// resume power verbs

Another word for "improved" on a resume

"Improved" is one of the most common result-oriented verbs on resumes, yet it rarely convinces anyone. The verb says something got better without explaining how much better or how you achieved it. Recruiters want evidence of impact — a specific verb naming your method, plus a number, replaces the vague promise of "improved" with a verifiable claim.

Why "improved" weakens your resume

"Improved" is a conclusion, not an action. It tells recruiters that things ended up better, but not what you actually did — which is the skill they are evaluating. A recruiter reading "improved customer satisfaction" cannot picture your work; one reading "Redesigned the onboarding flow, lifting CSAT from 62 to 81" can. ATS keyword matching also favors action verbs tied to specific processes over generic result words. Pair a precise method verb with a quantified outcome and your bullet does real work.

20 stronger words for "improved"

Optimized

for tuning a process, algorithm, or system to perform more efficiently

Enhanced

for adding features, quality, or capability to an existing product or process

Streamlined

for removing unnecessary steps or complexity from a workflow

Elevated

for raising standards, quality, or outcomes — strong in customer-experience contexts

Strengthened

for making something more robust — a team, a partnership, or a process

Upgraded

for replacing an older system or approach with a better one

Refined

for iterative, detail-focused improvements over time

Revamped

for a significant overhaul of an existing process or product

Transformed

for a fundamental change in how something operates or what it delivers

Accelerated

for increasing the speed of a process, pipeline, or growth metric

Boosted

for driving upward a specific metric — revenue, efficiency, or engagement

Maximized

for pushing a metric or resource to its highest practical value

Reduced

for decreasing cost, time, errors, or churn — pair with a number

Cut

for sharply reducing a cost, headcount, or processing time

Overhauled

for a comprehensive rebuild of a system or process that was fundamentally broken

Modernized

for replacing outdated tools, infrastructure, or practices with current ones

Restructured

for reorganizing a team, process, or financial model for better performance

Resolved

for fixing a specific recurring problem that had been causing measurable harm

Remediated

for addressing risk, compliance gaps, or technical debt systematically

Scaled

for growing a system or process to handle more volume without degrading performance

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Before / after: bullets that drop "improved"

  • Improved the customer support process.

    ✍️ Streamlined the customer support queue by introducing tiered routing, cutting average resolution time from 48 hours to 11 hours.

  • Improved website performance.

    ✍️ Optimized front-end load times by compressing assets and implementing lazy loading, reducing page load from 4.2 s to 1.3 s and lifting conversion rate by 14%.

  • Improved employee retention.

    ✍️ Restructured the performance review cycle and introduced quarterly career-path check-ins, reducing voluntary turnover from 24% to 13% in 18 months.

Frequently asked questions

Is "improved" a good word for a resume?

"Improved" is weak on its own because it describes an endpoint rather than an action. Hiring managers want to understand what you did, not just that things got better. Replace it with the verb that names your method — "Optimized," "Streamlined," "Restructured" — and always add how much things improved.

What can I say instead of "improved" on a resume?

The best choice depends on how you improved something: "Optimized" for efficiency gains, "Streamlined" for process simplification, "Elevated" for quality or customer experience, "Reduced" for cost or error reduction, "Transformed" for large-scale change, "Upgraded" for technology replacement.

How do I know if my resume is strong enough to pass an ATS?

The fastest way is to check it yourself: atsgrader.com analyzes your resume entirely in the browser — nothing is uploaded, no account is needed, and the initial scan is free. A one-time $9 unlocks the full detailed report with keyword gaps and verb-strength feedback.

Keep improving your resume

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