good things to say in your resume

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30 Words to Include and Avoid in a Resume

• 15 Words to Include on Your Resume
• 15 Words to Avoid on Your Resume

Tips on Word Choice in Resumes

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Your resume is your first opportunity to make a good first impression, and you don't have much time to make that impression. According to  U.S. News & World Report , it takes less than 20 seconds for a hiring manager to make a decision about you based on your resume. Hiring managers need to scan your resume and find the information they need in record time so they can move on to the next resume. What that means for you is that nearly every word you include on your resume can either help get you noticed or knock you out of contention.

Know which words to include in your resume, and which to avoid, to impress the hiring manager quickly.

Top 15 Words to Include on Your Resume

Here are the best words to include on your resume according to employers who responded to a  CareerBuilder survey :

Include action verbs throughout your resume, particularly in the work experience section of your resume. Employers want to know what you can offer the company, and action verbs show exactly what you have accomplished at previous companies. “Achieved” is a terrific action verb that shows that you have succeeded at a previous task. This makes employers feel confident that you can achieve similar things at their companies.

Improved is another useful action verb to put in your resume. This word shows that you made some sort of positive difference at a previous company. If possible, explain how you made the improvement. For example, you might say “Improved efficiency of administrative office by streamlining physical and digital file systems.” This will show not only that you achieved something, but it will also show the skills you used to achieve it.

Trained/Mentored

Words like “trained” and “mentored” are action verbs that show you have experience managing others . These words are particularly useful if you are applying for a job that involves managing, leading, teaching, or advising others. If possible, state the number of people you trained or mentored. For example, you might say, “Trained staff of 15 baristas to operate new cappuccino machine.” This will demonstrate your ability to lead and mentor a group of people.

Like “trained” and “mentored,” “managed” is an action word that shows your ability to lead others. This is a particularly important word to include in a resume for a management position. Again, try to include the number of people you managed, particularly if it is a large number.

This action word shows that you can do more than just follow instructions—you can actually construct something and contribute to a company. Whether you developed a new filing system or invented a software app, use the word “created” to show your independence, initiative, and originality.

Employers want to hire candidates who can recognize and help solve problems . Use this action verb if you are applying for a managerial job, or any job that requires supervising others. This word will show that you are able to spot a problem and step in to solve it.

Volunteered

This action word demonstrates your willingness to step up and help with a project or task, even if you are not asked to do so. Use this word to show your initiative and your teamwork.

Employers want job candidates who are capable of encouraging and persuading others for the good of the company. An action word like “influenced” demonstrates what you have achieved while also highlighting your leadership skills.

Increased/Decreased

An employer wants specific evidence of how you will add value to the company. One way to do this is to quantify your successes . Include numbers to demonstrate how you have helped previous companies save money, generate donations, or achieve success in other quantifiable ways. Using action words like “increased” or “decreased” will more clearly show exactly how you helped achieved success. For example, you might say, “Developed new budget that decreased office expenses by 10%” or “Increased number of donors by 15% through new fundraising initiative.”

Employers typically want to know that job candidates are creative , innovative people who will bring new solutions to the table. In your resume, include examples of times you develop a particular idea, either on your own or as part of a team, and explain how that idea helped the company achieve success. If you are applying for a job as a manager, you might mention how you listened to your employees’ ideas, and helped them develop those ideas into something that benefits the company. This will show your delegation skills as well.

This action verb demonstrates that you're able to successfully complete a project. Whether you launched an app that you developed, a website you helped design, or an advertising campaign that you worked on with a team, the word “launch” will show that you are able to produce something successfully.

Revenue/Profit

Again, employers will want to know how you have added value to previous companies you worked for. One way to do this is to demonstrate how you made money for a company. Include any examples of times that you helped increase profits or revenue. Using numerical values as well as the words “revenue” or “profit” will show the hiring manager, at a glance, that you have a record of achieving financial success.

Under Budget

While companies want to know you will help them make money, they also want to know you'll help them save money. Mention any time that you helped a company spend less. For example, you might say, “Organized annual fundraiser, and remained under budget by $500.”

Like “achieved,” the action verb “won” shows a hiring manager that you have been successful in previous jobs. If you ever won an award at work or received some other recognition for your efforts, consider using this verb.

Top 15 Words to Avoid on Your Resume

While there are words you should include in your resume, there are also words to avoid. Here are the worst words to include on your resume, according to CareerBuilder:

Best of Breed

“Best of breed” sounds more like an American Kennel Club dog show winner than a candidate for employment. Avoid cliché and awkward phrases like this in your resume. Once a phrase becomes too common, it does not mean anything to a hiring manager.

This is another empty, cliché term. If you are using this word to say you take initiative, delete this word and replace it with a specific example of a time you stepped up and took charge of a project. Examples are much more powerful than empty words.

Think Outside of the Box

This is a phrase that hiring managers have heard time and time again. Replace this phrase with a specific example of a time you demonstrated creative thinking. You can also replace “think outside of the box” with an action verb like “created,” “conceptualized,” or “developed.”

Synergy might sound like a trendy term, but hiring managers often find it vague. Use more specific action verbs to specify what you are trying to say you accomplished. Did you “interact” or “cooperate” or “collaborate” with a variety of departments? Use one of these action verbs to clarify what you mean.

Go-to Person

This is another overused and vague phrase. Rather than using this word to describe yourself, think about what you really mean. Were you the person who delegated everyone’s responsibilities at your previous job? Were you the person people went to when they needed help mediating a conflict? Provide specific examples of how you demonstrated leadership, rather than using this term.

Thought Leadership

This phrase is very broad and unclear. If you are trying to say that you helped come up with a number of ideas for an organization, use an action verb like “influenced,” “created,” or “developed” instead.

Again, it is a terrific idea to show how you added value in your previous jobs . However, rather than use the phrase “value add,” show specifically how you added value. Include numbers whenever possible to quantify your success. Use words like “increased/decreased,” “revenue/profits,” or “under budget” to specify how you added value.

Results-Driven

Employers assume everyone wants to achieve good results at work. Replace this empty phrase with evidence of how you successfully achieved results at work. For example, if you work for an online marketing company, you might mention how you measure click-through rates to measure the success of each marketing project. 

Team Player

Almost everyone says they are a team player, but it is hard to prove this. Instead of using this commonplace description, give examples of times that you collaborated with others, using action verbs like “cooperated,” “collaborated,” “mentored,” and more.

Bottom Line

Again, employers want you to quantify the ways you achieved success in your previous jobs. Rather than using an unclear phrase like “bottom line,” use numbers to show how you specifically helped the company. Whether your company’s bottom line is number of sales, budget, or some other figure, be specific.

Hard Worker

Rather than say you are a hard worker, prove it. Use specific action words and examples to demonstrate how you have worked hard in the past. Only by using examples will employers be able to believe your statements.

Strategic Thinker

This is a very vague description that does not give the employer an idea of what you would bring to the company. Describing yourself as a “thinker” portrays you as passive—instead, explain how your great thinking helped solve a problem at work. For example, you might say, “Developed and implemented inter-office memo strategy to improve communication.”

This adjective describes your personality rather than your work ethic or skills. There is no way to prove your outgoing personality on a resume—anyone can put the word “dynamic” on their resume. Stick to information that you can prove using examples from past work experiences. In your interview , the employer will be able to see your energetic personality.

Self-Motivated

Like the word “dynamic,” anyone can say they are “self-motivated” in their resume. However, using the word doesn’t prove anything. Instead of saying you are self-motivated, you can prove it throughout your resume. In your work summary, mention a project or achievement that you developed yourself or that you volunteered to do. If you joined any professional association, list them on your resume. These are the things that will prove your motivation .

Detail-Oriented

One of the worst (and most common) mistakes you can make on a resume is to say you are detail-oriented and then have a spelling error in your resume . Get rid of the overly used term “detail-oriented,” and instead produce a polished and well-organized resume. This will show your attention to detail If your past work has required you to be detail-oriented, explain that in your description of your work experiences. For example, you might say, “awarded Store Clerk of the Month three times for cash-handling accuracy."

Be specific. You do not want to appear vague in your resume. Hiring managers are tired of hearing clichéd words like “team player” and “hard worker.” Avoid these phrases at all cost. Include words and phrases that explain specifically what you accomplished in your previous jobs.

Use action words. Hiring managers also like to see  action words  in resumes because they demonstrate that you took a leadership role that produced results.

Include power words. Along with action words, other power words include popular skills , words specific to your industry, and keywords from both the job listing and the company website . Use these (without using them too often) to make your resume stand out as the hiring manager skims through it.

Use values. Also, when possible, use numbers to demonstrate how your efforts benefited your employers. For example, instead of simply saying you “added value to Best Practices PR by saving money,” you should say that you “administered a public relations budget of $500,000 and, by developing and implementing an innovative and efficient cost-saving marketing program, saved Best Practices PR over $10,000 a year for a period of three years." 

Focus on the job. By focusing on the skills, results, and accomplishments most aligned to the job you're applying for, you'll have a much better chance of getting called in for an interview. Again, using keywords from the job listing will help align your resume with the job. This, coupled with word choice, will get you closer to your next job. 

100 Good Skills to Put on a Resume [Complete Guide]

Jeff Gillis 0 Comments

By Jeff Gillis

Updated 6/4/2022.

When you’re adding skills to a resume, you don’t just want to focus on what you’re good at. Instead, relevancy has to be part of the equation. After all, every job you’re trying to land requires a very specific skill set, one that you need to show that you have.

Choosing the skills to put on a resume when you’re applying to a role isn’t something you should do haphazardly. Instead, you want to use the job description, company mission, and company values as a guide, creating a sense of alignment.

Additionally, it never hurts to have a handy list of skills by your side, making it easier to explore your options. So, if you’re on the hunt for good skills to put on a resume, here’s what you need to know.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

There are two basic types of skillsets that a job seeker can have and include on their resume: hard skills or soft skills.

Hard skills are the skills or abilities for a resume that are easily quantifiable…that can be learned through classroom work, apprenticeships, or other forms of learning. These include things like operating tools, computer programming, speaking foreign languages, or different kinds of technical prowess.

Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify and are often grouped together by what we know as “people skills.” Some examples of soft skills include communication, relationship building, self-awareness, and patience.

Which Skills Are More Important?

The debate rages on about which of these two types of skills is more important.

According to executive consultant and Forbes contributor Naz Beheshti , “…There is an ongoing debate about the relative importance of soft and hard skills that imply a competition between the two. However, they are both necessary and complementary to one another.”

On the one hand, job seekers with proficiency in a specific hard skill may get hired more quickly. Many employers want to hire people that can deliver value with fewer resources (ex., the need for training, etc.), making hard skills their priority.

However, we are also seeing that many hiring managers are choosing to hire candidates with highly developed soft skills.

In the end, as Indeed puts it, “soft skills are necessary to create a positive and functional work environment.” Plus, hiring managers feel that they can always train the candidate in the hard skill that is required to complete the job, but soft skills are often skills that cannot necessarily be taught.

So, what does this mean for you? Mainly that you can’t simply just pick one or the other and cross your fingers. Instead, the best strategy is to take a balanced approach and make sure that your resume contains both hard and soft skills.

How Do You Choose the Skills to List on a Resume?

Here’s the deal; there’s a good chance you know what you’re good at in a professional sense. Often, you can use your experience, duties, training, and education as a guide, giving you a strong foundation. Then, it’s about diving a bit deeper, looking at traits that could help you stand out, and comparing it all to the job description.

By using a simple process, you can make progress faster. Here’s a quick way to get started.

1. Make a List of the Skills You Know You Have

As mentioned above, the easiest way to get a grip on your current skills is to reflect on your academic and professional experiences. Consider the tasks you’ve taken on, the training you’ve completed, and the courses you had in school. In most cases, that’ll give you some solid ideas about your hard skills.

After that, it’s time for soft skills. Here, you want to think of traits or capabilities that help you engage with others and navigate professional relationships. Often, these are reflections of your personality, so use that as a jumping-off point.

2. “Mine” the Job Descriptions for Must-Have Skills

The next step is to take a look at the job description for the position you are applying for and make a list of the required skills it includes. Then, compare it to your capabilities. Are any of the skills on both of the lists you just created? If so, these are must-haves for your resume.

Now, notice if there are any skills on the job description that you don’t have. If there aren’t any, great!

But if there are…don’t panic. There are things you can do, which we’ll dig into shortly.

If you’re dealing with a vague job description, you aren’t stuck either. Here is a link to a ton of job descriptions that can give you an idea of the skills needed.

3. Tailor Your Skills to the Company/Position

As you may have read in our other blog articles, it is always very important to “tailor” your resume to the company and position you want to land. For an in-depth look into how to make that happen, check out our Tailoring Method article. 

If you want a quick overview, the idea is to focus on capabilities the company wants to find. Every job requires a unique skill set, and you want to show you have it. As a result, it is absolutely essential that skills from the job description make an appearance on your resume.

However, you also want to dig deeper. Spend some more time researching the company, including going through all of their various web properties, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

Why? Because they will leave clues about the types of people they hire. That gives you more ideas about the best skills to put on a resume to land a job there, particularly when it comes to soft skills you may not find in a job description.

100 Resume Skills Examples

If you’re struggling with coming up with a list of skills based on your past experience, it can be easier if you have existing resume skills lists to work with. You don’t have to think up every possible skill; you can simply review the list and find the matches.

Here is a list of resume skills examples, divided into hard skills and soft skills, that you can use when applying for a job.

Hard Skills for a Resume

• Advanced Bookkeeping
• Appointment Setting
• Automotive Repair
• Cold Calling
• Computer Programming
• Conversion Testing
• Copywriting
• Customer Engagement
• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Digital Marketing
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Cleanup
• Forklift Operating
• Graphic Design
• Heavy Machinery Operation
• Installation
• Landscaping
• Mathematics
• Medical Coding
• Paid Online Traffic
• Patient Care
• Photo Editing
• Picking and Packing
• Project Management
• Schedule Management
• Search Engine Optimization
• Server Maintenance
• Social Media
• Spanish Fluency
• Statistical Analysis
• Systems Analysis
• Technical Support
• Telecommunications Systems
• Travel Booking
• Video Editing
• Website Design
• Word Processing

Soft Skills for a Resume

• Accountability
• Active Listening
• Adaptability
• Brainstorming
• Business Etiquette
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Contextualizing
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Emotional Intelligence
• Flexibility
• Goal-Setting
• Handling Pressure
• Influencing
• Insightfulness
• Interpreting
• Negotiation
• Open-Mindedness
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Problem Solving
• Relationship Building
• Reliability
• Resource Management
• Responsibility
• Self-Confidence
• Strategical Thinking
• Strong Work Ethic
• Time Management

What If I Don’t Have the Required Skill?

Whether you need to possess a specific skill depends on the job and the skill in question. Usually, here’s where you have to be honest with yourself. If the skills required are part of the core competencies of doing the job, you may want to reconsider your application.

For example, if a golf course posts a job posting for a golf pro, you probably shouldn’t apply if you’ve never swung a golf club.

However, you will come across situations where what you bring to the table is close. In this case, moving forward might be okay.

You need to be able to demonstrate, using examples from your past, that you are capable of doing the required skill, even if you haven’t specially done it. So, go over your work history with a fine-tooth comb and try to come up with a few examples of you doing something in the right ballpark.

They are going to ask about it in your interview, so don’t think you can just wing it, and everything will be fine.

Also, many job descriptions have “nice-to-have” skills on the list. If you happen to possess them, great. But if not, don’t assume you shouldn’t apply if you have the must-have skills. In the end, those capabilities aren’t outright requirements, so don’t screen yourself out based on them.

How To List Skills on a Resume

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to deciding where to put (or how to list) the skills on your resume.

According to our friends over at online resume-builder Zety.com , “…skills are so very, very important that they should show up all over your resume. Not just in the resume skills section.” In other words, it is imperative that there are elements of your skills throughout your resume, including your resume objective/summary and experience sections.

In addition, there isn’t one right answer for where to include your skill section because that depends on the industry, company, and position you’re trying to land. For example, for a job where technical competencies are of the utmost importance, it is often beneficial to list the skills closer to the top of the resume, right underneath the resume objective or resume summary statement.

However, if through your research you determine that the hiring manager will put more weight into your experience, you may want to lead with your experience. Then, put the skills section further down your resume.

At the end of the day, the selection of the skills themselves is the most important thing. After all, most hiring managers will easily find your skill section regardless of where it is on your resume.

What About Skills for My Job Application?

When you’re looking for skills to put on a job application, you do have to treat it a little differently than skills for a resume. Usually, you’re working with a finite amount of space on an application, not just in an overall sense but in each applicable section.

Since that’s the case, you need to lean heavily on the job description. Look for any capabilities that are listed as must-haves or that are repeated through the job ad. Then, make sure those skills are featured prominently in several areas, including in work history descriptions and skills areas.

If you have to answer essay questions, discuss those skills there, too, whenever possible. Use any other relevant capability as a supplement, treating it as supporting information instead of the primary point you’re sharing.

However, if an essay question asks about a skill that’s not in the job description, feel free to dig in a bit. It’s a capability that’s clearly on the hiring manager’s mind, so touch on it occasionally to show you shine in that area.

Putting It All Together

If you were wondering, “What are some good skills to put on a resume?” you should now have a solid answer. The most important thing to remember is to select skills that are relevant to the position you are interviewing for and, more important than that, skills that your company puts a tremendous amount of value in.

Once you get your skills straightened out, you should make sure that the rest of your resume is congruent with the skills you just selected, namely, that your experience shows that you both used those skills in a work environment and developed the skill with on-the-job tasks.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Jeff gillis.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• How to Describe Yourself on a...

How to Describe Yourself on a Resume (With Examples)

8 min read · Updated on January 23, 2024

It doesn't have to feel like nails on a chalkboard when trying to describe yourself on a resume!

How you describe yourself on your resume directly impacts whether you land that interview you so eagerly want. It's essential to describe your qualifications and experience in such a way as to grab the employer's attention without hesitation. 

How do you do that, exactly? By incorporating self-descriptive words on your resume that stand out to hiring teams and showcase that you're the best fit for the job. 

In this post, we start off with tips for developing self-descriptive words for your resume, followed by examples of descriptive words to use and avoid. 

Tips for developing self-descriptive words for your resume

It's not uncommon for individuals to struggle with talking about their accomplishments and strengths. We tend to share about another's skills and abilities easily, but when it comes to describing ourselves, we fall short. Fortunately, below are some steps you can take to boost your creative juices and find the words for your resume to help you stand out from the competition. 

Ask friends and peers for help

One way to come up with ways to describe yourself is to ask your peers, friends, and managers for input. For a comprehensive perspective, ask for feedback from those in your personal and professional lives. Here are some questions you can ask to receive the information you need:

What are three adjectives you would use to describe me?

How would you describe me to a coworker or friend?

If you could sum up my personality in one word, what would it be, and why?

Consider past performance reviews

Another way to develop self-descriptive words for a resume is to reflect on past performance reviews. What did supervisors have to say about you? What about coworkers who provided input? What were some of the strengths and achievements emphasized?

Make a list of your past accomplishments and strengths

Brainstorm to come up with a list of all your strengths, so you can more easily refer to them when describing yourself on a resume. Do this by first listing some of your key achievements and considering what strengths allowed you to achieve them. 

For example, suppose you implemented a new customer service rating system two weeks ahead of schedule, which led to a 10% increase in customer feedback. In that case, you might describe yourself as efficient and productive. 

Refer to the job description

If you're struggling to come up with the best self-descriptive words for your resume, refer to the job description. Highlight any skills, knowledge, and requirements you possess that align with the job. By incorporating these keywords into your resume, you're not only emphasizing that you meet the job qualifications but are also improving your resume's chances of getting past an employer's  applicant tracking system , or ATS.

Think positive

It's good to be humble and clear on your strengths and weaknesses. However, when it comes to self-descriptive words for a resume, you want to focus on the positives only - your strengths. 

Save sharing your weaknesses for the interview, when you'll likely be asked about them. During an interview, you can - and should - give your weaknesses a positive spin with context, which is challenging to do on a resume.

As you develop your list of strengths and how you'd describe yourself, work to develop some unique adjectives to use that are specific to your qualifications. Refer to the list of strengths you've developed, and look up synonyms for those words that could help you to stand out from other applicants. 

For example, instead of incorporating the commonly used term “creative,” you might use words like inventive or prolific. A word of caution is to avoid words that come across as boastful or exaggerating your qualifications.    

Review example resumes

An excellent resource to refer to when you're attempting to craft your own resume is to look at  resume examples  online. The resume examples you review don't need to be specific to your field, since self-descriptive adjectives and descriptive verbs aren't industry-specific, as shown in the examples below. This approach not only helps to generate ideas for self-descriptive words for your resume but also provides guidance on  how to write your resume  as a whole.

Self-descriptive words for a resume - examples

When it comes to self-descriptive words for a resume, technically, we're referring to adjectives, since adjectives describe a noun. However, two additional categories of words are essential to fully describe your abilities and work history: descriptive verbs and skills.  

Powerful adjectives for a resume

Here are only a few of the many adjectives you could use on your resume, with examples of how you might include them in a sentence. 

Adaptable:  Adaptable professional with ability to move from project to project within different departments. 

Compassionate:  Compassionate caretaker with 10 years of experience, working with hospices and providing end-of-life services. 

Knowledgeable:  Knowledgeable mechanic with 3 excellence awards for superb service and quality, earned in less than 6 months. 

Perceptive:  Perceptive speaker with ability to navigate an audience to know where to direct attention to garner the best outcome. 

Tech-savvy:   Tech-savvy Visual Artist with ability to bring together ideas and people to produce valuable and thought-provoking content, including images, videos, and graphics. 

Top tip: For an extensive list of 100 power adjectives, refer to “ 100 Powerful Resume Adjectives that Can Make Your Resume More Compelling .” 

Descriptive verbs for a resume

Action verbs  are vital in really making your work section stand out. Each bullet point you include for the jobs you list should begin with a power verb that emphasizes your role in the activity or achievement. Power verbs are also used in the resume summary to highlight accomplishments. 

Skills for a resume

Skills on your resume  should include a combination of soft and hard skills. In many instances, hard skills are spelled out and soft skills are inferred based on our past achievements. 

Unusual words to describe yourself on a resume

As mentioned, be creative and specific when selecting self-descriptive words for your resume, to help set you apart. A great way to do this is to use a thesaurus to gather synonyms for the list of self-descriptive adjectives you come up with. Some interesting choices that aren't used as often yet can still sound good on a resume include:

Inventive 

Self-descriptive words for a resume: what NOT to use

Yes, there are some words to leave off your list of self-descriptive words for your  resume. These words tend to be overused, generic, highly subjective, or boastful. Here are a few examples:

You might think you're likable, but likability is in the eye of the beholder. Instead of using likable, consider adjectives that refer to being likable, yet add value, such as team player, compassionate, and energetic. 

Intelligent 

Don't flat-out state you're intelligent, at risk of coming across as overly confident. Also, it should be inferred that you're intelligent by the other adjectives and proof you provide to back them up on your resume. Words like big-picture thinker, agile, and quick learner are better word choices.

Saying you're successful is very broad. Instead, you want to narrow your successes to specific skills and strengths with qualifiers and quantifiable data. 

Here are a few more self-promotional adjectives to leave off your resume. 

Got-to-person

Outside the box thinker

Instead of using these types of adjectives, come up with alternatives where you can show results linked to them. A good place to begin is by asking yourself, "What have I achieved that shows I'm a go-getter, the best, and so on?"

Where to incorporate self-descriptive words on a resume

Now that you've seen some examples of self-descriptive words, where do they belong on your resume? There are three main areas to place them:

Resume summary. Your  resume summary  falls just below your contact information and is the main area where you'll incorporate self-descriptive adjectives, with a few skills and power verbs. 

Competencies and skills list. Your  core competencies or skills list  should include the soft and hard skills required for the job, based on the job description. 

Work experience section. The  work experience section  is where you'll include the power verbs that describe what you did on the job, as well as some of the skills that supported you in doing so. You might also include some adjectives in this section, though generally, the adjectives are inferred. For example:

“Motivated team of 10 to implement an enhanced customer booking log project on time, resulting in an 8% increase in positive customer experience ratings”

From this achievement, one can infer that the person is motivational, a leader, and efficient. 

Apply a variety of self-descriptive words on your resume

Now you have some tips to help you discover the best self-descriptive words for your resume, with examples. You also know where to include them. As a final tip, when you incorporate your descriptive words, be sure to use a variety of adjectives and power verbs so your resume doesn't sound redundant. Good luck! 

If you're wondering if you're using the right self-descriptive words throughout your resume, why not submit it for a  free resume review ? Our  TopResume team of experts  will help to ensure your resume describes you in a way that lands you interview after interview!

Recommended reading:

How to List Certifications on a Resume with Examples

What Are the Best Fonts for a Resume

How to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume (with Examples)

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

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What to Put on a Resume

Before you get an interview an employer, you need to perfect your resume. Your resume is the document that will represent who you are as a person and an employee. You need to make sure that it is a good representation of who you are and will help you get an interview. Here are some of the things that you should do and some things that you should not do when writing your resume to ensure that it will be just what your potential employer is looking for when hiring their next employee:

• Include contact information near the top of the page. Some of the things that you should include are your permanent and school address, email address, and phone number.
• Choose to include the most relevant experience only. Review the job description to determine which jobs you should include.
• If you don’t have any jobs that seem relevant to the job, you should show how other jobs that you’ve had have given you the experience that you need for the job. Think about side projects, volunteer work, and coursework that you’ve completed.
• Since many employers use programs to screen applicants, you need to use certain keywords and phrases in your resume to make sure that you get past this stage in order to have a human review your application. Review the job description to consider various words and phrases that you should use in your resume.
• Use data, figures, and statistics to quantify the accomplishments that you’ve made in other positions.
• When explaining your accomplishments and roles in your relevant experience, you need to include powerful verbs.
• Keep your resume to one page and make sure that it’s readable. The job title and company should stand out.

 Don’t

• Don’t include any controversial organizations that you’ve been a part of or could cause employers to discriminate against you. Although these shouldn’t determine whether or not you get the job, chances are that they may play a part in the final decision by employers.
• Don’t add any unrelated or off-putting hobbies that you may have.
• Don’t oversell your job experience. You shouldn’t make the job seems like more than it was, because the employer will figure it out and won’t be impressed.
• Don’t include jobs and positions that you held in high school. Try to choose more relevant and more recent experience.
• Don’t include negative phrases about companies that you’ve worked for or positions that you’ve held. Stick to positive phrases throughout your resume.
• Don’t add an objective statement unless you’re making a career change.
• Don’t try to hide gaps in employment. Emphasize what is there, and you can discuss the gaps when you get an interview.
• Don’t use clichés, overly technical jargon, or the same words from the job description. Find ways to stick out from other applicants.
• Don’t include the phrase “references upon request.”
• Don’t use too many fonts. In fact, try to stick to one font throughout.
• Don’t forget to use spellcheck before sending your resume to an employer.

When writing your resume, you need to make sure that it’s as polished as possible. You should review your resume and really think about what to include. Resume.com can help you write a resume that will highlight who you are, so you can get the opportunity to interview with companies for which you want to work.

Get a FREE Executive Resume Template to help you improve your resume.

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Resume Writing Tips

33 stand-out phrases to freshen up your resume, upgrade your resume and hook hiring managers at first glance with these proven and punchy phrases.

If I asked you to list 10 words that describe your personal brand to include on your resume could you do it? You might think it’s an easy task, but the numbers say it’s pretty difficult.

Would you be surprised to hear that while 92% of people *think* they’re self-aware, in reality only 15% of people actually are self-aware? 

What does this have to do with your resume and job search, I hear you asking? 

Well . . . a lot actually. 

In this article, I’m going to discuss:

– the importance of self-awareness and its role in writing your resume

– where to uncover accurate phrases that best reflect your accomplishments

– how to incorporate these memorable phrases into your resume

– swipeable phrases that you can use for inspiration for your own resume

The Importance of Self-Awareness

Tasha Eurich, author of the book Insight reveals, “Self-awareness is critical for career success. People who are more self-aware tend to perform better at work , get more promotions and lead more effectively .” 

When you’re aware of your talents, skills, unique differentiators, and strengths, you have a word bank to draw from when writing your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. 

If you lack awareness of your strengths and differentiators it becomes virtually impossible to create a resume that will stand out from similarly qualified candidates. 

Before you can articulate what makes you a great hire, you have to understand what makes you a great hire–which requires self-awareness.

If you have not read Emotional Intelligence 2.0 or taken the EQ quiz, I encourage you to do so. My favorite aspect of the quiz is that it provides you with a list of actionable steps you can take to heighten your EQ. They’re simple and doable like “greet people by name” but they help you strengthen your EQ in the areas you need it most. 

Just so you know, I don’t earn commission from recommending the book or quiz. I just think it’s really that good. 

Consider it taking your first step towards greater self-awareness. Your future salary is going to thank you.

Where to Uncover Hidden Gems That Convey Your Accomplishments

The foundation of the resume writing process in our work with clients is uncovering what makes them unique.

That’s why we always start the resume writing process with an in-depth client interview. We’re able to dig deep into our client’s career history and painstakingly search for:

• Repeated successes
• Recurring themes
• Unique differentiators
• Examples and stories of value added
• Numerical data to back up and give credibility to accomplishments

If you’re working on your resume, these six areas are where you’ll find your secret sauce.

Your key differentiators–the content employers crave most in resumes–is just waiting to be discovered. 

To help you root out your personal brand, look for areas of consistency and themes that recur no matter where you go.

Remember those little black chalkboard easels we had as kids? In second grade, I would gather my younger cousins around mine, write C-A-T on it, and teach them to read. 

The desire to teach has stayed with me throughout my entire life. 

My favorite articles to write are “how to’s.” Much to my husband’s chagrin, I obsessively collect and share information. You don’t want to see my bookshelves.

My top two Clifton Strengths are Input and Learner. I’m a big ol’ information-collecting nerd. 

Educating is one of my greatest strengths, and even though I am not a school teacher I still use my experience and knowledge to educate every single day. 

Now it’s your turn . . .

Where are there recurring themes in your life?

Are you an achiever?

Diplomatic?

Take charge?

A go-getter?

A powerful negotiator?

Ask yourself:

• What am I known for?
• What do my supervisors, colleagues, friends, and family members come to me for?
• What am I most proud of in my career?
• What brings me immeasurable fulfillment?

Try to create a list of at least ten strengths, talents, or skills.

Next search for examples of these strengths in action.

What challenge were you facing when this strength was utilized?

How did you use the strength to take action?

What happened as a result of your efforts?

Before you know it you have the key ingredients to powerful resume bullets that reflect your value.

How to Incorporate Noteworthy Phrases into Your Resume

I see the same phrases repeated on hundreds of resumes. (I’m looking at you “responsible for” and “duties included”!)

The problem with these worn-out words is that they carry no weight or power. 

They’re weak and vague.

One surefire way to pack more punch in your resume is to switch out the tired, overused phrases with strong action verbs that tell your story.

Strong action verbs are perfect to energize your resume bullets so they “WOW” employers.

Extra credit: they’re also great for leading into results-based statements.

An example of an accomplishment bullet using action verbs and stand-out phrases could sound like:

• Turned around $750M budget deficit into a $300K surplus within 1 year by creating infrastructure, optimizing expenses, and cultivating strategic partnerships with 21 hospitals and medical device manufacturers. 

When we work with clients we use a C.A.R. formula to help us create memorable bullets. 

C – Challenge

A – Action

R – Result

I also often recommend this formula to my LinkedIn connections when they ask for resume writing advice:

(Action verb)(noun)(quantifiable metric or result)(action you took to achieve result)

An example of this formula filled out as a resume bullet would sound something like this:

• Boosted revenue 64.5% by designing and implementing strategies to cut costs, improve efficiencies, and optimize production of 325 styles and 6.2M SKUs. 

Try the formula out in your resume as you work to write about your accomplishments.

33 Swipeable Phrases to Inspire You

I spoke with a senior-level job seeker last week who confided to me how hard it was to assess her own work. 

She hesitantly shared, “I struggle to convey my value.”

I get it. Boy, do I get it. 

Most of us struggle to explain our value. We know we’re talented and competent, but conveying that on a resume suddenly induces all kinds of writer’s block and analysis paralysis. 

If you want to reflect what you’ve accomplished and point out your value to employers, try using a few of these proven resume phrases:

The key is not to throw all of them into your resume. You want to use these sparingly so that they’ll have maximum impact. 

Read through the list and choose 2-3 that reflect you most accurately. 

Include one in your career summary and another in your “notable accomplishments” section in the top third of your resume.

These 33 phrases are high-impact and sure to grab attention–but only if you choose ones that accurately reflect YOU and your personal brand.

Employers will be looking for evidence that you possess these qualities as they read through the remainder of your resume.

That’s where the formula comes in that I shared with you earlier in the article. Use that formula to create bullets that prove you possess these qualities and characteristics. 

If you need more inspiration for resume power words, I wrote this article with 178 words and phrases that you can incorporate into your resume.

You might also like this “how-to” for using action verbs or this one on resume keywords .

Phew… we’ve covered a lot in a short time. 

We discussed the importance of self-awareness and its effect on your career (and earnings!). That was certainly a wake-up call.

I showed you where to uncover phrases that best reflect your accomplishments and how to incorporate these memorable words into your resume, and gave you a list of the top swipeable phrases we use with our own clients so you can use them for inspiration in your resume.

Want to binge-read more resume articles? 

Check out this guide we use as an internal reference tool for career summaries when we write our client’s resumes. 

Let’s be real for a second . . . with errands to run, meals to cook, the kids’ practices, work, and the 100 other plates you’re spinning, trying to DIY may be too much. 

Whether you’re over trying to write your own resume or discouraged with the lack of responses from your applications, we’re here to help. 

We equip strong, smart women like you with knockout career marketing materials so you can get in front of hiring managers, communicate your value, and land the position you deserve. 

Ready to punch job search frustration in the face?

Let’s do this.

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About the author

Jessica hernandez, president, ceo & founder of great resumes fast.

Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.

What started as a side hustle (before that was even a word!) helping friends of friends with their resumes has now grown into a company that serves hundreds of happy clients a year. But the personal touch? I’ve kept that.

You might have seen me featured as a resume expert in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune. And in 2020, I was honored to be named as a LinkedIn Top Voice of the year!

I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!

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What to Put on a Resume in 2024 [7+ Job-Winning Sections]

Choosing what to put on a resume can be a real struggle even if it’s not your first time writing a resume.

After all, not every resume has the same sections. Depending on your experience level & where you’re applying, your resume might look completely different .

For example, you always need to include your contact information, but the resume objective can be very situational.

The content that goes inside each section can differ as well, depending on whether you are applying for a job, an internship , or for a Ph.D. program.

So, the key here is to tailor your resume content to the job you’re applying for. As long as you mention the right things on your resume, you’re bound to land a job you’ll love.

Read on to learn what to put on your resume, depending on where you’re applying. We’ve also added a little extra section at the end of the guide on what NOT to include under any circumstance.

What to Include in a Resume To Land The Perfect Job

• Contact information
• Resume summary or objective statement
• Professional Experience
• Skills/ Certifications
• Other Important Sections
• Tailor Your Resume to The Job Description

In this guide, we’re going to go through all of them one-by-one and teach you what to write in each section.

1. What Contact Information Should Your Resume Have?

A great resume would contain the following contact information in the right order:

Full Name - The generally preferred format is Name, Last Name

Right under the name, you should include your:

Professional Title - this should always mirror the job position you are applying for. 

Let’s say you are applying for a “front-end web development ” position but your professional title says “Junior Data Scientist” .

Whoever picks up your resume will most likely discard it thinking that you are either overqualified for the position or your resume is in the wrong pile.

Professional Email Address 

Your email should be professional and not something you created back in primary school. ( “[email protected]” or “[email protected]” )

If you don't have one, make an email specifically for your career and make it something along the lines of [name] [last name] @ email.com

Check out our guide on how to email your resume to an employer for more tips!

Phone Number - If you are applying for a job outside your country, make sure to include your country code as well. If you have a US phone number, for example, you’d add (+1) in front of the number 555 555 5555.

Here’s an example of how this would look exactly.

So far so good. However, you can notice how there is a lot of valuable empty space for you to add more eye-catching information. 

Aside from the basic contact information, you should also put on your resume links to your social media handles and/or personal websites.

Relevant Social Media Handles

Here are some common social handles you could include that can help you get hired :

Many companies nowadays ask for a Linkedin profile when you apply for a job.

Your chances of getting hired will be greater if you keep your LinkedIn profile just as up-to-date as your resume.

In very specific cases, you can also include your Twitter profile (if it’s somehow relevant to the job).

Some marketing jobs ask for an existing social following, for example. In others, you could use it to display your witty, under-20-characters writing skills.

Quora questions and answers cover a wide range of business topics nowadays. 

Are you an expert at giving business advice with 100+ answers on the topic? You can show your authority by linking your Quora page.

StackOverflow

Mainly relevant for developers, coders , computer scientists . 

Having a very active Stack overflow profile can give you a big boost if you code.

Only for developers , coders , data scientists , etc.

Github is a great way to showcase your projects. Whether it’s a website you developed, or a mobile game, make sure to include it!

Freelancers , writers , bloggers , and entrepreneurs .

A rich medium profile can help you showcase your writing skills and personality before even getting to the interview or trial task. 

Make sure to only put the relevant social media handles on your resume. If you are applying for a software development position, for example, your StackOverflow profile will be more relevant than your Twitter account.

URL to your personal website/channels

Here are some typical examples of what you could include:

• Personal website - Include a link to your personal website if you have an established online presence. Don’t include it if it’s just a literal HTML copy of your resume. No one will want to read the same content over again.
• Personal blog - Only include this if it is relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, if you have a blog that positions you as an expert in your field. A personal blog on meditation and unlocking the power within won’t mean much when applying for an accounting position.
• URL to your personal portfolio - For web designers, illustrators, painters, photographers, etc...
• Youtube channel - A channel containing videos of you explaining quantum economics can be a great thing to put on a resume if you are applying for a job in the field of economics.

So in the end, your contact information section would look something like this:

This example was made with a Novorésumé template, and it took us less than 15 seconds! Give our online resume builder a try - we’ll save you from the hassle of manually formatting your resume!

2. Make the Right First Impression With a Resume Summary or Resume Objective

Nowadays, it takes less than half a second for someone to swipe left and discard your entire worth on Tinder. 

Luckily, when applying for a job, you won’t be swiped left based on how you look. You’ll get discarded if you fail to catch the HR manager’s attention.

On average, it takes an HR manager or recruiter around 6 seconds to decide whether your resume goes on the discard pile or not. 

That’s why you want to leave a good first impression. Just like you did with that Tinder profile photo you uploaded from the time when you still had abs!

When writing a resume, the best way to achieve that is by writing a killer resume summary or objective.

How to Write a Resume Summary

A resume summary is a 2-3 sentence summary of your entire professional career. If you have more than 2 years of work experience, you’d opt for the resume summary instead of an objective (we’ll explain why in a bit!).

The core structure of a resume summary should contain the following information:

Jobs and years of experience

• Senior front-end developer with 10+ years of experience in Angular and ReactJs

Relevant achievements and responsibilities

• Specialized in developing e-commerce solutions following agile development principles.

What you are looking for. Your goal. 

• Seeking a position as a front-end lead developer at a startup company

To make sure your resume summary is memorable, make sure to mention how your previous experience on motivation will be beneficial to the company you’re applying for. You should include the following information:

• What can you do for them?
• How will your previous experience fit in the company’s current environment?
• How can you help their company grow while pursuing your own personal goals simultaneously?

How to Write a Resume Objective

Just like a resume summary, your resume objective is also max 2-3 sentences. Rather than describing your work experience, the resume objective focuses more on your motivation for applying for a specific job.

If you're a professional with several years’ worth of work experience, you should always stick to the resume summary. You're much more likely to sell yourself with your experience, rather than motivation.

If you're one of the following, though, you might want to use a resume objective:

• Recent graduate with no work experience
• Professional going through a major career shift with no relevant preceding work experience
• Student looking for your very first internship
• Professional with a career gap

(1) [SKILL/EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION RELEVANT TO THE JOB WITH JOB TITLE] . Looking to apply my (2) [years/months of EXPERIENCE RELEVANT TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION] at [COMPANY YOU ARE APPLYING TO] to help (3) [TYPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES YOU WILL HELP OUT WITH SUCCESSFULLY] . 

And here’s how this looks like in practice:

“Driven and meticulous recent graduate with a B.Sc. in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics with a 3.98 GPA. 6+ months of experience in forensic accounting and spreadsheet & data manipulation. Looking for an entry-level position as a forensic accountant at the XYZ Accounting Firm.”

To make sure your resume summary is memorable, as with the resume objective, you want to make sure that it’s tailored for the position you’re applying for.

In addition, make sure to mention:

• Your skills / experiences that are relevant to the job you’re applying for
• Exact keywords from the listing to increase chances of passing through application tracking systems
• How you’re going to help the company achieve its goals

3. How to Write Your Work Experience to Stand Out

This is the CORE section of your resume.

Here is where you get to “advertise” yourself by listing past responsibilities and achievements on a job. 

Whether you do this right or not is the main deciding factor between your Plan A job and your Plan D. 

You could have an outstanding history of professional experience. But if you don’t word it the right way, someone else might snatch away your dream job (even if you’re perfectly qualified for it!).

How to Include Your Professional Experience on your Resume? (Step-by-step)

Here’s a three-step process of how to list your work experience so that you can make it stand out:

1. Add Your Job Title  

This should be right at the top so that anyone scanning your resume won’t miss it.

2. A short 1-2 sentence description explaining what the company does. 

Certainly, if you have worked in a globally recognized brand like Apple, Google, McKinsey’s, etc, then you probably don’t need to include background information on the company.

Otherwise, add the company’s name, location of the office where you worked, and a one-sentence description of what the company does.

3. Include 4-6 bullet points describing the core duties and activities you performed for the company. 

Now, this is the tricky part - listing your work experience the right way.

Each bullet point here should be a one-sentence description of a duty or activity.

Most people, when writing their resume, simply list out their basic responsibilities.

Things like “Managed the sales at the company & dealing with clients” or “Marketed company products and drove sales.”

Well, here’s the thing. The hiring manager knows what your responsibilities are. What they want to know is how you drove results at the company and helped take it from point A to point B.

Here’s how a well-written achievements/duties/activities look like:

Describe your Achievements using Numbers and Percentages to Back Them Up

When possible, you should back up your achievements with numbers and percentages.

This is how you show the employer that you’re a high-achiever. 

To show you how this looks in practice, let’s take an example of an achievement for a customer support agent : 

“Increased customer support ticket closing satisfaction rate” 

While this is definitely a good start, it doesn’t actually mean anything. Anyone could say they’ve done this - but there’s a huge difference between someone who increased the satisfaction rate by 0.5%, and by 30%.

What if you rephrased it as:

“Increased customer support ticket closing satisfaction rate from 47% to 72% within 3 months.”

Now, this is a lot more actionable. The hiring manager can see how good you are, and how you’d be an asset for the company.

In this case, it’s instantly clear that you know what you’re doing, and your resume goes directly to the YES pile.

Should You Include Internships on Your Resume?

If you just graduated, chances are that an internship (or internships) is the only relevant experience you have. So, definitely mention it in your resume.

If you have already worked for a few years, though, you can completely get rid of internships from your resume. 

There are some exceptions to this rule, though. For example, if you did an internship at CERN (the particle reactor in Switzerland, one of the most renowned experimental physics institutes in the world), you would be better off keeping it. 

4. What Skills Should You Put on a Resume to Make You Stand Out?

“Roughly 75% of large companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). As a result, over 70% of resumes submitted to job-boards are never read.”

Luckily, getting past ATS is not that hard. All you have to do is mention the right skills in your resume .

By the right skills, we mean the skills asked for in the “requirements” or “qualifications” section of the job ad.

To figure out what they are for the position you’re applying for, simply go through the listing.

Let’s cover a real example to make this super clear.

Here’s a job listing for a UX/UI Designer position at XYZ Inc.:

As you can see, the skills required for the position are:

• Proficiency in standard UX software such as Sketch, InVision, Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, XD) and other relevant UX and UI design tools
• Good understanding of front-end web development (HTML, CSS, JAVA)
• Strong problem solving, project management and organizational skills.

Now, all you have to do is mention all of them individually in your resume Skills section.

NEVER lie on a resume about your skills’ experience level. Even if you do make it past the interviews and miraculously get the job, you’ll eventually be caught in the lie.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are the technical skills you pick at university or work. They can be measured, and are usually directly related to the tasks you complete at work

Think, anything from designing in Photoshop to using a specific ERP system.

Here’s how they’d look on your resume:

Looks neat right? 

That’s not just it, though. To write a good Skills section, you should also mention some of your soft skills.

Not sure which skills to use? It might be one of these 100+ essential skills to put on any resume !

Soft Skills

While hard skills are learned technical skills, soft skills are your personal attributes.

Here are a few, just to give you a general idea:

• Leadership skills
• Strategic management and planning 
• Communication

And here’s how they look on your resume:

Your skills section should be backed up by your work experience. If you say that you’re an expert at Java, but you’ve never worked as a Java developer , no one’s going to buy it.

Universal Skills

As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to also put some universal skills on your resume.

What are universal skills?

They are skills that fit in the description or requirements of most career fields. Universal skills can be both soft and hard skills.

Some soft universal skills are leadership, teamwork, and analytical thinking.

Ms Word, Excel, Powerpoint, writing skills, etc... are typical hard universal skills.

Regardless of the job you are applying for, these are the skills that will come in handy at some point.

5. How to List Education on a Resume

Another essential part of your resume is the Education section. Here, you describe your academic career with any relevant achievements.

Here’s how you’d format your education section:

And here’s how this would look on a resume:

Keep in mind that you should mention your education in reverse-chronological order . So, the most recent thing goes on top.

When writing your education section, here’s a couple of things you should keep in mind:

• Don’t mention your high school degree if you have a university degree
• Mention your GPA only if it’s above 3.5. Anything below that might not seem too impressive (especially if you’re competing with someone who listed a 4.0)
• Mention your education before your work experience if you don’t have any work experience.

6. Other Important Sections to Put on a Resume

By this point, you have already done the heavy-duty work. The previous sections are the MUST-haves of a resume.

There are, however, several other sections you can mention on your resume that’ll help you land the job.

Certifications and Awards

Do you have any certifications or awards that are relevant to your field or career? Make sure to put them on your resume!

If you are a software developer or engineer , you could mention things like your Java or AWS certification.

Similarly, if you are applying for a Digital Marketing position, those Google Analytics and AdWords certifications would come in very handy.

In today’s world, languages are one of the top distinguishing hiring factors. Since most companies nowadays are international, knowing two or more languages can become a HUGE advantage.

Countless companies nowadays value bilingual employees more than those speaking only one language.

Whatever job you are applying for, make sure to include all the languages you speak on your resume. Include your proficiency level next to each one.

You can see in the example below the different phrases you can use to describe your language proficiency levels.

• Native or Bilingual
• Full Professional Proficiency
• Professional Working Proficiency
• Limited Working Proficiency
• Elementary Working Proficiency

Make sure not to lie about this. It's not hard to figure out when someone doesn't speak a language. Your “Full Professional Proficiency” Spanish might go “adios” all the way down to “Elementary” if the interviewer speaks the language.

Hobbies and Interests

The hobbies and interests section can help you convey a little bit of personality. 

This is where you can show how big of an influence music is in your life. Or even reveal your Harry Potter addiction. Whatever it is, make sure you mention something that can really set you apart from the rest. 

You never know, maybe you end up having a lot in common with whoever picks up your resume.

Volunteering Experience

Altruism and generosity are characteristics that will make you stand out regardless of the environment you find yourself in, the office included. 

Hiring managers tend to prefer candidates who have some volunteering experience. This means that the employee is the type to spend their own free time on a worthy goal.

Chances are, the same dedication also transfers to the workplace.

If the volunteering experience is somehow related to your career, you can include it in the work experience section. Otherwise, you can create a separate section just for this.

Here’s how this would look like:

Publications

If you're a professional writer (i.e. journalist, researcher, scholar, etc.), you'd benefit from including your publications on the resume.

Maybe you have several blog posts published online, or a publication or two in an academic journal.

Whichever the case is, you can include them in your resume and make sure to mention the link.

Side projects are super important for many positions. They can help you make up for any lack of experience in a certain field, or display your passion for the job.

For example, if you are a developer or a coder, you must have a bunch of projects on Github. It could be a project you have done for a class or some app you started working on with your friends back in college (new Facebook, anyone?).

Projects aren’t just for coders, though. Maybe you attended a startup weekend at some point in your life? Or participated in a design hackathon?

Both of these examples can really add value to your application.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you can also mention some of your side hustles. Things like re-selling goods on eBay, selling your art on Etsy, and so on.

Next Steps: Tailoring Your Resume to the Job

Now that you know what sections to put on your resume, let's talk about its content.

It's essential that any information you've mentioned on your resume is relevant to the job.

We really can’t emphasize enough how important it is for you to check every section you have put on your resume and make sure each one is tailored to the job/position you are applying for.

Because the hiring manager wants the job seeker that's applying for THEIR position, not sending a mass application to 50+ different companies.

So, here’s how you’d tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. As step #1, take a look at the job ad and identify top requirements and skills.

Let’s use the following ad as an example:

As you can see, the most important requirements are: 

• 5+ years of experience in the field
• Skills in Copywriting, Photoshop, and email marketing
• Practical experience creating and optimizing landing pages

Now, you need to make sure you mention all of these in your resume, in whichever section they’re relevant.

Now that you know exactly what to put on a resume, we thought it would be helpful to also cover what NOT to put on a resume.

20+ Things You Should NOT Include in Your Resume

• Date of Birth - Age should not matter to a hiring manager. It’s not important for their decision-making, and at worst, it might lead to age-based discrimination.
• An Unprofessional Email Address - Do: [email protected] Don’t: [email protected] 
• Photo - Especially in the US and in the UK (due to anti-discrimination laws). Hiring managers don’t need to know your appearance to evaluate your resume and application overall. 
• Your exact address - very few businesses use mailing services nowadays to communicate with potential hires. It’s inefficient, and it’s simply safer to use your email.
• If you have a few years of related work experience, then you should not include a resume objective.
• Your resume summary or objective should also not include any requests, demands, or salary requirements.
• Jobs that aren’t even remotely relevant to the position you are applying for. No one cares about your experience as a cashier if you’re applying for a designer gig
• Fluff that doesn’t say anything. This is a lot more common than you’d think. Make sure all your duties and activities listed are practical
• Jobs that you had for a short time period (a few weeks). This shows that you’re a job hopper and unlikely to stick around for job (even if the employer you quit on was horrible).
• Any illegal jobs
• Irrelevant skills to the job in question
• Fluff skills just to take up space. Fun fact - a TON of university students fill up their resume with buzzwords like “Leadership, Critical Thinking” and so on.
• Your GPA (if it’s lower than 3.5)
• Your high school degree (if you have a university degree)
• The entire list of all the courses you attended in college
• Hobbies related to controversial topics (politics, religion, sex) based on ideologies and cultural differences. You can never know if the person reading your resume is on the same page as you.
• Childhood hobbies. Sure, you were a great football player in high school. But how relevant is it for that junior accounting position you are applying to?
• Irrelevant projects and publications.

Key Takeaways - What to Put on a Resume

Now that we’ve covered all the sections & contents you need to put on a resume, let’s summarize everything we’ve learned:

• The core contents of a resume include: contact information , resume summary / resume objective , work experience , education and skills .
• The optional sections are: certifications & awards , languages , hobbies & interests , volunteering experience , publications , and projects .
• Make sure to make your work experience section shine by talking about results & achievements, instead of dull responsibilities
• Lastly, you should tailor your resume to each different job you apply for!

At Novorésumé, we’re committed to helping you get the job you deserve, every step of the way! Follow our career blog to stay up to date with the industry-leading advice. Or, check out some of our top guides:

• How to Write a Cover Letter
• CV vs Resume: What’s the Difference?
• How to Pick the Right Resume Format

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200 Resumé Words That Make Your Resumé Stand Out

4 Min Read | May 17, 2024

Just 7.4 seconds: That’s how much time you have to grab a recruiter’s attention when they read your resumé for the first time. 1 That’s it! So, if you’re looking for a new job, I have a helpful hint: To grab a hiring manager’s attention, make your resumé stand out using powerful resumé words. Hear me out on this—the chances of landing your dream job get a whole lot higher when you communicate your work experience with descriptive and confident resumé words because they help you stand out from the competition.

Resumé power words are strong, actionable and confident verbs and adjectives that describe your abilities and accomplishments. And they can make you stand out in a pool of other job seekers (without any changes to your actual work experience).

Words to Use in a Resumé

Words matter! And with the right word choice, you can give your resumé a big boost of style and confidence. Here are the top 200 resumé power words that will communicate your skills, abilities and talents and help you stand out to a hiring manager.

Resumé Power Words for Leadership

•  Enforced
•  Executed
•  Facilitated
•  Fostered
•  Founded
•  Guided
•  Headed
•  Instructed
•  Mentored
•  Moderated
•  Motivated
•  Orchestrated
•  Overhauled
•  Presided
•  Spearheaded
•  Steered
•  Supervised
•  Trained

Resumé Power Words for Collaborate

•  Aligned
•  Associated
•  Combined
•  Contributed
•  Cooperated
•  Joined
•  Integrated
•  Linked
•  Merged
•  Pooled
•  Synchronized
•  United

Resumé Power Words for Responsible For

•  Achieved
•  Accomplished
•  Assembled
•  Concluded
•  Coordinated
•  Devised
•  Effected
•  Fulfilled
•  Gathered
•  Handled
•  Produced
•  Prompted
•  Solved

Resumé Power Words for Communication

•  Advertised
•  Authored
•  Broadcast
•  Circulated
•  Distributed
•  Championed
•  Clarified
•  Consulted
•  Conveyed
•  Defined
•  Diagramed
•  Documented
•  Drafted
•  Endorsed
•  Illustrated
•  Influenced
•  Informed
•  Liaison
•  Negotiated
•  Networked
•  Notated
•  Persuaded
•  Presented
•  Promoted
•  Publicized
•  Published
•  Recommended
•  Recorded
•  Storyboarded
•  Translated

Resumé Power Words for Achieved

•  Administered
•  Arranged
•  Attained
•  Captured
•  Completed
•  Converted
•  Delivered
•  Earned
•  Enacted
•  Established
•  Lifted
•  Performed
•  Predicted
•  Procured
•  Proved
•  Secured
•  Strategized
•  Trailblazed
•  Yielded

Resumé Power Words for Worked On

•  Applied
•  Attended
•  Dedicated
•  Endeavored
•  Forecasted
•  Formulated
•  Implemented
•  Masterminded
•  Operated
•  Pursued
•  Processed
•  Rendered
•  Strove
•  Troubleshot
•  Undertook
•  Visualized
•  Volunteered

Resumé Power Words for Improved

•  Accelerated
•  Advanced
•  Boosted
•  Discerned
•  Enhanced
•  Expanded
•  Familiarized
•  Increased
•  Maximized
•  Outpaced
•  Perfected
•  Redesigned
•  Refined
•  Reformed
•  Renovated
•  Resolved
•  Restructured
•  Revamped
•  Revitalized
•  Simplified
•  Skyrocketed
•  Streamlined
•  Strengthened
•  Transformed
•  Upgraded

Resumé Power Words for Researched

• Investigated

Resumé Power Words for Created

• Constructed
• Established
• Kick-started

Resumé Power Words for Managed

•  Controlled
•  Designated
•  Directed
•  Employed
•  Governed
•  Mastered
•  Organized
•  Oversaw
•  Planned
•  Programmed
•  Ruled

What Words NOT to Use in a Resumé

When you’re updating your resumé (or creating a brand-new one), it’s best to stay away from general office buzzwords and confusing phrases. These are words that you might hear people say all the time, but nobody really knows what they mean. Here are a few examples of words to avoid using on your resumé:

• Hard worker
• Moving parts
• Move the needle
• Team player
• Think outside the box

Instead, you’ll want to focus on using specific power words that show (not tell) your skills, experiences and successes on the job.

Here’s an example: Let’s say one of your job responsibilities is to provide customer service over the phone. Look at the difference between an average answer and one using resumé power words:

• Answered customer questions on the phone in a timely manner
• Established trust with customers over the phone by researching and implementing advanced listening skills and reducing call wait times

Do you see the difference? The job responsibility is the same , but the impact of using resumé power words makes this job seeker stand out from the competition.

Ken Coleman Resume Templates

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About the author

Ken Coleman

Ken Coleman is the author of the national bestselling book From Paycheck to Purpose and the #1 national bestseller The Proximity Principle. He hosts The Ken Coleman Show, a caller-driven show that helps listeners find the work they’re wired to do. Ken also co-hosts The Ramsey Show, the second-largest talk radio show in America, and makes regular appearances on Fox News and Fox Business. Through his speaking, broadcasting and syndicated columns, Ken gives people expert advice, providing strategic steps to get clear on their unique purpose and grow professionally. Learn More.

5 Ways to Make a Resumé With No Experience

No matter how much or how little work experience you have, I know you’ve got plenty of qualifications to share on a resume. Here are five ways to create a new resumé with no experience.

How to Write a Resumé in 6 Steps

If you want to set yourself up for success in your job hunt, making a good resumé is the first step. Here are six things to keep in mind when you’re learning how to write a resumé.

10 Resume Profile Examples (And How to Write Yours)

Imagine you've got everything covered in your resume : You listed your past experiences, included keywords from the job description, and pared it down to design elements an applicant tracking system (ATS) can parse. Now it’s an accurate representation of your professional qualifications—but you still can’t shake the feeling that who you are as a person is getting a bit lost. That’s where a resume profile comes in.

Adding this section to your resume is a good way to show more of your personality while still being professional. Curious? Read on to find out exactly what a resume profile is, and how to write yours—including examples.

What is a resume profile?

A resume profile is a few concise sentences or bullet points that can be placed at the top of your resume (below the header). It “describes who you are as a professional,” says Muse career coach Yolanda Owens , founder of CareerSensei and who also worked as a college corporate recruiter for more than 20 years.

Once you perfect your resume, check out open jobs on The Muse to maximize your chances »

Career professionals don’t all agree on the exact contents of a resume profile, or even on whether it’s different from a resume summary . So you have a bit of flexibility in how you think about yours and what you include in it.

For example, you might think of a resume profile as a way to “tell the reader who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for,” so that you can grab their attention and “quickly showcase your accomplishments,” says Muse career coach and former recruiter Jennifer Smith , founder of Flourish Careers .

Or you might approach your resume profile like Owens does, as the equivalent to “a dating profile that describes how you see yourself at work, and the type of work environment that makes you feel productive and purposeful.”

What’s the difference between a resume summary and a profile?

While some career coaches may use the terms resume summary and resume profile interchangeably, others treat them differently.

The first is a quick synopsis of the relevant experiences and skills you bring to a role. The latter can do the same, but it can also focus on your traits and achievements, your story as a professional, and your desires for your next role.

At this point, you might be wondering: If a resume profile includes what you’re looking for in your next role , how is it different from a resume objective ? Some people say that resume objectives are outdated at best and a waste of space at worst. If that’s true, why is a resume profile acceptable?

The difference lies in “the additional context that’s included in the profile,” says Smith. A traditional objective merely states what you’re looking for and maybe a vague reason why. But “the profile goes deeper into who you are and what you do” in addition to what you’re looking for next, connecting your past and present to your future.

Is a resume profile necessary? Who should use it?

Resume profiles can be advantageous for all job seekers, Smith says, especially for those “who are changing either their role or industry.” If you’re a career changer , a strong, explicit resume profile will give you space to tell the reader right up front that, no, you didn’t apply to this job by mistake—this is the next step in your career and here’s why.

Resume profiles are also particularly useful for entry-level job seekers who may need to tie their education and other experiences together more explicitly. If a candidate is writing an entry-level resume , Owens suggests that they “use the profile section to explain what they’re looking for in terms of challenges and learning, and the skills they possess that could potentially add value.”

What to include in a resume profile

Think about what you’d want the person reading your resume to know first. Is it something about your qualifications or your biggest accomplishment? Is it how well you work with others or what your personality adds to a team? This is what should go into your resume profile. You have a few sentences (or bullets) to work with, so don’t restrict yourself to highlighting just one thing.

Here are a few types of information that you can include in a resume profile, according to our coaches:

• Relevant skills and experiences
• Relevant achievements and accomplishments
• Years of experience
• Strengths as a professional (both soft and hard skills )
• Signature traits related to the job
• Personal traits that contribute to your work
• Qualities you’re looking for in your next role, team, or company
• Willingness to relocate (if you’re applying to a job not near the location listed on your resume)

What are recruiters looking for in a resume profile?

Don’t underestimate the power of a good first impression to get someone to keep reading the rest of your resume with interest. “The resume profile has an ability to quickly convince a recruiter that the person is a strong, qualified candidate,” says recruiter and Muse career coach Steven Davis , founder and CEO of Renaissance Solutions .

But recruiting isn’t just about making sure candidates have the right skills, Owens says. Recruiters also need to get a feel for whether the team and work environment will be a good match for the candidate long term.

Candidates’ skills and experiences should be well represented throughout their resumes, so as a recruiter, Owens most often “looked at the profile as a way to get a sense of their work persona and gauge environment fit for the role.”

How to write a profile for a resume : 5 steps

Once you know what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for in your resume profile and what you’d like to portray, you can follow these tips as you write your own:

1. Keep it concise

Your resume profile should be no more than four sentences or bullet points, and should not have more than 500 characters. Remember recruiters read dozens of resumes daily, so you don't want yours to be unnecessarily long and tiring.

2. Find the format the suits you best

Decide if you want to use either bullet points or paragraph form. Your resume profile can be written as bullet points, but keep in mind that bullet points often take up more space than a paragraph. “To preserve real estate on the resume and attempt to keep it to one to two pages , I always recommend using paragraph format,” Owens says.

3. Consider the position you're applying for

Tailor your profile to the job, but not so much that it’s not true to who you are. If your resume profile is closer to a summary that highlights your key qualifications and accomplishments as they relate to a given job, you should be tailoring it very carefully for each application and incorporating keywords from the job description.

Read more: What it Really Means to "Tailor Your Resume"

However, if your resume profile is more of a personal (but still professionally appropriate) description of yourself, Owens recommends against tailoring it to match each job: “What you don’t want to do is try to tell employers what you think they want to hear,” she says, if it doesn’t reflect who you are. “That’s how you end up in positions where you’re ultimately unhappy.”

4. Quantify your experiences and accomplishments

Whenever possible, quantify your experiences and accomplishments by adding numbers, percentages, and other metrics to your resume profile. Keep in mind that recruiters nowadays not only want to know what you did, but also what you achieved and the exact results of your work.

5. Show some personality

While the rest of your resume won’t let much of your personality shine through, your profile gives you an opportunity for creativity. If you’re applying to a casual company, you can add a splash of personality, but if you’re applying to a more formal organization, it’s best to keep things more buttoned up.

Resume profile: Examples

Want to know what all this advice looks like in action? Check out these 10 resume profile examples for different types of job seekers and professions.

Career changer

Quality-control team lead with 10+ years experience who specializes in making thorough business decisions and leading others through day-to-day operations to achieve excellence. Decided to transition to the outdoor recreation industry during the COVID-19 pandemic after realizing that people, especially children, spend too much time indoors behind computer screens. Excited to bring experience in quality assurance and operations to a management position at an outdoor recreation facility to help people of all ages get outside and enjoy themselves safely.

Recent college graduate or entry-level candidate

Recent magna cum laude animal sciences graduate with a focus on small animal care excited to bring passion and knowledge to a position with an animal shelter or animal-focused nonprofit and learn more about programs that protect animals from euthanasia. As president of the University of Georgia chapter of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, planned, organized, advertised, and managed a fundraiser that brought in over $20,000 in donations to a local shelter while also placing 43 cats and dogs with adoptive families. Proud dog mom of two former shelter pets, Dakota and Miley (pictures available upon request).

Account Executive (Sales)

Account executive who has been making deals since my first lemonade stand at age four for a total of $20+ million in sales. I love the rush of being on a sales team working toward goals—both in exceeding my own targets and in cheering on my teammates and celebrating their wins. In my current role, I’ve discovered that the most satisfying feeling of all was teaching a few of our SDRs to close deals. Seeing how proud they were of themselves as they got better motivated me to seek out a sales training role at a highly collaborative company.

Find account executives jobs on The Muse

A detail-oriented accountant with experience preparing tax and financial reports for charities to be posted publicly online. Evaluated budget (including payroll) for inefficiencies and suggested cost-cutting and time-saving measures that ultimately allowed the nonprofit to put an additional 5% of yearly donations directly into charitable programs. Excited to bring accounting skills to a nonprofit in the public health sector after spending over five years volunteering for public health charities such as the Red Cross and Project N95.

Find accountant jobs on The Muse

Customer Service Representative

An empathetic customer service representative who loves getting to talk to new people every day and help them solve problems. Crafted service approach of finding out what customers’ goals are and what their level of expertise in the product was rather than automatically giving boilerplate advice, leading to a 92% customer satisfaction rating. Avid video game player and designer looking to bring this passion to a customer service role for a gaming company.

Find customer service representative jobs on The Muse

Human Resources Manager

Human resources generalist who oversaw the transition of a 100+ employee company to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adept at dealing with the issues facing fully remote or hybrid workforces, including in hiring, professional development, and conflict resolution. Conceived of and instituted DEI programs for employees working from home. Looking for a position with a company that has a fully distributed or hybrid workforce and is committed to increasing diversity in its hiring pool.

Find human resources manager jobs on The Muse

Marketing Manager

Email marketer with 6+ years of experience gathering data-driven insights to make decisions about marketing campaigns. Conceived, proposed, and executed a campaign for a new headphone line across all marketing channels including email, social, content marketing, and print ads, with a total reach of 30 million impressions leading to over $1 million in sales. A team player who has taken the time to learn what each teammate in 10-person marketing department does and even filled in for them when needed. Excited to find a position in a collaborative work environment that oversees marketing campaigns across multiple channels.

Find marketing manager jobs on The Muse

Office Administrator

• Friendly, organized, and proactive administrative assistant with four years of experience looking to move into an office administrator role
• Saved office over $3,000 per quarter in supplies by creating new inventory tracking document on Google Sheets, showing other employees how to check supply levels and request orders, and comparing the supply sheet to inventory every two weeks to stop duplicate supply orders
• Spent four months filling in for office manager during maternity leave

Find office administrator jobs on The Muse

Project Manager

Looking for a project manager who can save at-risk initiatives and projects and make sure they come in on time and under budget and are fully functional at launch? I’ve held positions in customer care, engineering, product, and communications, so I know how to work with employees in all departments and see a project from multiple angles, ensuring each piece is on track and communicating with stakeholders along the way. I work best in environments where innovation is encouraged and no one expects to wear just one hat.

Find project manager jobs on The Muse

Web Developer

• Back-end web developer with experience using Java, Python, and SQL to develop features for online databases
• Go-to debugger on team of seven engineers
• Developed a site (link) that uses television shows you’ve watched to suggest new shows based on the ratings and recommendations of users with similar watch histories, bringing in an average of 10,000 visitors monthly

Find web developer jobs on The Muse

15+ Words to Describe Yourself on Resume: Examples & Tips

In This Guide:

Use powerful adjectives and action verbs, words to describe yourself, words not to describe yourself with, tips and tricks, takeaways: words to describe yourself on a resume.

One of the most tricky parts of writing a resume is using the right words to describe yourself.

You would want to show your positive traits, but you need to be careful with borderline self-praising.

What makes it even trickier is that this is not an interview.

The hiring manager has never met you.

You need to make your single-page document show who you are in the best possible light.

Just like resume action verbs , the words you use to describe yourself are extremely influential, and it is important to make them strong enough to be remembered.

But how to do so?

There are over one million words in the English language.

It might seem near impossible to pick the right words to describe yourself.

Lucky for you, we got you covered.

In this article, we are going to examine topics like:

• How to choose the best words to describe yourself
• Different words you can use for different effect

And, of course, we are going to wrap things up with some great tips and tricks .

If you need more general assistance with your resume and how to make it catch the hiring manager’s eye, check out this article - How to make your resume stand out .

But if you really want to work on the words you describe yourself with on your resume, stick around.

One of the most important things you need to do when describing yourself is use powerful adjectives.

But don’t overdo it.

Don’t forget that the hiring manager doesn’t really know you.

If you praise yourself too much, you might blow your chances of getting an interview.

But the more important thing you need to remember here is to provide proof.

Whatever powerful adjective you use for yourself, you need to show some proof that it is in fact real.

Anyone can write down that they are detail-oriented, but without proof, that means nothing to the hiring manager.

But even more importantly, you would want action verbs .

The main idea is to sprinkle a few powerful adjectives to help you out, but let action verbs do the heavy lifting.

As we mentioned, there is a great variety of words you can describe yourself with.

Luckily, the list drastically shrinks when we want words that would match a specific skill or ability needed for a job position

So the first thing you need to think about is what are the words you would want your potential employer to remember you by.

It may sound hard and scary, but that’s why we have a few examples for you to get you started.

Words to describe yourself for leadership

If you are applying for any kind of leadership role, you should be really careful with the words you use to describe yourself.

The hiring manager would be on the lookout for some specific ones.

Let’s go through the most important ones and get you ready to nail them.

That’s a trait possessed largely by extroverts.

Using it to describe yourself shows the hiring manager not only that you are extroverted, but also that you are outgoing, cheerful and joyful.

That would be of great importance in order to create a sustainable team that would achieve all the company’s goals.

Including this adjective in your description shows the hiring manager that you are driven by logic and reasoning.

That would be really important when you are in a place to make an important decision.

A rational thinker would depend on their logic, rather than emotions, when it comes to tough situations

Self-motivated

Describing yourself as self-motivated shows the hiring manager that you are self-driven.

That means that you require no external pressure or monitoring to see out a project.

That would be really important for a leadership role, as you would be more independent than most employees.

This trait is extremely important, no matter the position.

Being ethical shows that you have a high professional moral standing.

It would be fair for the hiring manager to assume that you are honest and have the ability to know what’s right and wrong professionally.

Charismatic

In order to be charismatic, you are quite definitely emotionally intelligent.

Furthermore, it shows the hiring manager that you have the ability to earn love, trust and affection of others with ease.

You most certainly need this trait if you are applying for a leadership position.

Being decisive is another trait that is a must for leadership roles.

It shows the hiring manager that you are a spontaneous thinker and can make accurate decisions on the go.

Being able to act quickly and accurately in tough spots would really raise your score in the eyes of the hiring manager.

Imaginative

While this one is not a must for a leadership role, the hiring manager would probably look for it.

It would show them that you are very ingenious and clever in your dealings.

If you don’t feel right using that adjective, you can switch with creative or innovative, which are just as strong.

Words to describe yourself as a team player

For a great deal of professions, being a team player is crucial.

That’s why it is important to catch the hiring manager’s attention with some teamwork adjectives.

And we have some of the most important ones here for you.

This adjective might sound negative at first, but hiring managers don’t see it that way.

If they see it in your description, they would assume that you are very determined, relentless and tenacious in your pursuit of anything, but without losing your positive mindset.

This trait would be helpful for lots of things.

It shows the hiring manager that you have the ability to notice details and compose logical analysis.

And that would always be appreciated.

That shows one of the most important traits you can show on your resume - discipline.

A discipline to plan and execute strategies correctly is greatly appreciated by hiring managers.

Being personable is great not only for leadership, but also to show that you are a team player

Once again - that trait shows the hiring manager that you are both extroverted, and that you are really outgoing and cheerful.

This is a trait that should be possessed not only by the leader of the team, but also by every team member.

That’s another trait that is applicable to both leadership and teamwork.

In this case its importance is mostly because of the emotional intelligence of the person, as it is extremely important for team work.

Other words you can describe yourself with

As words have started repeating, we need to save some time for those we have not yet mentioned, but are extremely important.

Here is a list you might want to consider for you description on your resume:

This is always a good trait to include on your resume, if you have anything to back it up with.

It shows the hiring manager that you have a high level of trust and honesty.

Usually such a trait is built over the years, especially with positions like finance executive, marketing executive, etc.

This is one of the adjectives that one could use, no matter the job position.

It shows the hiring manager that you have determination to grow and survive, no matter the job, and no matter the organization.

It is a really great quality to have, if you really strive for growth.

Compassionate

This trait is usually used in healthcare and in the legal system, but it wouldn’t hurt to include it otherwise as well.

It shows the hiring manager that you are caring and concerned for others by default.

That’s one more trait that could be applicable no matter the position and the organization.

Interestingly enough, it is important just because the position and the organization matter to you.

It shows that you have unending commitment to a cause and a leader.

Describing yourself as practical can quite often be a pleasant surprise for the hiring manager.

It shows them that you are guided by experience, rather than mere theories or ideas.

Straightforward

And last, but not least, being straightforward.

That trait shows the hiring manager that you understand and value intergrity.

People possessing that trait are usually very understandable.

It would not surprise you that there are also words that you should absolutely stay away from.

When it comes to your professional description these, any many similar adjectives, would probably be misunderstood.

And you don’t want that, you want your resume to present you in the best light possible.

So, what are these adjectives that you should stay away from?

Here is a short list, but keep in mind that there are many similar ones to these:

• Intelligent

You get the idea, you wouldn’t want to give such an impression to the hiring manager.

As promised, we are going to leave you off with some tips and tricks to use when describing yourself on your resume.

First, be concise.

Keep your sentences short and to the point.

Short, concise sentences have more power.

One-liners are your best option, so you should aim at that.

And, as we mentioned earlier, provide some proof.

Any catchy word without context is meaningless to the hiring manager.

And last, but not least, keep your description ATS friendly.

ATS stands for Application Tracking Systems, and they are widely used by bigger companies to pre-select their candidates.

The keywords that the ATS system looks for are set by your future employer.

That’s why it’s important to closely read the job description and include any keywords you find in your resume.

We are all done.

Now you know what words to use to describe yourself on a resume in the best possible way.

You are now ready to show yourself in the best possible light in front of the hiring manager.

Take your time and have a closer look at the job position, so that your description would be as ATS friendly as possible

Don’t forget to use action verbs and powerful adjectives, but also give them some context.

Keep our example words in mind and make your description perfect for the job you seek.

• Resume Guides

Choosing the Right Resume Adjectives

How to include your salary requirements in a cover letter: with examples and a template, 8 common questions for a second interview (with answers), expert advice: how to handle layoffs and downsizing on your resume, 5 effective strategies to handle a workplace bully and reclaim your professional confidence, resume sections: everything you need to know.

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I’ve reviewed 1,000+ good (and bad) resumes. Here are my tips on perfecting yours.

Hey guys! So over the past few years, I’ve looked at 1,000+ resumes and analyzed what differentiates a good resume from the bad. And, well, I ended up learning a lot.

I’ve been lurking on Reddit for like forever and wanted to give a bit back to the community. So, I created this mega-list of ALL the best resume tips & tricks I’ve learned over the years.

Hope you guys find it useful.

So, the tips are...

Use a professional email. This one sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by how many people still use extremely casual emails ( [email protected] , anyone?)

Always double-check your contact information. You typo that phone number or email, and you’re not getting a callback.

Try to mention achievements over responsibilities when possible. HR knows what your responsibilities are. What they WANT to know is how you stand out from the rest of the candidates. Keep in mind, though, that some positions don’t have achievements as such. In cases like that, it’s OK to go for responsibilities.

Good Example : Hit and surpassed the monthly KPI by 20% for 5 months in a row

Bad Example : Generated leads through cold calling

4. Mention only relevant work experience . If you’re applying for a job in sales, HR doesn’t care about your experience in accounting.

5. If you are a student with not a lot of work experience , jam-pack your resume with other experiences.

Think, extracurricular activities, personal projects you’ve worked on, volunteering, whatever else you can come up with. Don’t have much of that, either? Proactively work towards getting skills and experiences that are going to be useful for your future job.

In this case, you can even fill up your resume with work experience that’s not that relevant. Did you wait tables during the summer but now you are applying for a marketing job?

You can still mention it - it shows that you’ve done SOME work in your life, and aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty.

6. Back up your experiences with data & numbers. All the entries on your resume should be super-specific. This allows you to stand out from the other candidates & show the recruiter that you’re a high-achiever.

DO : Managed and optimized the client’s Facebook ad account, increasing the ad ROI from 42% to 65%

DON’T : Managed the client’s Facebook ad account

7. Are you about to switch careers? Mention it in your resume summary. Do something like:

“Sales professional with 5 years+ years of experience looking to transition into the position of a front-end web developer. Previous experience developing websites for 3 local business clients.”

This shows that you’re not just applying to random jobs - you’re ACTUALLY trying to transition into a new field. The 2nd sentence can be used to show the experience you DO have (if you have any).

8. DON’T spray and pray . Most job-seekers go all-out with their job-search, applying for dozens of jobs per day. This, if you ask me, is counterproductive. You’re better off hand-picking the 5 best jobs each day, and tailoring your application to each of them.

9. Speaking of tailoring - t’s pretty generic advice to “tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for,” but what does it mean in, y’know, practice?

So here’s how this works - most people make a single resume, and apply to dozens of positions with it.

The optimal approach is, instead, to create a different variation of your resume for each position you’re applying for, and apply to a handful of positions each day instead.

As for how to do the actual tailoring, first off, you need to read the job description in-depth. Then, go through your resume and see if you’ve mentioned all the skills and responsibilities that are required for the position.

In most cases, you’ll see that there ARE several essential skills and responsibilities that you DO have, but you didn't mention on your resume because you just didn’t think they were that important. This, usually, makes a huge difference.

10. DON’T go over 1 page . Common advice, but again, a TON of people disregard this. Unless you’re a senior professional with 20+ years of experience, there’s no excuse for going over 1 page.

The recruiter doesn’t care about every single thing you’ve done in your life - they care about your relevant work experiences.

If you have 10 years of work experience in accounting, for example. 80% of your resume should be all about that, and 20% about any other experiences that help build up your profile for the position.

You shouldn’t mention what you did in high school, for example. Or which extracurricular activities you did in uni.

Surprisingly, students tend to be the ones that make 2-3 page resumes. Since they have a ton of extracurricular activities from university and want to stand out, they just jam everything they’ve done at uni into the resume.

Or, they also tend to go the other way around - they just mention their university, classes they’ve taken, and end up with a half-a-page resume. This isn’t a good approach, either.

11. Don’t fluff . “Critical thinker” “good communicator” “strong teamwork skills.” What do these words have in common?

Well, it’s that every single recent graduate stuffs these in their resume. Avoid generic buzzword terms, because, let’s face it - they don’t help, and they are just space-fillers.

12. Don’t include a photo . You want to get a job, not a date.

13. Use DocSend to track your resume. This is a very little-knock hack, but it works pretty cool.

DocSend is a tool where you can upload your CV, and whenever anyone looks at it, you get a detailed run-down of how long they were looking at it, and when.

This is useful for a bunch of reasons, including:

You’ll know if the recruiter never looked at your resume. This means that your resume probably got lost in their inbox, and you should ping them.

Or, option 2, the recruiter looks at your resume for <5 seconds. This means that your resume doesn’t prove to the HR that you can do the job, and it requires further work.

Or, if they DO look at your resume for more than a minute, that means that they’re interested, and will probably get in touch soon.

Unfortunately, DocSend doesn’t work if you’re applying for bigger companies that ask you to fill in an application on their website. Small businesses or startups, though, are free game.

14. If you have a B.A., don’t include your high school information .

15. Proof-read your resume . Use Grammarly for this, or ask a friend to give you a 2nd opinion

16. Feel free to include a hobbies section , but ONLY if you have space to fill, and no other relevant experience to fill it with. Hobbies are a good way to show a bit of your personality, but it’s not what’s going to get you the job.

Most recruiters are 50/50 on the section - some think it’s a waste of time, others think it helps humanize the candidate a bit more (and you might end up talking about the hobbies in the interview)

17. Follow up on your application . Sometimes, your application ends up lost in the recruiter’s inbox - and that’s OK. HRs make human errors, too. Pro tip: use an email tracking tool like Streak to see if the recruiter opened your email. If they didn’t, you know for a fact that you need to follow up.

18. Finally, keep in mind that when it comes to resumes & recruitment, a lot is opinion-based . Every single recruiter or HR manager has their own opinion on the resume specifics.

Some of them hate the hobbies section, others advocate for it.

Some of them recommend removing the resume objective section, others think it's useful.

If you find conflicting opinions on the web, don't just take either side as gospel - try to understand why they're recommending something, and how you can use it to your advantage.

...And that’s about it! Hope you guys found the tips useful ;) Let me know if you have any questions / feedback / completely disagree with something I wrote.

Election latest: Farage responds after Reform campaigner filmed making 'very prejudiced' comments

Nigel Farage has responded to footage from a Channel 4 report showing Reform campaigners using racist and homophobic language in Clacton - the constituency where the former UKIP leader hopes to be elected.

Thursday 27 June 2024 22:32, UK

• General Election 2024

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Starmer defends plan for VAT on private schools
• Analysis: Labour campaign has a central paradox
• Reform campaigner said migrants should be used as 'target practice'
• Hugh Grant backs Greens co-leader in key contest
• Sunak won't say if he told aide election date before bet
• Exclusive: PM's top adviser interviewed by Gambling Commission
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill and (earlier)  Ben Bloch

Election essentials

• Manifesto pledges: Conservatives | Greens | Labour | Lib Dems | Plaid | Reform | SNP
• Trackers:  Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
• Campaign Heritage:  Memorable moments from elections gone by
• Follow Sky's politics podcasts:  Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's
• Read more:  Who is standing down? | Key seats to watch | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency is changing | Guide to election lingo
• How to watch election on Sky News

With our coverage here on the Politics Hub drawing to a close, here's everything you need to know as the election campaign entered its final week - and a sneak preview of what we have coming up tomorrow. 

• Sir Keir Starmer  has told Sky News there is "no evidence" private schools will be forced to close due to  Labour's plans to impose VAT on them ;
• Speaking to  Sky's Sophy Ridge,  the Labour leader defended his party's education policy to use the money to support state schools;
• He also vowed to "hit the ground running" should he become prime minister, saying cutting NHS waiting lists would be Labour's first priority in government.
• A Reform UK campaigner has been filmed saying migrants crossing the Channel should be used as "target practice";
• In   footage recorded by a Channel 4 undercover reporter , the same campaigner used a racial slur against Rishi Sunak;
• Another Reform figure was filmed making homophobic remarks ;
• Party leader Nigel Farage has described comments in the footage as "very wrong".
• Rishi Sunak  has refused to say if he told one of his closest parliamentary aides the date of the election  before he placed a bet on it ;
• Craig Williams , who has now been suspended as the Conservative candidate in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr,  admitted  he "committed a serious error of judgment" but "not an offence";
• The  Metropolitan Police  have issued an update on their investigation into bets being placed on the date of the election - there are now  seven officers under investigation;
• Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak's most senior adviser in Downing Street has been interviewed in the investigation. Sources have emphasised to Sky News that he is not a suspect.

Join us tomorrow morning for a new episode of Sky's  Electoral Dysfunction   podcast - and this time we've got someone very much outside the Westminster bubble.

Joining our  political editor  Beth Rigby   and  Ruth Davidson  this week is none other than  Rylan Clark .

👉  Tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts  👈

The next government is being urged to tackle an "appalling" rough sleeping crisis as new figures show a record high in London. 

A total of 11,993 people were seen rough sleeping in the capital in the year to March, according to the latest Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain) statistics.

That is the highest figure ever recorded on the database, and marks a 58% increase compared to 10 years ago.

The "appalling" increase reflects a "crisis, both in the capital and across the country", said Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, the membership body for frontline homelessness services in England, which manages the Chain database.

He said the next government "must create a cross-government plan to prevent rough sleeping and homelessness through delivering genuinely affordable and secure homes quickly, whilst making sure there are a diverse range of properly-funded homelessness services to help people address the root causes of their destitution and move on from rough sleeping for good".

The St Mungo's homeless charity said the next government must "treat homelessness as an emergency and prioritise it in their first 100 days".

According to the latest available figures for England, published in February, the estimated number of people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn in 2023 was 3,898 - more than twice that of the figure in 2010.

Racist and homophobic remarks filmed as part of a Channel 4 investigation   during the Reform UK campaign were "inappropriate," chairman of the party Richard Tice has said. 

Speaking at a Reform UK event in Boston with party leader Nigel Farage, Mr Tice said: "We put a statement out and it's all self-explanatory in the statement.

"The reality is that we're a fast-growing movement, and when you've got unpaid volunteers, some people behave inappropriately. And they're gone."

In footage recorded by a Channel 4 undercover reporter, a Reform UK campaigner has been filmed saying migrants crossing the Channel should be used as "target practice".  He also used a racist slur against Rishi Sunak (see previous post).

Another Reform figure was filmed making homophobic remarks.

Mr Farage has described remarks in the footage as "very wrong".

A Reform UK campaigner has been filmed saying migrants crossing the Channel should be used as "target practice". 

In footage recorded by a Channel 4 undercover reporter , the same campaigner used a racial slur against Rishi Sunak. 

The clips were recorded in Clacton, where Reform leader Nigel Farage is a candidate. 

Responding to the footage, Mr Farage has said the comments were "very wrong".

"There was an activist that said some pretty unpleasant things," he said.

"Very very prejudiced, very wrong.

"He's somebody who turned up to help ... all political parties encourage volunteers."

He added that the campaigner in question would "not be welcome back" and that the two other figures featured in the footage would also no longer be working with the campaign. 

In the footage, the undercover reporter captured canvasser Andrew Parker talking about people coming ashore at Deal in Kent.

Mr Parker said: "Army recruitment - get the young recruits there, with guns, on the f****** beach, target practice. F****** just shoot them."

Mr Parker said in a statement, sent to Channel 4 News: "I would like to make it clear that neither Nigel Farage personally or the Reform Party are aware of my personal views on immigration."

He added: "I have never discussed immigration with either Nigel Farage or the Reform Party and that any comments made by me during those recordings are my own personal views on any subject I commented on. At no time before I was sent out to canvass did I discuss my personal views with any representative of the Reform Party UK or Nigel Farage."

Another Reform figure was filmed reacting to a Pride symbol on a passing police car.  

He says: "You see that f****** degenerate flag on the front bonnet? What are the old bill doing promoting that crap? They should be out catching nonces not promoting the f******."

The other candidates for the Clacton constituency are:

• Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, Labour;
• Matthew Bensilum, Lib Dems;
• Craig Jamieson, Climate Party;
• Tony Mack, independent;
• Natasha Osben, Greens;
• Tasos Papanastasiou, Heritage Party;
• Andrew Pemberton, UKIP;
• Giles Watling, Conservatives.

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With just a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the tracker  here .

The panel discussion is now turning to the Conservative Party's election campaign. 

Sky's  election commentator  Adam Boulton   says it has been "dreadful", adding Rishi Sunak "hasn't brought anything to this campaign". 

A series of missteps have dominated the headlines from the outset when Mr Sunak announced the election in the pouring rain.

But as the campaign enters its final week there may now be a moment of respite for the Conservatives, Adam says. 

"Almost the best thing about this campaign is the most irritating for a lot of people," Adam says.

"He's timed it to coincide with the Euros, with Wimbledon, with Glastonbury, which actually means the last week, it'll have to be a pretty big gaffe for anyone to notice."

That brings tonight's Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge to an end - the show will return tomorrow with Ali Fortescue . In the meantime, stick with us here for more news and analysis through the evening.

By Ashna Hurynag , news correspondent

The battle for Scottish votes is all to play for.

An exclusive YouGov poll for Sky News has Labour on 35% in Scotland and the SNP on 29%.

The latter are closing the gap, but if all goes this way on the night, such a result would mean big gains for Labour.

But the biggest gutter punch is dealt to the Conservatives who YouGov has on 11% and level with the Lib Dems.

But attitudes change when voters consider where to cast their ballot in the 2026 Holyrood elections.

As of the 18 June, voter intentions shifted to 28% for the SNP, 24% Labour, 10% Conservatives and 7% for the Lib Dems.

This tells us Scots treat UK and Scottish elections differently. 

It also suggests the former creating an opportunity for a protest vote - a cry of frustration at 14 years of Tory governments at Westminster, or the firing of a warning shot at the SNP’s record after 17 years at Holyrood.

But so many are still undecided.

1,059 people over 16 were surveyed by YouGov between the 20 and 25 June, exclusively for Sky News, and 14% of people surveyed have changed how they plan to vote over the past four weeks.

Of those, 37% say it was down to how the parties and their leaders have conducted themselves.

The NHS and health care are the key issues, followed by the cost of living next, the economy in general, immigration, and Scottish independence.

Rishi Sunak's most senior adviser in Downing Street has been interviewed in the investigation into bets by Conservatives on the date of the general election.

Liam Booth-Smith, Downing Street chief of staff, was interviewed last week by senior Gambling Commission officials and questioned about who knew about the timing of the election.

Sources have emphasised to Sky News that Mr Booth-Smith is not a suspect in the gambling investigation and was interviewed as a witness and was "asked for help".

Described as the prime minister's most trusted ally, Mr Booth-Smith has worked for Mr Sunak since he was chancellor, when his fondness for leather jackets earned him the nickname "the Treasury Travolta".

According to a Gambling Commission insider, Mr Booth-Smith was interviewed by "senior officials within the Gambling Commission, more senior than investigators".

Sky News has also been told there are currently no plans to interview the prime minister as part of the investigation into bets on the election date.

Read more here:

Sir Keir Starmer's interview with Sophy Ridge hits on the central paradox of the Labour campaign, Sky's deputy political editor Sam Coates says. 

Sam says there is an "incredibly high level of ambition" in Labour's "chunky manifesto" and the "rhetoric couldn't be bigger".

And yet, "the first steps that take you to the missions are small". 

Sam adds that what we may discover should Labour form the next government is that "we don't know what the second and third and the fourth step are going to be". 

Sky's election commentator Adam Boulton adds that Sir Keir was "not overpromising in any area, but making it clear he has his priorities".

"I think people going to have to get used to this. He is going to be someone who sticks to his course," Adam adds.

"He's going to be quite deliberate in his approach."

Sophy ends the interview by asking Sir Keir which is more likely -  Labour winning the election or England winning the Euros. 

He replies: "Well, I can't have both I don't suppose?"

More seriously, he adds the "more important one is winning the election".

"But don't let that be any sort of reflection... I say get behind the team when it comes to England and the players."

Despite topping their group, some fans have been left disappointed by England's Euros performance.

Earlier, Sir Keir told Channel 5 News's Dan Walker he believes England will still be in the competition by the time the election comes round on 4 July.

He said England normally start "a bit wobbly in these competitions" but have a "brilliant set of players", adding that he's "backing them all the way".

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