Why is it so damn important to write a good resume? If you’re educated, trained or experienced, shouldn’t that be enough for an employer to hire you? The answer is: NO. You have to fight for your spot and use everything you’ve got to impress the person looking into hiring you.

The first thing your potential employer learns about you comes from your resume. And we all know how important a first impression is. Your resume either makes you or brakes you! In order to make it perfect, you need to choose the best words to use in it. I’m going to help you do that.

The Importance of Good Words

Your resume is about your skills, expertise, level of experience and your overall work ethic. In order to show your employer what you’re made of, you need to make an effort in finding the right words. I’ve created a base of good words to use in a resume. Take a look at the following skill categories. See what you can find useful in showing you made a serious effort prior to sending your application in.

Work Ethic

It’s crucial to point out your work ethic and skills related to it. Instead of saying “hard-working” or “responsible”, you need to be more precise. Use words which explicitly indicate what kind of a work ethic you’ve built and what would you bring on board if they hired you.

  1. Studious – This is a much better option than “Ready to learn!” It’s precise and to the point.
  2. Thorough – It’s one word to help you avoid writing “Pay attention to details” which is worn-out.
  3. Attentive – Tell them this and you’ll dodge saying “Interested and dedicated worker”.
  4. Dependable- “reliable” and “responsible” aren’t the worst words in the world, but this is still better.
  5. Meticulous – “conscientious”, “precise” and “accurate”, all in one word.

Stewart Miller, a recruiter at EssaySupply confirms our theory: “I’ve read thousands of resumes. If I don’t see an effort in writing it, I toss it aside. Be thorough in writing it and it will pay off.”

Organization

A good way to show that you’re organized is to write a well-organized resume. Leave out the unnecessary phrases and words.  Stick to the point by using some of these great words:

  1. Orderly – Skip the obvious: “organized” is a NO word.
  2. Systematic – You’re saying your “efficient”, “organized” and “precise”. Great word, right?
  3. Timely – Let them know you won’t skip deadlines or be late on meetings with this one word.
  4. Methodical – Sounds better than “well-organized”, right?

Communication

Most of the jobs require excellent communication between members of a team, or employees and the clients. Here are the words to use while pointing out your communication skills:

  1. Cordial – Avoid the good old “warm and friendly”. It sounds like a cartoon character.
  2. Respectful – This is a great communication skill. It shows you’re both “polite” and “considerate”.
  3. Convincing – “Persuasive” sounds like you’re luring a child in a van with some candy.
  4. Collaborative – Better than “team-player”, for sure.

 “Communication skills are gold! You need to make them shine in your resume by using appropriate vocabulary. Avoid being predictable.”- says James Daily, a writer at FlashEssay.

More Resume Tips

Apart from using suitable and effective words to write a killer resume, there are other things to keep in mind. Take a look at other issues you need to deal with.

1. Accuracy

Using power words is the key to success, but it’s not the end of the resume-writing story. Yes, there’s more to pay attention to.

There’s one thing no employer is going to tolerate: an inaccurately written resume. A spelling or a grammar mistake can end your application before it even started. This is why you absolutely must ensure your resume is accurately written.

In order to prevent looking unprofessional and eliminate any inaccuracies and errors from your resume, you can use online tools such as GetGoodGrade, ProWritingAid, or OnlineWritersRating.

2. Worn-out Words and Phrases to Avoid

Avoid using empty phrases and formulating your resume in a typical manner. Try being different and showcase your skills and qualities in a distinctive way. This is what you should avoid:

  • Think outside of the box
    This is so old an cheesy. Your employer would probably roll his eyes after seeing it.
  • Team player
    Or even worse: “Prepared to work both individually and as a part of a team”. It’s a NO from us.
  • Microsoft Office
    It’s the 21st century, everyone can use it. It’s not a “skill”.
  • 3rd person
    Write your resume in 1st person singular. Period.
  • Hobby

Nobody cares about how you spend your free time.

“A resume represents you and what you stand for. If you fill it with cliché phrases and empty adjectives, it means you made no effort. You’ll seem uninterested for the job and end up not getting it.”- explains Kevin Harper, content manager at ResumesCentre.

Conclusion

Your resume speaks for you. And, you don’t want to sound uninterested, old-fashioned, cheesy or unprofessional, right? You want to shine in the eyes of your employer before you even meet him. Plus, you want to stand out from the rest of the candidates with the same education and work experience.

Use the power words I’ve listed above. Spend quality time in writing your resume. Plan it, sketch it and improve it several times. The effort will be visible to those who read it, and that’s all you need for a great resume.

About the Author: Sylvia Giltner is a career coach, HR specialist, and freelance writer at StudyClerk.com. Her passion is to help people make career changes and get jobs they truly love by showing them how to take full control over their careers. Feel free to contact her via LinkedIn.

Positive Words Research – Good Words to Use In a Resume

Good Words to Use In a Resume