Resume action verb checker
See which lines open on a weak verb, which verb you repeat, and what to open with.
The first word of every line.
Weak openers named
“Responsible for”, “Helped with”, “I” and lines with no verb first, each with the reason.
Repeats counted
A verb that opens three lines or more is flagged, with other words for it.
A stronger start
Where it's safe, the line comes back with only its opening changed.
Questions about action verbs
Action verbs, by what you didResume synonymsCheck the whole bulletFind the buzzwords
What is an action verb on a resume?
The verb that opens a bullet and names what you did: Built, Led, Cut, Trained. Recruiters skim the first word of each line, so that word carries the line.
Which resume openers are weak?
The ones that describe the job or hide your part in it: Responsible for, Worked on, Helped with, Helped to, Assisted with, Assisted in, Participated in, Involved in, Tasked with, Duties included, In charge of, Contributed to, Engaged in, Used, Utilized, Utilised, Leveraged, Performed, Helped. The checker flags each of these, a line that opens on “I”, and a line with no verb first.
How many times can I use the same action verb?
There's no rule. The checker flags a verb that opens 3 lines or more, because by then a reader stops noticing it. Keep it where it fits best and vary the rest.
Does it change my bullets?
Only the opening, and only when that's safe. “Responsible for managing the rota” becomes “Managed the rota”. It never adds a result or a number.
Is what I paste uploaded or saved?
No. The checker runs in your browser. Nothing you paste is sent to ATSPrep or anyone else, and it's gone when you leave the page.
Check the whole resume in the Studio.
The Studio marks a weak opening on every line as you write, then saves a clean PDF.
Optional: ATSPrep Pro, $9 for 7 days, $29 for 3 months or $12 a month, adds more AI, tailoring and Word downloads. See the plans