10 Good Synonyms for “Maintain” on a Resume

Following certain rules at maintaining them is important in the workplace. After all, the rules are there to be followed.

Therefore, you should mention whether you’re capable of “maintaining” them whenever possible.

This article has gathered some alternatives to show you what to say instead of “maintain” on a resume. There are plenty of great choices to mix things up.

• Keep
• Continue
• Ensure
• Conserve
• Preserve
• Sustain
• Protect
• Retain
• Uphold
• Back

Keep reading to find another way to say “maintain” on your resume. You can also review the examples we provide under each heading.

1. Keep

We want to start with something a bit simpler than normal. You can use “keep” (which is certainly a simpler alternative to “maintain”).

We recommend including “keep” in your job application when it’s not the main focus of your CV. It shows you’re happy to stay on top of your workload without being overly wordy.

It’ll certainly show your employer you care about what you do. Also, it helps that it’s formal while remaining quite suitable as a simpler choice.

You can also review these examples:

• I keep on top of the inventory guidelines to ensure the company runs smoothly. I’m very reliable with things like that.
• I keep office supplies ordered and replenished for my office. You can count on me to ensure this happens when I work for you.

2. Continue

Feel free to use “continue” as another word for “maintain.” It’s a great one to include in a cover letter because it shows you’re happy to maintain your workload.

Generally, including “continue” means you will always keep on top of your work. It shows you’ll do what you can to keep it as your main focus, even when other tasks pile up.

Of course, it’s also a professional choice. Therefore, it’ll impress an employer when they’re reading through your application to see what you’re best at doing.

Here are some resume samples to help you understand it better:

• I continue running databases for the clients at our firm. It helps me to understand more about their needs.
• I continue many different projects as a supervisor in the office. Therefore, I know how to maintain multiple projects at once.

3. Ensure

Ensurances of any capacity are good in the workplace. They show you care about your work and want to maximize your output and efficiency.

Therefore, you can try “ensure” instead of “maintain.”

It’s highly effective as a formal alternative to “maintain.” It shows you’re willing to put the effort in and see what you can get out of your projects when you try your best.

We certainly recommend using this as an impressive synonym. Many employers will be happy to hear about this side of you.

If you’re still unsure, check out the following samples:

• I ensure accountability across all of the employees in the workplace. They don’t want to let me down.
• I always ensure a positive influence whenever possible. It helps to keep the morale of the workplace high.

4. Conserve

Conserving something means you keep it the same way. Therefore, “conserve” is a great professional synonym for “maintain.”

You should include it in your resume to show you’re happy to keep on top of something. It also tends to show that someone has put you in charge of conservation or maintenance efforts.

For instance, your former employer may rely on you to help them keep your clients’ private information confidential. This isn’t something an employer would give to any employee. Therefore, they came to you because they trusted you.

So, you can include “conserve” to show you’re trustworthy and dependable. There’s nothing wrong with including it to keep things interesting.

You can also review these examples:

• I conserve confidentiality at every corner. I have never shared private information to try and get ahead.
• I’m always ready to conserve the relationship between clients and the firm. There’s always room to improve, though.

5. Preserve

“Preserve” is another way to say “maintain” on your resume. It shows you’re happy to maintain relationships or projects when called upon.

Generally, if you preserve something, your boss will likely ask for your assistance.

So, if you’re trustworthy and reliable, this could be a good way to talk about yourself. It will also encourage new employers to look into you and see what makes you such a valuable employee.

Here are a couple of examples to help you understand it:

• I do what I can to preserve customer relationships. It’s why they’ve put me in charge of PR at my current workplace.
• I preserve the budget to ensure it meets the targets at the end of every quarter. It’s something I pride myself on.

6. Sustain

Sustaining something means maintaining it for longevity. Therefore, “sustain” is a great formal alternative to “maintain.”

To keep things interesting in your job application, you could switch between “maintain” and “sustain.”

Both words are suitable and professional. So, you should use them to show an employer that you mean business and would like to meet with them to discuss your role further.

The better you are at sustaining something, the better you’ll be as an employee. It’s a trait that shows you’re reliable and efficient, which can be hard to come by in other situations.

Also, these examples should help you:

• I sustain vendor relationships under my boss’s guidance. It ensures we stay ahead of the competition in the field.
• I’m good at sustaining the databases in the office. People trust me to get on top of the work when necessary.

7. Protect

If you protect something, it means you’ll do whatever you can to maintain it. That’s why “protect” acts as a great formal synonym for “maintain.”

You should use “protect” to show you uphold the importance of a task, regardless of the context. It shows you have strong values in the workplace and will avoid letting an employer down.

Generally, using something like “protect” is enough to convince an employer to hire you. It shows you’re willing to do what it takes to look after a project or your peers when they need you.

Here are some CV examples if you’re still unsure:

• I protect the assets we have to ensure we can always rely on them. My boss tells me I’m one of the most reliable people he’s met.
• I protect customer relationships in the workplace. That’s why I’m certain I’ll be a good fit for this role.

8. Retain

For a more formal alternative, you may be interested in “retain.” It works well when filling out a job application because it shows you uphold a high standard.

It’s a good synonym for “maintain.” We recommend including it when you know a job requires solid maintenance or relationships to be built.

Using “retain” will help your CV to sound more attractive as well. After all, most people are going to stick with more basic words like “maintain,” which won’t help them to stand out.

Check out these cover letter examples as well:

• I retain confidentiality agreements when necessary. I don’t want to break the trust of anyone who comes to my firm.
• I’m good at retaining relationships with people looking to use our services. It’s why I’m in charge of customer relations.

9. Uphold

“Uphold” is another way to say “maintain” on your resume. It’s an effective choice that shows you’ll maintain high-quality work whenever possible.

Let’s assume a former employer asks for your help with something. If you uphold high standards when completing that task, it shows you’re diligent and reliable.

Being diligent and reliable is a great way to prove you are worthy of hiring. Many new employers will happily consider you for an interview when they find this out.

You can also review these examples:

• I uphold a positive influence throughout the office. People rely on me to help keep morale at a high.
• I like to uphold the targets given to us at the start of the quarter. It’s the only way to prove my reliability.

10. Back

You may also use “back” on your job application. It’s a great alternative to “maintain” that keeps things simple yet clear.

You should use “back” to show that you’re always helping maintain the workplace’s flow. It’s a highly professional choice that’s bound to encourage an employer to consider you.

Here are some great examples to help you understand it better:

• I back the database myself. I have extremely good attention to detail, so I’m trusted with the information.
• They trust me to back vender relationships. It’s why I’m put in charge of dealing with new products.