Do resume action words help with ATS screening?

Resume action words can improve readability, but they are not the main factor in ATS screening. Applicant tracking systems are more likely to scan for job relevant keywords, skills, job titles, tools, qualifications, and experience. The strongest resume combines clear action words with role specific keywords from the job ad, such as CRM, payroll, stakeholder management, compliance, reporting, rostering, or complaint handling where relevant.

Should I use words like spearheaded or transformed on my Australian resume?

Use words like **spearheaded** or **transformed** only if they accurately match your level of responsibility. They can work for senior roles, leadership roles, major projects, and genuine change initiatives. They sound exaggerated when used for routine tasks. In the Australian job market, clear and credible wording usually performs better than dramatic wording that is not backed by evidence.

What action words should I avoid on my resume?

Avoid or limit vague and overused words such as **motivated**, **passionate**, **dynamic**, **hardworking**, **guru**, **ninja**, and **rockstar**. These words describe personality or branding rather than evidence. Also be careful with inflated verbs such as **revolutionised** or **pioneered** unless you can prove a genuine major outcome. Recruiters are more persuaded by specific work examples than big claims.

How many action words should I use in a resume?

You do not need to count action words. Most bullet points in your work experience section should start with a clear action verb, but the focus should be on substance. A resume with ten strong, specific bullet points is better than one filled with impressive verbs and no detail. Use natural variation and make sure each bullet explains the task, context, and value.

Can I use the same resume action words for every job application?

You can reuse some action words, but you should adjust your resume language for each type of role. If the job ad focuses on reporting, stakeholder management, compliance, and process improvement, your resume should reflect those areas. If another job focuses on customer service, sales, scheduling, and complaints, your action words and examples should shift accordingly. Tailoring does not mean rewriting everything. It means making the most relevant evidence easier to see.

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Resume Action Words Australian Recruiters Actually Notice

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FAQ

The best resume action words for Australian jobs are clear, practical verbs that show what you actually did. Strong options include managed, coordinated, improved, resolved, delivered, processed, trained, analysed, implemented, and supported. The best word depends on the role. A customer service resume should use different action words from a project management, finance, healthcare, retail, or administration resume.

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Resume Action Words Australian Recruiters Actually Notice

Use stronger resume action words for Australian jobs with recruiter backed examples, wording tips, and mistakes that make resumes sound generic.

Resume action words are the strong verbs you use to describe what you did in a job, such as managed, improved, coordinated, resolved, delivered, trained, or increased. In Australia, good resume action words matter because recruiters and hiring managers scan quickly. They are not reading every line with a cup of tea and a generous heart. They are looking for evidence that you can do the job.

The mistake I see often is candidates using dramatic words without proof. Spearheaded sounds confident, but if the bullet does not show what changed, improved, saved, reduced, fixed, supported, or delivered, it is just decoration. Strong action words work best when they are attached to real outcomes, responsibilities, tools, people, customers, processes, or commercial impact.

What Resume Action Words Actually Do

Resume action words help recruiters understand your contribution faster. They give energy and structure to your bullet points, but they do not magically make weak content strong.

A good action word answers one of the first questions a recruiter has when reading your resume: what did this person actually do?

That sounds obvious, but many resumes are full of passive phrases like:

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Responsible for customer enquiries
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Involved in payroll processing
•
Assisted with admin tasks
•
Helped with projects
•
Worked on reporting

These phrases make the candidate sound present, not useful. They describe attendance more than contribution.

A stronger version tells me the level of ownership, the type of work, and the result:

•

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Why Action Words Matter in Australian Hiring

Australian employers tend to value practical competence, clear communication, and evidence over exaggerated self promotion. This is where many candidates get the tone wrong.

A resume for the Australian job market should sound confident but not inflated. You want to show impact without sounding like you personally rescued the entire organisation from collapse every Tuesday morning.

Recruiters in Australia often scan resumes with a few practical questions in mind:

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Has this person done similar work before?
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Do they understand the tools, systems, customers, regulations, or work environment involved?
•
Can they communicate clearly?
•
Are they exaggerating, or is there evidence behind the claims?
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Would the hiring manager trust this person to walk into the role and perform?

Action words help when they make those answers easier to see. They hurt when they make the resume sound like a motivational poster.

For example, words like , , and can work for senior leadership roles, but they look odd on a resume if the actual work was basic admin support or routine customer service. There is nothing wrong with routine work. Employers need reliable people who can do routine work well. The problem is when the language does not match the level of responsibility.

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The Recruiter Test for Strong Resume Action Words

Before using an action word, ask whether it passes what I call the recruiter test:

Can I immediately understand what you did, where you added value, and why it mattered?

If the answer is no, the word is probably not doing enough.

A strong resume bullet usually follows this structure:

Action word + task or responsibility + context + result or value

You do not need a result in every single bullet, but you do need enough context to make the work credible.

Weak Example

•Managed administration duties

This is too vague. Managed what? For whom? How often? At what scale? What did it involve?

Good Example

•Managed daily administration for a 12 person sales team, including calendar coordination, client documentation, CRM updates, and invoice tracking

This is stronger because it shows scope, function, and relevance. It gives the recruiter something concrete to assess.

Weak Example

•Improved customer service

Improved how? By how much? Through what action?

Good Example

•Improved customer response times by reorganising inbox workflows and introducing clearer escalation steps for urgent enquiries

This sounds more believable because it explains the mechanism behind the improvement.

Best Resume Action Words for Australian Job Applications

The best action words depend on the role. A finance resume should not sound like a marketing resume. A project manager resume should not use the same verbs as an aged care resume. Generic lists are useful only if you choose words that match the work you actually performed.

Action Words for Leadership and Management

Use these when you led people, owned decisions, managed performance, or influenced outcomes:

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Led
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Managed
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Directed
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Supervised
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Guided
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Coached
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Mentored
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Delegated
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Oversaw
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Coordinated
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Reviewed
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Approved
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Prioritised
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Resourced
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Developed

Good Example

•Led a team of eight customer service consultants, coaching performance, managing rosters, and improving consistency across call handling standards

Recruiter reality: leadership words need people, scope, or decision making attached. Saying you led something when you only attended a meeting will not survive a proper interview.

Action Words for Results and Achievements

Use these when you improved performance, saved time, increased revenue, reduced costs, or achieved measurable outcomes:

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Increased
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Reduced
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Improved
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Delivered
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Achieved
•
Exceeded
•
Generated
•
Saved
•
Streamlined
•
Strengthened

Good Example

•Reduced monthly reporting time by creating standardised templates and automating recurring spreadsheet calculations

Recruiter reality: numbers help, but they must be believable. A junior candidate claiming they increased company revenue by 400 percent without context will raise eyebrows, not interview invitations.

Action Words for Communication and Stakeholder Work

Use these when the role involved clients, internal teams, suppliers, executives, patients, customers, or community members:

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Communicated
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Presented
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Negotiated
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Consulted
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Liaised
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Advised
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Facilitated
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Explained
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Influenced
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Collaborated

Good Example

•Liaised with suppliers, internal operations teams, and customers to resolve delivery issues and maintain accurate order updates

Recruiter reality: Australian hiring managers like candidates who can deal with people without creating extra drama. Communication action words are stronger when they show the type of stakeholder and the purpose of the communication.

Action Words for Administration and Operations

Use these when the job involved coordination, systems, records, scheduling, documents, processes, or office support:

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Coordinated
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Organised
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Processed
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Scheduled
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Maintained
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Updated
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Prepared
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Filed
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Recorded
•
Monitored

Good Example

•Coordinated weekly scheduling, supplier invoices, and internal documentation for a busy operations team across three sites

Recruiter reality: admin work is often undervalued until it is done badly. Strong admin action words should show reliability, accuracy, pace, and complexity.

Action Words for Customer Service and Sales

Use these when your role involved customers, clients, complaints, enquiries, accounts, bookings, sales targets, or retention:

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Resolved
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Assisted
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Advised
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Served
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Supported
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Responded
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Converted
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Retained
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Upsold
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Cross sold

Good Example

•Resolved high volume customer enquiries across phone and email while maintaining accurate case notes and meeting service level expectations

Recruiter reality: customer service hiring managers look for resilience, consistency, and judgement. Do not only say you are friendly. Show how you handled pressure, complaints, systems, and service standards.

Action Words for Projects and Change

Use these when you contributed to projects, process changes, implementation, transformation, systems, or continuous improvement:

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Delivered
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Implemented
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Planned
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Coordinated
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Rolled out
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Supported
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Tested
•
Documented
•
Improved
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Streamlined

Good Example

•Supported the rollout of a new rostering system by testing workflows, documenting issues, and training team members on updated processes

Recruiter reality: not everyone on a project is the project lead. That is fine. Be honest about your role. Supported, coordinated, and documented can be excellent words when they accurately reflect your contribution.

Action Words for Technical, Data, and Analytical Roles

Use these when the work involved systems, data, reporting, analysis, engineering, IT, finance, or technical problem solving:

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Analysed
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Built
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Configured
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Tested
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Diagnosed
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Investigated
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Reported
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Modelled
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Automated
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Integrated

Good Example

•Automated recurring sales reports using Excel formulas and Power Query, reducing manual data preparation and improving reporting consistency

Recruiter reality: technical action words should be paired with tools. If you say analysed, tell me what you analysed. If you say built, tell me what you built and what it was used for.

Resume Action Words to Use Carefully

Some words are not wrong, but they are overused or often misused. I would not ban them completely, but I would check whether they sound natural for your role and level.

Use these carefully:

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Spearheaded
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Orchestrated
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Revolutionised
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Transformed
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Disrupted
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Championed
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Pioneered
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Guru
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Ninja
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Rockstar
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Visionary
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Dynamic
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Passionate
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Results driven
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Motivated

The problem is not that these words are always bad. The problem is that they often carry more drama than evidence.

Weak Example

•Spearheaded office administration activities

This sounds inflated. Office administration is valuable, but this wording feels unnatural.

Good Example

•Coordinated office administration, supplier communication, meeting schedules, and document control for a fast paced consulting team

That sounds more credible, more Australian, and more useful to a hiring manager.

Also be careful with words like assisted and helped. They are not weak by default, especially for junior roles, support roles, internships, retail, hospitality, care work, and administration. But they need context.

Weak Example

•Helped with reports

Good Example

•Assisted with weekly reporting by updating sales data, checking figures, and preparing summary tables for management review

That is still honest, but it gives the recruiter something to work with.

How to Use Resume Action Words Without Sounding Fake

A strong resume does not need the most impressive word. It needs the most accurate word.

Candidates often ask for powerful action words because they think the resume sounds too plain. Sometimes the problem is not the verb. The problem is that the bullet point is missing substance.

Instead of asking, “What is a stronger word for responsible for?” ask:

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What did I actually do?
•
Who did I support?
•
What tools, systems, or processes did I use?
•
How often did I do it?
•
What changed because of my work?
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What would have gone wrong if I did not do it properly?
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What did my manager rely on me for?

That last question is underrated. Hiring managers care about reliability. If your manager trusted you with rostering, reporting, complaints, compliance checks, onboarding, cash handling, closing procedures, stock control, payroll inputs, client follow ups, or urgent escalations, that tells us something.

Here is the practical formula:

Good action word + specific responsibility + scale or context + value

Example

•Processed supplier invoices across multiple cost centres, checking purchase order details and resolving discrepancies before payment runs

This is not flashy, but it is strong. It shows accuracy, finance exposure, process awareness, and responsibility.

How ATS Systems Read Resume Action Words

Applicant tracking systems can scan keywords, job titles, skills, tools, qualifications, and experience. They do not sit there admiring your verbs. An ATS will not rank you highly just because you used delivered instead of did.

This is where job seekers get misled. Action words improve readability and relevance, but they do not replace role specific keywords.

For Australian job applications, your resume should include both:

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Action words that describe your contribution
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Role specific keywords that match the job ad

For example, if the job ad asks for customer service, complaint handling, CRM, inbound calls, order processing, and service level agreements, your resume should naturally include those terms where truthful.

Weak Example

•Delivered excellent outcomes in a fast paced environment

This sounds polished but says almost nothing.

Good Example

•Resolved inbound customer enquiries using Salesforce, managing complaints, order updates, and service requests within agreed response timeframes

This works better because it includes action, tools, responsibilities, and job relevant language.

Recruiter reality: ATS optimisation gets you into the room. Human screening decides whether you stay there.

Examples of Weak and Strong Resume Bullet Points

The fastest way to understand action words is to see them in context. The action word is only the opening move. The real value comes from the rest of the sentence.

Administration Example

Weak Example

•Responsible for office tasks

Good Example

•Coordinated office administration, meeting room bookings, supplier communication, and document updates for a 25 person professional services team

Why it works: it shows the type of work, the environment, and the scope.

Customer Service Example

Weak Example

•Helped customers

Good Example

•Resolved customer enquiries across phone, email, and online chat, updating CRM records and escalating complex complaints when required

Why it works: it shows channels, systems, and judgement.

Sales Example

Weak Example

•Worked in sales and met targets

Good Example

•Generated new business opportunities through outbound calls, warm lead follow ups, and product demonstrations, consistently meeting monthly sales targets

Why it works: it explains how the sales activity happened.

Project Support Example

Weak Example

•Assisted with project work

Good Example

•Supported project delivery by tracking deadlines, updating action registers, preparing meeting notes, and following up with stakeholders on outstanding items

Why it works: it shows practical project support, not vague involvement.

Leadership Example

Weak Example

•Managed team

Good Example

•Supervised a team of six retail staff, managing daily task allocation, customer escalations, stock priorities, and closing procedures

Why it works: it gives leadership context and operational detail.

Finance Example

Weak Example

•Did invoices and reconciliations

Good Example

•Processed supplier invoices, reconciled account discrepancies, and verified payment details in line with internal finance procedures

Why it works: it uses accurate finance language and shows compliance awareness.

Matching Action Words to Your Career Level

One mistake I see often is candidates using language that does not match their seniority. This can make the resume feel exaggerated, even if the person is genuinely capable.

For entry level candidates, strong verbs include:

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Assisted
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Supported
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Prepared
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Updated
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Processed
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Served
•
Maintained
•
Learned
•
Followed
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Contributed

For mid level professionals, strong verbs include:

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Managed
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Delivered
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Coordinated
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Improved
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Analysed
•
Implemented
•
Resolved
•
Developed
•
Reviewed
•
Trained

For senior professionals, strong verbs include:

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Directed
•
Led
•
Oversaw
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Established
•
Influenced
•
Negotiated
•
Transformed
•
Governed
•
Optimised
•
Expanded

The goal is not to make a junior resume sound senior. The goal is to make your actual level of contribution clear and credible.

A hiring manager can usually tell when a candidate has borrowed senior language from a resume template. The interview then becomes awkward because every impressive verb needs to be defended with a real example. Do not write a resume your interview self cannot back up.

Common Mistakes With Resume Action Words

The biggest issue is not that candidates choose the wrong word. It is that they use the word without evidence.

Mistake 1: Using powerful words for basic tasks

If you transformed something, there should be a clear before and after. If you led something, there should be ownership, people, decisions, or accountability. If you optimised something, explain what improved.

Mistake 2: Repeating the same verb too often

If every bullet starts with managed, the resume becomes flat. Mix your verbs naturally based on the work:

•
Managed the team
•
Coordinated the schedule
•
Resolved customer issues
•
Prepared reports
•
Improved workflow
•
Trained new starters

This is easier to read and gives a better picture of your contribution.

Mistake 3: Choosing words that sound unnatural in Australia

Some international resume advice can sound too intense for the Australian market. Words like orchestrated, evangelised, or synergised can feel forced unless the context genuinely supports them.

Australian employers generally prefer clear, direct language. You can still sound confident. You just do not need to sound like a LinkedIn headline wearing a suit.

Mistake 4: Forgetting the job ad

Action words should support the job you are applying for. If the job ad is asking for stakeholder management, compliance, scheduling, reporting, and process improvement, your resume should reflect those areas.

Do not use a beautiful list of verbs that has nothing to do with the role. Relevance beats variety.

Mistake 5: Hiding real achievements behind vague wording

Many candidates understate their work because they are trying not to sound arrogant. The result is a resume that sounds smaller than the person.

If you trained staff, say it. If you handled complaints, say it. If you fixed a messy process, say it. If you were trusted with opening, closing, cash handling, reporting, rostering, audits, or senior stakeholder communication, say it clearly.

Confidence is not the same as exaggeration. Good resumes tell the truth properly.

A Practical Framework for Rewriting Your Resume Bullets

When I review a resume, I do not start by hunting for fancy verbs. I look for weak sentence patterns and rewrite them into clearer evidence.

Use this framework for each bullet:

•
Start with a clear action word
•
Add the task or responsibility
•
Add the setting, system, stakeholder, volume, or complexity
•
Add the result, purpose, or value where possible
•
Remove vague words that do not prove anything

Here are common weak phrases and stronger replacements:

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Responsible for admin tasks becomes Coordinated daily administration, document control, inbox management, and internal scheduling for the operations team
•
Worked with customers becomes Resolved customer enquiries, processed orders, and updated CRM records across phone and email channels
•
Helped with onboarding becomes Supported onboarding for new starters by preparing documents, scheduling inductions, and updating employee records
•
Did reports becomes Prepared weekly sales reports by consolidating CRM data, checking figures, and summarising key trends for managers
•
Handled complaints becomes De escalated customer complaints, investigated issues, and arranged practical resolutions in line with company policy

This is how you make action words useful. You attach them to work that recruiters and hiring managers can recognise.

Final Checklist Before You Use Resume Action Words

Before you update your resume, read each bullet and ask yourself whether it gives the recruiter enough information to make a decision.

A strong resume bullet should usually answer at least two or three of these:

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What did I do?
•
Who did I support or work with?
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What system, tool, process, or environment was involved?
•
How often or at what scale did I do it?
•
What problem did it solve?
•
What result did it create?
•
Why would this matter to the employer?

If your bullet only has a strong verb and no substance, keep rewriting.

The best resume action words for Australian jobs are not the loudest words. They are the clearest words. They help your resume sound capable, credible, and relevant. That is what gets attention in screening.

Recruiters do not need you to sound heroic. They need you to sound hireable.

About the Author

Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.

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Accelerated

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Expanded

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Lifted

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Optimised

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Converted

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Reported

•

Briefed

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Escalated

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Clarified

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Mediated

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Tracked

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Ordered

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Reconciled

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Verified

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Supported

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Handled

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De escalated

•

Followed up

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Built

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Maintained

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Identified

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Analysed

•

Mapped

•

Monitored

•

Evaluated

•

Audited

•

Forecasted

•

Designed

•

Developed

•

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Resume Action Words Australian Recruiters Actually Notice

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FAQ

What are the best resume action words for Australian jobs?

Do resume action words help with ATS screening?

Should I use words like spearheaded or transformed on my Australian resume?

What action words should I avoid on my resume?

How many action words should I use in a resume?

Can I use the same resume action words for every job application?

Build Your Resume in2 Minutes

Resume Action Words Australian Recruiters Actually Notice

Use stronger resume action words for Australian jobs with recruiter backed examples, wording tips, and mistakes that make resumes sound generic.

What Resume Action Words Actually Do

Why Action Words Matter in Australian Hiring

Read more similar articles

The Recruiter Test for Strong Resume Action Words

Best Resume Action Words for Australian Job Applications

Action Words for Leadership and Management

Action Words for Results and Achievements

Action Words for Communication and Stakeholder Work

Action Words for Administration and Operations

Action Words for Customer Service and Sales

Action Words for Projects and Change

Action Words for Technical, Data, and Analytical Roles

Resume Action Words to Use Carefully

How to Use Resume Action Words Without Sounding Fake

How ATS Systems Read Resume Action Words

Examples of Weak and Strong Resume Bullet Points

Administration Example

Customer Service Example

Sales Example

Project Support Example

Leadership Example

Finance Example

Matching Action Words to Your Career Level

Common Mistakes With Resume Action Words

Mistake 1: Using powerful words for basic tasks

Mistake 2: Repeating the same verb too often

Mistake 3: Choosing words that sound unnatural in Australia

Mistake 4: Forgetting the job ad

Mistake 5: Hiding real achievements behind vague wording

A Practical Framework for Rewriting Your Resume Bullets

Final Checklist Before You Use Resume Action Words

About the Author

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