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

Sometimes, it can feel like “possess” or “possessed” are the only options when referencing your past jobs and projects.

But once you finish crafting your resume, you might realize you got a little too carried away with using that word.

So, how can you find synonyms for “possess” that still convey exactly what you mean?

In this article, you'll find more than just a list of synonyms: you'll also see 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 “Possess” To Put In Your Resume
• How To Use “Possess” 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 For Writing a Job-Winning Resume

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

1. Hold: Suggests ownership or maintenance of a quality or skill.
2. Demonstrate: Implies showing evidence of a quality through action.
3. Exhibit: Highlights a visible display of a quality or trait.
4. Showcase: Indicates actively presenting a skill or talent.
5. Leverage: Used when applying a skill or quality to achieve results.
6. Display: Similar to “exhibit” but often used for consistent behaviors or qualities.
7. Bring: Best for describing qualities or experience brought into a role.
8. Maintain: Emphasizes sustained possession or usage of a skill.
9. Utilize: Focuses on applying a possessed skill for a specific purpose.
10. Apply: Indicates practical use of a possessed skill or knowledge.

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

1. Using “hold” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses advanced certification in project management to lead multi-phase initiatives.

Using “hold”:

Holds advanced certification in project management to lead multi-phase initiatives.

2. Using “demonstrate” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possess strong leadership in cross-functional teams, resulting in 3 successful product launches.

Using “demonstrate”:

Demonstrated strong leadership in cross-functional teams, resulting in 3 successful product launches.

3. Using “exhibit” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses excellent communication skills used during executive client meetings.

Using “exhibit”:

Exhibited excellent communication skills in executive client meetings.

4. Using “showcase” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses advanced SQL and data visualization skills, contributing to a 25% improvement in reporting efficiency by automating weekly dashboards for executive leadership.

Using “showcase”:

Showcases advanced SQL and data visualization skills, contributing to a 25% improvement in reporting efficiency by automating weekly dashboards for executive leadership.

5. Using “leverage” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses analytical skills that helped reduce churn by 18%.

Using “leverage”:

Leveraged analytical skills to reduce churn by 18%.

6. Using “display” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses strong attention to detail during monthly audit reviews.

Using “display”:

Displayed strong attention to detail in monthly audit reviews.

7. Using “bring” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses 5+ years of experience in digital marketing strategy.

Using “bring”:

Brings 5+ years of experience in digital marketing strategy to support campaign growth.

8. Using “maintain” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses fluency in Spanish to assist global client interactions.

Using “maintain”:

Maintained fluency in Spanish to support international client interactions.

9. Using “utilize” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses programming skills to streamline data analysis workflows.

Using “utilize”:

Utilized programming skills to automate and streamline monthly reporting workflows.

10. Using “apply” as another word for “possess”

Using “possess”:

Possesses conflict resolution skills used in high-stakes internal disputes.

Using “apply”:

Applied conflict resolution skills to mediate high-stakes internal team disputes.

Want To Take Your Resume Writing To The Next Level?

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 Manager with 10+ years of experience.

Or, you could go with something like this:

Marketing Manager with 10+ years of experience crafting compelling B2B campaigns that increased brand recognition by 25%.

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. Just add your experience, hit “Optimize,” and watch the magic happen.

Key Takeaways To Writing a Job-Winning Resume

1. Review every instance of “possess” 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 “possess.”
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.

Good luck out there!