Resume Synonyms for Responsible

by Sophie Johnson

Have you ever played the game where you say a word over and over until it becomes a stranger in your mouth? It strips the meaning right from it, saying a word repeatedly, and until the spell wears off, that overused word has no value. It can’t evoke a picture, feeling or thought. It’s only a noise, power voided. Responsible is a voided word for those who must sift though loads of resumes. Every applicant uses it, and so the word distinguishes none. The job-seeker who wants to stand out should find other words -- meaningful words -- to bring a resume alive.

Responsible as Dependable

When you use the word responsible as a description -- “I am responsible” -- you likely hope to convince an employer that you’re dependable. Besides dependable, other words to replace responsible are reliable, solid and conscientious. The question is, why do you think responsible describes you? Are you punctual, hardworking or trustworthy? Have you never missed a day of work? Specifics make your claims meaningful. Specificity also avoids confusion, because words mean different things to different people. For instance, if an employer perceives responsible as the tried-and-true, you might seem to have nothing creative to bring to a position.

"Responsible For"

When you are responsible for something, you take action. Instead of replacing the passive phrase “responsible for,” consider cutting it loose altogether. If you were responsible for producing the company newsletter, you could say, “Produced the company newsletter,” or, even more specifically, “Wrote, edited and distributed the company’s newsletter, which reached 20,000 clients every month.” If you were responsible for 30 employees, try, “Managed 30 employees,” and include an accomplishment. Saying, “Led 30 employees to a new sales record” gives an employer a concrete idea of what you can do. Other synonyms for the phrase: controlled and directed.


If you use the noun form of responsible on your resume, changing responsible to responsibilities, you’re better served with the synonym activities. Responsibilities may feel like a yoke, the burden you bore at your last job, while the word activities arises from being active. You want employers to envision you taking action on a job so they can picture you taking action for them.

"Responsible for" Revisited

If you intentionally want to suggest you bore a burden, instead of using the phrase “responsible for,” you might try using the more evocative words shouldered or carried. You may justify using them if you took a bad situation and turned it around. For instance, if you shouldered a last-minute project for a client whose original choice flaked out, it could speak well of you, especially if you also quantify the project’s success.

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