How do you describe yourself

You will focus on your top skills as your primary statements. They will become the central ideas behind your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. You should craft your language with bold language including strong verbs and adjectives. Include measurements and achievements to enhance your achievements. Your well-written resume helps employers understand how you perform at work and your value to their organization.

Imagine if you were a medical transcription clerk in your last position. Compare these two statements and determine which one is stronger:

o   Responsible for transcribing medical file updates from doctor’s recorded messages

o   Consistently transcribed physician’s medical files at 65 words per minute with 99.25% accuracy

Next, imagine you were a chauffeur. Decide which of these two statements is stronger:

o   Safely operated a limousine without an accident

o   Operated two types of vehicles – sedan and mini-van. Commended for customer service excellence six times per year on average.

A few good tips to start

Use verbs only one time. If you write “accomplished” many times, it isn’t interesting to the reader. Use a variety of language.

Be truthful and minimize industry jargon. You might think you are using standard language, but the resume screener many not understand your professional terminology. Explain yourself clearly to any potential reader. 

Strong resumes are a collection of short, impactful sentences. Limit sentences to between 15 and 20 words. If sentences are too long, divide them into simpler ones. If they seem too short and plain, vary your format to combine sentences with bulleted lists.

Use common words to communicate clearly and precisely. Avoid too-sophisticated vocabulary. For example, don’t use “myriad” when “many” will accomplish the same thought and not confuse the reader.

Eliminate pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.) and articles (a, the) to keep statements fresh and reduce paper space. This style is more professional. That said, consider your intended audience when choosing your writing approach.

Jazz up your bullet points

Marta Stelmaszak, a linguist and author of the ebook, You Need a CV That Works, created this popular list of verbs to jazz up a resume.