Resume Synonyms for Retained

Want to demonstrate the full breadth of your retention skills? The term 'Retained' simply scratches the surface. Explore our guide to discover more compelling resume synonyms that spotlights your expertise and your ability to preserve performance and talent.

Using Retained on a Resume

'Retained' is a term that essentially conveys the idea of keeping or holding onto something. In the context of a resume, it often refers to an individual's ability to maintain or hold onto a certain role, responsibility, or set of clients. It's a word that communicates stability, reliability, and consistency, which are all valuable traits in the professional world. When used on a resume, 'Retained' can be a powerful word that showcases your ability to sustain and nurture professional relationships, tasks, or projects over a period of time. It can indicate that you were trusted enough to be kept on a job, project, or role, suggesting a level of competence and dependability. However, while 'Retained' can be a strong word to use, it may not always be the most impactful choice. The term can sometimes come across as passive or lacking in dynamism. It might suggest that you were merely kept on, rather than actively contributing or driving results. Therefore, it's worth considering other synonyms or phrases that can convey a similar meaning but with more energy and proactivity. By doing so, you can ensure that your resume not only communicates your reliability but also your initiative and drive, thereby maximizing its overall impact.

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Strong vs Weak Uses of Retained

Examples of Using Retained on a Resume

Strong
Results-driven Sales Manager with over 10 years of experience in the technology industry. Successfully retained 95% of existing customer base in a highly competitive market through strategic planning and excellent customer service. Proven track record of exceeding sales targets and developing long-term relationships with clients.
Weak
Worked as a Sales Manager for 10 years. Retained some customers. Did some strategic planning and customer service. Met some sales targets and retained some relationships with clients.
Strong
  • Retained 95% of key clients during a major company transition, demonstrating strong relationship management skills.
  • Implemented a new training program that retained 80% of new hires in their first year, reducing turnover costs.
  • Developed and executed a customer loyalty program that retained 70% of existing customers, contributing to a 20% increase in annual revenue.
Weak
  • Retained all of my responsibilities during my time at the company.
  • Retained a positive attitude during challenging times at work.
  • Retained all of the information from the training sessions I attended.

How Retained Is Commonly Misused

"Retained existing clients"

This statement is too vague and does not provide any specific information about how the clients were retained or the impact of retaining them. It is better to provide specific examples or details to showcase your client retention strategies and the results achieved. For example, "Implemented a proactive client retention program, resulting in a 15% increase in client retention rate over the course of six months."

"Retained information from training sessions"

While it may seem like a positive statement, it lacks impact and does not highlight any specific skills or knowledge gained from the training sessions. Instead, it is better to mention the specific information retained and how it was applied in your work. For example, "Retained and applied advanced sales techniques learned in training sessions, resulting in a 10% increase in monthly sales."

"Retained a high level of accuracy in data entry"

This statement is too generic and does not provide any specific information about the level of accuracy achieved or the impact of maintaining it. It is better to quantify the level of accuracy and mention any notable achievements. For example, "Maintained a 99.9% accuracy rate in data entry, resulting in improved efficiency and reduced errors by 20%."

When to Replace Retained with Another Synonym

Improving customer relationships

Instead of using "Retained," job seekers can use synonyms like "Nurtured," "Cultivated," or "Developed" to convey their efforts in building and maintaining strong customer relationships. These alternatives highlight their ability to establish trust, provide exceptional service, and ensure customer satisfaction, showcasing their skills in customer retention and loyalty.

Achieving sales targets

When describing sales achievements, job seekers can opt for synonyms such as "Exceeded," "Surpassed," or "Outperformed." These terms emphasize their ability to go beyond set targets, showcase their sales prowess, and demonstrate their track record of success in meeting and exceeding sales goals.

Managing client accounts

Instead of using "Retained," job seekers can use synonyms like "Managed," "Oversaw," or "Handled" to convey their role in managing client accounts. These alternatives highlight their ability to provide personalized service, address client needs, and ensure client satisfaction, showcasing their skills in client relationship management and account retention.

Best Resume Synonyms for Retained

How to Replace Retained with a Stronger, More Relevant Synonym

Delving further into resume enhancement, it's vital to understand that while 'retained' implies maintaining or keeping, its usage should be careful and precise. Not every task or role that involves maintaining or keeping equates to "retaining". Sometimes, the duration, significance, or nature of your maintenance might be better articulated with a different term. When considering how to refine the language on your resume, think about the context and impact of your retention. Did you preserve a client base? Sustain a project? Uphold a standard? Each of these situations might call for a different, more specific term. As you explore ways to improve your resume's wording, here are a few examples to help you replace 'retained' in a way that is both honest and compelling.

Replacing Retained in Your Resume Summary

Using Retained

Experienced sales manager with a track record of success who retained 95% of clients during a period of industry instability

Using a Strong Synonym

Accomplished sales manager with a proven success record who effectively preserved 95% of client relationships during a period of significant industry turbulence.

Replacing Retained in Your Work Experience

Using Retained

  • Retained 90% of clients during a period of company transition and restructuring.
  • Using a Strong Synonym

  • Successfully preserved 90% of client relationships during a challenging period of company transition and restructuring.
  • Powerful Retained Synonyms for Different Job Categories

    Best Retained Synonyms for Marketing Resumes

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the best replacement word for Retained on a resume?

    A suitable replacement for 'Retained' on a resume could be 'Maintained'. For example, instead of saying "Retained high customer satisfaction rates", you could say "Maintained high customer satisfaction rates". Other alternatives could be 'sustained', 'preserved', or 'upheld', depending on the context.

    When is it ok to use Retained on a resume?

    You can use 'Retained' on your resume when you want to highlight your ability to keep or maintain something valuable in a professional setting. For example, if you've managed to keep key clients or projects, or if you've been able to maintain a high level of performance or certain standards in your role. An example could be: "Retained 90% of key clients during a major company transition."

    How can I guage if Retained is relevant for my resume?

    "Retained" is relevant for your resume if you've held onto important responsibilities, clients, or positions over a period of time, demonstrating your reliability and value. For example, if you've managed to keep key clients in a sales role, you could say "Retained 90% of key accounts in a highly competitive market". Similarly, if you've maintained a leadership role, you could write "Retained a managerial position for 5 years, overseeing a team of 10+ employees". It's a powerful word that showcases your consistency and dependability.

    Best Resume Synonyms for Retained

    Which Job Titles use Retained the Most?

    Top 5 titles/functions with the most mentions of Retained on their resume:

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