Action Verbs
Use action verbs when describing the essential and nonessential duties of a position description. Since every function of a job should be a description of something an employee does, it makes sense to lead with a word that describes that action.
Administer |
Manage or direct the execution of affairs. |
Adopt |
Take up and practice as one’s own. |
Advise |
Recommends a course of action; offer an informed opinion based on specialized knowledge. |
Analyze |
Separate into elements and critically examine. |
Anticipate |
Foresee and deal with in advance. |
Appraise |
Give an expert judgement of worth or merit. |
Approve |
Accept as satisfactory; exercises final authority with regard to commitment of resources. |
Arrange |
Make preparation for an event; put into proper order. |
Assemble |
Collect/gather together in predetermined order from various sources. |
Assign |
Specify or designate tasks or duties to be performed by others. |
Assure |
Make certain of; give confidence. |
Authorize |
Approve; empower through vested authority. |
Calculate |
Make a mathematical computation. |
Collaborate |
Work jointly with others. |
Collect |
To gather. |
Compile |
Put together information, collect from other documents. |
Conduct |
Carry on; direct execution of. |
Confer |
Consult with others to compare views. |
Consolidate |
Bring together. |
Consult |
Seek the advice of others. |
Control |
Measure, interpret, and evaluate actions for conformance with plans or desired result. |
Correspond |
Communicate with. |
Delegate |
Commission another to perform tasks or duties. |
Design |
Conceive, create, and execute according to plan. |
Determine |
Resolve; fix conclusively or authoritatively. |
Develop |
Disclose, discover, perfect, or unfold a plan/idea. |
Devise |
Come up with something new by combining or applying known knowledge or ideas. |
Direct |
Guide work operations through policies/procedures. |
Draft |
Prepare papers/documents in preliminary form. |
Endorse |
Support or recommend. |
Establish |
Bring into existence. |
Estimate |
Forecast future requirements. |
Evaluate |
Determine of fix the value of. |
Execute |
Put into effect or carry out. |
Expedite |
Accelerate the process or progress of. |
Formulate |
Develop or devise. |
Furnish |
Provide with what is needed; to supply. |
Implement |
Carry out; execute plan/program. |
Improve |
Make something better. |
Initiate |
Start or introduce. |
Inspect |
Critically examine for suitability. |
Interpret |
Explain something to others. |
Investigate |
To study through closely and systematically. |
Issue |
Put forth or to distribute officially. |
Maintain |
Keep in existing state. |
Manage |
To be in charge of, administer, regulate. |
Monitor |
Watch, observe, to check for a specific purpose. |
Negotiate |
Confer with others in order to reach an agreement. |
Operate |
Perform an activity or series of activities. |
Oversee |
To manage or coordinate. |
Participate |
To take a part in. |
Perform |
To fulfill or carry out. |
Process |
Handle in accordance with procedure/ policies. |
Provide |
Supply what is needed; furnish. |
Recommend |
Advise or counsel a course of action; offer a suggestion. |
Represent |
Act in the place of or for. |
Report |
Give an account of; furnish information/data. |
Research |
Inquire into a specific matter from several resources. |
Review |
Examine or reexamine. |
Revise |
Rework in order to improve/correct. |
Schedule |
Plan a timetable. |
Sign |
Formally approve. |
Specify |
State precisely in detail. |
Submit |
Yield or present for the discretion or judgement of others. |
Supervise |
Communicates with, trains, evaluates employees; plan and directs their work; has authority to hire, transfer, suspend, layoff, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward or discipline subordinate employees or effectively recommend such actions. |
Transcribe |
Transfer data from one form of record to another form without changing the nature of the data. |
Troubleshoot |
To solve/investigate problems. |
Verify |
Confirm of established authenticity. |