Are your resume verbs pulling their weight?

What this tool checks

The action verb checker scans your resume for weak bullet openers — 'responsible for', 'worked on', 'helped with', 'tasked with', 'duties included' — that bury the achievement behind passive phrasing. For each one, it points you toward a stronger verb that puts the impact in the first words of the line.

Why it matters for recruiters and ATS

Recruiters read the first few words of a bullet and move on, so a line that opens with 'responsible for' hides what you accomplished. Strong verbs like 'led', 'shipped', 'cut', and 'launched' front-load the result. The verb alone will not pass a screen, but it makes the achievement visible in the half-second a bullet usually gets.

How to use the result

• •Rewrite each flagged bullet to open with a specific past-tense verb that names what you did.
• •Pair the verb with evidence — 'Reduced', 'Increased', and 'Built' are strongest when followed by a number or outcome.
• •Vary your verbs. A resume where every line starts with 'Managed' reads as flat as one full of 'responsible for'.
• •Match the verb to your actual scope — do not inflate "helped" into "led" if you were not leading.

Common mistakes

• •Replacing the weak opener but leaving the rest of the bullet vague ('Led various initiatives').
• •Using strong verbs that overstate your role — it falls apart under interview questions.
• •Starting every bullet with the same verb, which dulls the effect.
• •Front-loading a great verb but never adding the metric or result that proves it.

Example improvements