Resume Synonyms for Working
Want another word for Working 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, 'Working'.
InterviewPal Career Team
Resume Experts • 10+ Years Experience
The word "working" describes basic job activity or collaboration, but it's one of the most generic terms you can use on a resume. While it technically describes what you did, it fails to capture the depth, impact, or specific nature of your contributions.
Working is not inherently bad to have on your resume—it's just not as powerful as other words that demonstrate leadership, initiative, or measurable results. Recruiters see "working" so frequently that it becomes invisible, failing to differentiate you from other candidates.
Instead of using the word working, choose action verbs that show exactly how you contributed to projects and what impact you made. When writing a resume, consider whether you led initiatives, collaborated strategically, executed plans, or drove specific outcomes rather than simply "working" on something.
The best alternatives to "working" depend on your role and the context of your contribution. If you managed people or processes, use leadership verbs. If you solved problems, use analytical terms. If you created something new, use innovation-focused language.
I've compiled powerful synonyms you can use instead of Working, along with specific contexts where each works best. These alternatives will help your resume stand out and clearly communicate your professional value to hiring managers.
Better Alternatives to Use Instead
Choose the right synonym based on your context. Click any word to see usage tips and copy it to your clipboard.
Collaborating
Best when emphasizing cross-functional partnerships and team-based achievements where your ability to work effectively with others was crucial to success
Executing
Perfect for demonstrating your ability to implement plans and deliver results, especially when you were responsible for carrying out strategic initiatives
Leading
Ideal when you guided teams, projects, or initiatives, showing management capability and responsibility for outcomes
Developing
Best for situations where you created, built, or improved systems, processes, products, or strategies from conception to completion
Managing
Perfect when you had oversight responsibility for projects, teams, budgets, or processes and were accountable for their success
Implementing
Best when you successfully rolled out new processes, technologies, or strategies and can demonstrate their adoption and impact
Coordinating
Ideal when you orchestrated multiple moving parts, stakeholders, or timelines to achieve a common goal
Driving
Use when you were the catalyst for change or the main person pushing initiatives forward against resistance or challenges
Optimizing
Best when you improved efficiency, performance, or effectiveness of existing systems, processes, or operations
Spearheading
Perfect when you were the originator and primary leader of significant initiatives, showing entrepreneurial thinking within your role
Orchestrating
Ideal when you coordinated complex, multi-faceted initiatives requiring careful timing and stakeholder management
Pioneering
Use when you introduced completely new methods, technologies, or approaches that hadn't been tried before in your context
Streamlining
Best when you simplified or made processes more efficient, removing unnecessary steps or reducing complexity
Facilitating
Ideal when your role was to enable others' success by removing obstacles, providing resources, or creating supportive environments
Architecting
Perfect for demonstrating high-level design and planning skills, especially for complex technical or strategic solutions
Transforming
Use when you created fundamental change that significantly altered how business was conducted or how teams operated
Advancing
Best when you moved projects, goals, or initiatives forward, especially when progress had been stalled or slow
Delivering
Excellent when you want to emphasize successful completion of projects or achievement of specific goals, especially under pressure
Championing
Ideal when you advocated for and pushed important initiatives forward, especially those that faced resistance or required organizational buy-in
Engineering
Perfect for technical roles where you designed, built, or created systematic solutions to complex problems
Cultivating
Excellent for demonstrating your ability to develop relationships, partnerships, or long-term strategic initiatives that require patience and nurturing
Mobilizing
Ideal when you quickly assembled and directed teams or resources to respond to urgent situations or capitalize on opportunities
Establishing
Best when you created new systems, processes, or standards from scratch, showing your ability to build foundational elements
Accelerating
Perfect when you dramatically improved the speed or efficiency of existing processes or accelerated progress toward goals
Revitalizing
Excellent when you brought new energy or effectiveness to struggling projects, teams, or processes, showing your ability to turn around difficult situations
How to replace Working with a stronger action verb:
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase,Working, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Pro Tips for Resume Writing
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Quantify Everything
Numbers make your achievements concrete. Instead of "improved sales," say "boosted sales by 45%." Metrics are memorable.
Start with Action Verbs
Every bullet point should begin with a strong action verb. This immediately shows initiative and makes your resume more dynamic.
Avoid Repetition
Don't use the same action verb twice. Variety keeps recruiters engaged and showcases the breadth of your skills.
Match the Context
Choose synonyms that match your actual role. Leadership words for leading, collaboration words for teamwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
“I replaced just 5 words on my resume. Got 3x more callbacks within a week.”
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