Resume Synonyms for Used
Want another word for Used to use on your resume? Our team's compiled the most effective action verbs and synonyms you can use instead of the overused resume phrase, "Used".
It's common to use the verb 'used' in resumes to indicate that you have experience with a particular skill set. This can be especially helpful to recruiters because it demonstrates the mastery of a skill or ability which determines whether or not they should consider hiring you.
However, when describing skills or experience, you want to use power verbs that clearly depict what you did and what kind of impact it had on your team and company. Weak action verbs fail to give an accurate picture of your experience, making recruiters assume what type of work you've done based on their biases. This can lead to them overlooking qualified candidates or rejecting them without giving them a chance to prove themselves.
To fix this problem and make your resume more effective, you should use power verbs like 'incorporated,' 'deployed,' or 'upgraded' instead of 'used.' These words paint a better picture of how you contributed to the project and give the recruiter more insight into what exactly you were doing.
Power verbs give the recruiter more information about what you did with that skill set. They are specific and show more details about your experience than weak verbs do.
I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Used on your resume.
Resume Synonyms for Used:
- Simplified
- Streamlined
- Upgraded
- Strengthened
How to replace Used with a stronger action verb:
Let's look at a before and after example of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Used, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Before: Weak example using Used
• A/B testing to increase conversions and sales for the company
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After: Using a stronger synonym• the first major effort to A/B test the company's sales page and optimize it for customer acquisition; resulted in a 7.5% increase in conversions.
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 Used.
More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms
How to use Managed on a resume:
• a cross-functional team of 10 in 3 locations (London, Mumbai and New York), ranging from entry-level to Ph.D. analysts, and closely collaborated with business development, data analysis, operations and marketing teams.
How to use Enabled on a resume:
• integration with existing systems by creating tool that extracts metadata from images and provides metadata to a system-wide search database..
How to use Coordinated on a resume:
• a team of four developers and two designers to implement and launch online marketplace that connects students with tutors, within 6 months.
How to use Promoted on a resume:
• to Associate Consultant in 2 years (1 year in advance); the only member in a cohort of 45 Analysts to be fast-tracked.
How to use Analyzed on a resume:
• company's 24-month sales results to develop five-year monthly projections by revenue and customer type.
How to use Conducted on a resume:
• private equity due diligence in $400M portfolio. Performed strategic and analytical valuation of assets based on interviews with experts and created extensive models of the industries; persuaded client to move forward with acquisition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is another word for Used on a resume?
You can say Upgraded, Simplified or Strengthened instead of Used.
What is another way of saying Used on a resume?
Words like Used are overused on resumes. Instead, you should use other phrases like Upgraded, Simplified, Streamlined or Strengthened.
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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