Looking for “Exceptional” synonyms to put in your resume?

Sometimes, it can feel like the word “exceptional” is the only option you have when referencing your past jobs and projects.

However, when you finish crafting your resume, you may realize you got a little too carried away with your use of the word.

So, how can you find another word for “exceptional” that still communicates exactly what you want in your resume?

In this article, you'll find more than just a list of synonyms: you'll also find examples of how to use these words in each section of your resume.

At the end of this article, I'll share a secret tip on how to level up your resume writing.

You can read this piece from top to bottom or jump to the specific sections below:

• 10+ Synonyms For “Exceptional” To Put In Your Resume
• How To Use “Exceptional” Synonyms On Your Resume (With Examples)
• How To Take Your Resume Writing To The Next Level (With Free Resources!)
• Taking Your Resume To The Next Level: Final Steps
• Key Takeaways To Writing a Job-Winning Resume

10+ Synonyms For “Exceptional” To Put In Your Resume

1. Outstanding: Emphasizes superior quality or achievement.
2. Remarkable: Highlights something worthy of attention or extraordinary.
3. Distinguished: Suggests being set apart due to excellence.
4. Notable: Denotes being worthy of notice or recognition.
5. Superior: Indicates being better than the average or competition.
6. Impressive: Focuses on making a strong, positive impact.
7. Extraordinary: Communicates results that go far beyond the usual.
8. Excellent: Suggests outstanding results.
9. Accomplished: Shows a high level of proven success or skill.
10. Exemplary: Suggests serving as a desirable example due to excellence.

How To Use “Exceptional” Synonyms On Your Resume (With Examples)

1. Using “outstanding” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional project management skills led to a 30% increase in on-time deliveries.

Using “outstanding”:

Outstanding project management skills led to a 30% increase in on-time deliveries.

2. Using “remarkable” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional ability to build client relationships resulted in a 50% client retention improvement.

Using “remarkable”:

Remarkable ability to build client relationships resulted in a 50% client retention improvement.

3. Using “distinguished” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional leadership recognized by executive leadership with Employee of the Year award.

Using “distinguished”:

Distinguished leadership recognized by executive leadership with Employee of the Year award.

4. Using “notable” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional analytical skills identified $1M in cost-saving opportunities.

Using “notable”:

Notable analytical skills identified $1M in cost-saving opportunities.

5. Using “superior” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional attention to detail ensured 100% accuracy in quarterly reports.

Using “superior”:

Superior attention to detail ensured 100% accuracy in quarterly reports.

6. Using “impressive” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional negotiation skills secured partnerships with 5 high-profile clients.

Using “impressive”:

Impressive negotiation skills secured partnerships with 5 high-profile clients.

7. Using “extraordinary” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional problem-solving capabilities resolved critical system outages within hours.

Using “extraordinary”:

Extraordinary problem-solving capabilities resolved critical system outages within hours.

8. Using “excellent” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional coding proficiency contributed to a flagship product's success.

Using “excellent”:

Excellent coding proficiency contributed to a flagship product's success.

9. Using “accomplished” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional sales performance exceeded targets by 40% in consecutive quarters.

Using “accomplished”:

Accomplished sales performance exceeded targets by 40% in consecutive quarters.

10. Using “exemplary” as another word for “exceptional”

Using “exceptional”:

Exceptional customer service skills achieved a 95% satisfaction rating.

Using “exemplary”:

Exemplary customer service skills achieved a 95% satisfaction rating.

How To Take Your Resume Writing To The Next Level (With Free Resources!)

Writing a resume isn't just about listing your work experience, education, and skills. You need to sell yourself!

That means crafting compelling resume bullets that grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

Sure, you could go with something like: Marketing professional with exceptional communication skills.

Or, you could go with something like this:

Marketing professional with outstanding communication skills, leading to a 25% increase in client engagement through targeted campaigns.

Much better, right?

That's because I used a secret formula that includes a reasonable amount of hard and soft skills, action words, measurable results, and common words.

You can use ResyBullet.io to scan, score, and upgrade your resume bullets in a few seconds. Here's what I scored for the resume bullet above:

To scan and improve your resume bullet, simply head over to ResyBullet.io or copy and paste your resume bullet below:

Aim for a score over 60, and you'll be good to go!

Not sure what metrics to include in your resume? This post from Austin's LinkedIn brings 5 ways you can uncover metrics for any role:

To recap, here's a video that walks through the entire process of writing a job-winning resume bullet:

Taking Your Resume To The Next Level: Final Steps

Finding the right words for your resume can go a long way when you're applying online. Not only do you want to use compelling language, but you also want your resume to get past ATS filters. To do this, you'll need to match the keywords in your resume with the ones in the target job description.

The best way to do this is by using a resume scanner like ResyMatch.io to scan and score your resume with your target job in just a few clicks. Simply upload your resume and paste the job description below:

Step 1

Copy/paste or upload your resume here:

Click here to paste text

or

Upload a PDF, Word Doc, or TXT File

UPLOAD RESUME

Step 2

Paste the job post's details here:

Job Title Industry

Job Description

Step 3

Scan to compare and score your resume vs the job's description.

START RESUME SCAN

Or see a sample resume scan

Scanning...

After you've optimized your resume with the right keywords, how about ramping it up with a job-winning resume template? Pick one of the templates below from ResyBuild.io to get started:

Free Job-Winning Resume Templates, Build Yours In No Time.

Choose a resume template below to get started:

Choose from 8 proven templates and easily create, edit, and customize your resume. ResyBuild also comes with an AI writing assistance tool to help you write compelling resume bullet points. Simply add your experience, hit “Optimize”, and watch the magic happen.

Key Takeaways To Writing a Job-Winning Resume

1. Review every instance of “exceptional” in your resume.
2. Review the list of synonyms in this article and update your resume so you don't have more than 2-3 instances of “exceptional.”
3. Run each of your resume bullets through ResyBullet.io and make sure they score >60.
4. Run your entire resume through ResyMatch.io and make sure it's optimized for the roles you are targeting.
5. Ramp up your resume with one of our job-winning resume templates from ResyBuild.io.

Follow these steps, and you're sure to end up with a job-winning resume!

Good luck out there!