Doubled on a resume:

• Doubled new user acquisition from 10-15 users to 20-25 through the implementation of new marketing strategies focused on online advertising and improving the company's web presence, social media, and search engine optimization..

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Responsible for on a resume?

Instead of passive phrases like Responsible for, use other words like Accumulated, Diverted, Collected, Officiated, Audited or Masterminded. Using these verbs will help your accomplishments and bullet points stand out on your resume.

What is another way of saying Responsible for on a resume?

You can say Ranked, Officiated or Accumulated instead of Responsible for.

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

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Q: What is another word for Responsible for on a resume?

Instead of passive phrases like Responsible for , use other words like Accumulated, Diverted, Collected, Officiated, Audited or Masterminded. Using these verbs will help your accomplishments and bullet points stand out on your resume.

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