How best to use adjectives on a resume can be a perplexing concept. We know it’s a popular one because this article is one of the most widely viewed on the Monster blog.
And adjectives are great for making your resume stand out — but only if you can back them up, experts say. Simply throwing out a lot of high-powered words won’t wow hiring managers. They’re looking for examples that back up your boasting, so be sure your performance is worthy of any exciting adjectives you use.
Adjectives for beginners
If you’re just starting your career, you might not have the experience to back up a lot of big, bold adjectives. Instead, use them to demonstrate your excitement and commitment to learn. “On recent graduate resumes, adjectives I like to include are ‘energetic,’ ‘enthusiastic,’ or ‘persistent,’” says Michelle Robin, chief career brand officer at Brand Your Career. “Since recent graduates don’t often have a ton of experience, it is important to demonstrate how they have the right spirit to attack challenges they may come across in the workplace.”
‘Infectious’
This term shows that you can transfer your strong qualities to others, Robin says. “While this adjective may have negative connotations when it stands alone, when you pair it with something like ‘relationship builder with infectious positive attitude,’ it immediately creates a vision of a happy employee that can make others happy. Who wouldn’t want that, especially for a sales or customer-service type position?”
Adjectives that illustrate initiative
Use adjectives that demonstrate action, says Michelle Burke, marketing supervisor for WyckWyre Food Industry HR Systems. “To really make your resume stand out, replace words like ‘proficient’ and ‘skilled’ with words like ‘persistent’ and ‘diligent.’” These words demonstrate your active initiative instead of passive knowledge. You can expand on them in a conversation with a prospective employer about the projects you've completed in the past that shows how you’ve been persistent and diligent.
Adjectives that highlight accomplishment
Mary Goehring, CEO of Transcription Plus, says she likes to see “highly accomplished” and “solutions-driven” on resumes. These terms show the candidate is a forward-thinking problem solver with a history of accomplishments.
“Relentless,” “passionate about my work” and “flexible” are strong accomplishment-oriented terms to use, says Tony Beshara, owner and president of Babich & Associates. But again, you need to be able to back them up with examples. For example, “When everyone was ready to give up on the project, I encouraged us to continue and we successfully made the deadline,” is a way to show you’re relentless. And “I love what I do, even when it is really hard,” is a good way to describe being passionate about your work.
Target your adjectives
Consider researching your target employers to find out what kind of adjectives they prefer, says Sahara Pynes, founder and president of HR Solutions Group. For example, recruiters at one company may be looking for people who are “hands-on,” “collaborative,” “innovative” and “determined,” which you can learn from the way they talk about their company online. At a different company, words such as “passionate,” “personal best,” “focus” and “leadership” may be more likely to catch a recruiter’s eye. There isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach.
