Searching for another word for strive on a resume usually means one thing: the word feels flat, and you want something a recruiter will remember. 'Strive' describes effort without a result. A resume line like 'strive to deliver excellent service' is a promise and not evidence. Replace it with a verb that shows you did something, then add what happened.
Turn the intention into an action. Instead of saying you strive to improve something, say you improved it, and by how much. If the work isn't finished, use pursue or work toward with a clear target.
Alternatives for strive
The tables group the options by meaning. Each has when to use it and an example bullet you can adapt. Replace the numbers with your own.
Showing the goal and the effort
| Word or phrase | Use it when | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pursued | A goal you worked toward | Pursued a 10 percent cost reduction target and delivered 12 |
| Worked toward | A goal still in progress | Worked toward a 95 percent first-call resolution rate, reaching 91 percent in 6 months |
| Aimed for | A target you set | Aimed for zero lost-time injuries and achieved 18 months without one |
| Targeted | Choosing a specific outcome | Targeted 15 new accounts a quarter and closed 17 |
| Set out to | Starting a project with an aim | Set out to halve onboarding time and reduced it from 10 days to 5 |
| Committed to | A formal or long-term intention | Committed to a 2-hour response standard and met it 97 percent of the time |
Showing the result
| Word or phrase | Use it when | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Achieved | A goal you reached | Achieved 112 percent of annual quota |
| Delivered | A promised outcome | Delivered the project 2 weeks early and 8 percent under budget |
| Attained | Reaching a standard or credential | Attained a perfect audit score for 3 consecutive years |
| Exceeded | Going past a target | Exceeded monthly targets in 9 of 12 months |
| Accomplished | Completing something difficult | Accomplished a full system migration for 300 users with no downtime |
| Secured | Winning something valuable | Secured $75K in grant funding |
Showing drive and persistence
| Word or phrase | Use it when | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Persevered | Continued through difficulty | Persevered through two failed pilots before launching a solution that cut errors by 40 percent |
| Pushed | Driving something forward | Pushed for a process change that saved 5 hours a week |
| Champions | Advocating for a result | Championed a customer feedback program |
| Strove | The past tense, in a summary | Strove to meet 100 percent of deadlines and did so for 4 quarters |
| Sought | Looking for improvement | Sought feedback from 30 customers, shaping 4 product fixes |
| Initiated | Starting something | Initiated a peer review step that cut defects by 20 percent |
Before and after
| Weak | Stronger |
|---|---|
| Strive to provide excellent customer service. | Resolved 94 percent of customer issues on the first contact and earned a 4.8 out of 5 satisfaction score. |
| Strive for continuous improvement. | Initiated a monthly process review that produced 11 improvements, saving 6 hours a week. |
The stronger versions each name an action, a scale, and a result. That is what makes a recruiter believe the line.
Phrases to avoid
- Strive to
- Always striving
- Strives for excellence
- Attempted to
- Tried to
'Attempted' and 'tried' suggest you failed. Show the outcome or the target and the progress.
How to choose the right word
- Decide what you actually did when you reached for the word strive. Write it in plain language first.
- Pick the verb or phrase from the tables above that fits it best.
- Add a number: how many, how much, how often, or how fast.
- Match the wording to the job description where it's true, since many employers screen resumes with software that looks for their terms.
- Read the line aloud. If you couldn't explain it in an interview, rewrite it.
Your resume is the first step. The interview is the second.
A better line about strive gets you the call. Then you have to talk about it out loud, and every claim becomes a question: how did you do that, what was your part, what would you change? Practice before the call. Our guides to telling your story in an interview, STAR answers, and phone screens show how to turn resume lines into answers. You can also use a mock interview tool to answer aloud and read a transcript, which shows where an answer is vague. YesToTheOffer builds answer outlines from your own resume and the job description, with 30 free minutes to try and no subscription. Follow the employer's rules on AI tools in any live interview, and use them for practice and review.
Turn your resume into interview answers
Practice answering aloud, get answer outlines from your resume, and review your transcript afterward. 30 free minutes, no subscription.
