Want another word for Prepared 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, "Prepared".
How you present your experience in a resume determines whether or not you receive an interview. The verb 'prepared' exemplifies this point. It conveys action and shows you can take the initiative and get things done. It implies that you put in the time and effort necessary to achieve your goals, an essential quality for any employer to look for in a new hire.
Although your action verb may be great, using synonyms in each bullet point is still beneficial. Recruiters will better understand what kind of work experience you have by seeing different words used instead of just one that means the same thing every time—in this case, prepared.
You can use better words for 'prepared' in your resume, such as 'authored,' 'formulated,' or even just 'secured.' That way, you describe yourself more precisely so that recruiters know you're the right fit for them.
Refining your resume using synonyms helps avoid having one word dominate a page. It's hard enough to read through a whole page of text without having too much emphasis placed on any one term. Using synonyms allows recruiters to focus on each section without being distracted by details they don't care about.
I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Prepared on your resume, followed by real examples I've written for clients (feel free to use them!).
Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Prepared, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.
Before: Weak example using Prepared• Prepared and implemented an electronic database management program
After: Using a stronger synonym • Streamlined research processes by developing an electronic database management program; saved researchers 360 hours per week. .
• Prepared marketing campaigns for different product lines
After: Initiated • Initiated high-performing marketing campaigns for 5 diverse product lines, resulting in a 15% increase in sales annually.
The word 'Initiated' demonstrates a proactive approach which recruiters appreciate. The specifics like the increase in sales and the number of product lines help visualize the impact of the candidate's work.
Tip: I've prepared a ton of additional examples for you to give you inspiration. Please click on any of the following to expand and see real examples of how I've rewritten client bullet points.
• Prepared employee training programs
After: Spearheaded • Spearheaded innovative employee training programs that increased productivity by 25% and fast-tracked promotions by 20%.
Spearheaded' shows leadership and initiative. By quantifying the results in terms of productivity and promotion rates, you show direct impact of your work.
• Prepared new office layout
After: Conceived • Conceived new office layout that boosted collaboration by 30% and reduced inter-departmental conflicts by 40%.
'Conceived' speaks to a level of creativity and strategic thinking. Adding specific metrics enlightens the hiring manager on the impact of your contributions.
• Prepared materials for client meetings
After: Engineered • Engineered engaging presentation materials for 50+ client meetings, securing an 80% success rate in closing deals.
The use of 'Engineered' carries a precision and expertise. Metrics like 80% success rate and handling 50+ client meetings showcases your proficiency and direct contribution to the company's success.
• Prepared social media strategy.
After: Architected • Architected an effective cross-platform social media strategy, triggering a 200% increase in user engagement and 120% growth in follower base.
Replacing 'Prepared' with 'Architected' demonstrates a thoughtful and strategic approach. Quantifying the user engagement and growth in follower base communicates the effectiveness of your strategy.
• Prepared business contingency plans.
After: Devised • Devised robust business contingency plans, reducing downtime by 50% and saving $1M+ in potential losses annually.
'Devised' exhibits careful planning and consideration. Showcasing the achievements in terms of reduced downtime and savings is impactful, as it demonstrates the real-world implications of your work.
• Prepared product launches.
After: Orchestrated • Orchestrated 10+ successful product launches that generated $4M in revenue and increased the customer base by 35%.
'Orchestrated' conveys a leadership role in planning and executing. Quantifying achievements in terms of revenue and customer growth illustrates the fruits of your labors.
• Prepared plans for team-building activities.
After: Choreographed • Choreographed engaging team-building activities that decreased employee turnover by 20%, enhancing team morale and productivity.
'Choreographed' suggests a creative and organized approach. Quantifying the decrease in turnover rate shows concrete positive outcomes, reinforcing the candidate's competence.
• Prepared systems for quality control.
After: Piloted • Piloted new quality control systems that slashed defects by 75% and increased product reliability by 20%.
Changing the verb to 'Piloted' suggests the candidate took the lead in this task. The significant reduction in defects and increase in product reliability demonstrates the effectiveness and impact of the candidate's job performance.
• Prepared reports for client satisfaction.
After: Fostered • Fostered client relationships by providing precise reports, resulting in a 15% increase in customer satisfaction and 20% increase in renewal contract rate.
'Fostered' suggests developing client relationships instead of simply preparing reports. Adding metrics conveys the beneficial result of these efforts.
• Prepared logistics for international shipping.
After: Implemented • Implemented an efficient logistics system for international shipping, slashing delivery times by 40% and enhancing customer satisfaction by 20%.
'Implemented' emphasizes action and improvement. The specifics about reducing delivery times and increasing customer satisfaction signal the value of your work.
• Prepared content for websites.
After: Carved • Carved compelling website content that drove a 150% surge in site traffic and a 20% boost in brand recognition.
'Carved' is a creative substitute for 'Prepared' and conveys a sense of crafting something purposefully. The increase in website traffic and brand recognition serves as compelling evidence of the candidate's skills.
• Prepared plans for risk management.
After: Navigated • Navigated the complex minefield of risk management, reducing company's risk exposure by 60%, and avoiding potential lawsuits.
Using 'Navigated' highlights the candidate's ability to steer through complex scenarios. Statistically showing the reduction in risk cements the value of the candidate's competency.
• Prepared charity fundraisers.
After: Mobilized • Mobilized successful charity fundraisers, raising over $500,000 for local charities and fostering strong community relations.
'Mobilized' emphasizes taking action and rallying support. Including the funds raised showcases tangible results.
• Prepared changes to software applications.
After: Launched • Launched significant updates to software applications, improving system performance by 80% and end-user satisfaction by 60%.
'Launched' implies taking action to bring about change. Numerically stating the improvements in system performance and user satisfaction makes your contribution evident.
• Prepared for office restructuring.
After: Galvanized • Galvanized a seamless office restructuring process that improved workflow by 30% and reduced operating costs by 20%.
'Galvanized' indicates taking action that motivates others. Quantifying improvements in workflow and cost-cutting measures proves the candidate's strategic planning abilities.
• Prepared sales reports.
After: Expedited • Expedited the preparation of accurate sales reports, which resulted in a 20% faster decision-making process and a 15% increase in sales.
'Expedited' suggests efficiency and speed. Stating the acceleration in decision making and the resulting increase in sales proves your direct impact on the company.
• Prepared display home staging.
After: Incorporated • Incorporated contemporary designs in display home staging, leading to a 60% increase in property viewings and 30% faster sales.
'Incorporated' showcases the candidate's ability to synthesize multiple factors. Including the impact in terms of property viewings and sales speed exhibits your tangible results.
• Prepared data privacy policies.
After: Pioneered • Pioneered rigorous data privacy policies that resulted in zero breaches over 2 years, protecting company and customer information.
Utilizing 'Pioneered' highlights the candidates' innovative spirit. Stating the zero-breach record emphasizes their successful defense of sensitive information.
• Prepared budgets for projects.
After: Facilitated • Facilitated the development of accurate project budgets, resulting in a 15% cost savings and on-time delivery of 95% of projects.
Substituting 'Prepared' with 'Facilitated' shows the candidate's managerial role. The inclusion of cost savings and on-time delivery percentages showcases efficiency and competency.
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 Prepared.
• Analyzed fundamental growth drivers via top-down (macro/sector trends, competition) and bottom-up (growth strategy, revenue forecast, cost allocation) approaches, and analysis of senior management and shareholding structure..
• Led 2 business analysts to automate repetitive process flows using Excel Macros / VBA and reduce analysis time by 10+ hours per week.
• Designed and implemented operational efficiency improvement program for leading UK energy supplier to reduce rate of energy outages by 60% in three years.
• Developed pricing strategy for a digital subscription service by segmenting potential users by behavioral and psychographic attributes from survey data.
• Founded ReferRoom to organize social events for 500 young professionals, and grew it to $20k/year revenue and $8k/year profit..
• Created method to compute similarity of all methods in a code base; reduced time complexity from O(n 2 ) to O(n log n).
