Resume Vocabulary

Resumes don’t use typical sentence grammar. Instead, it’s common to use bullet points to list accomplishments and skills. Remember that a resume is not a place to be modest or shy. It is important to show confidence, and to point out all the accomplishments and skills that really do make you a good candidate for the job. Think positively: what parts of your personality will help you do this job well? Are you adaptable, creative, dependable, honest, outgoing, practical? You can use adjectives like these in your skills section. You can also find ways to use them in your work history where you list specific accomplishments and duties. Usually those lists of your accomplishments and duties in each specific job you’ve had begin with a past tense verb. Verbs that express an action are more likely to grab the reader’s attention, and to make your skills and experience come alive in his or her mind. If you are writing about a job where you currently work, you can begin your statements with present tense verbs, but for descriptions of your past jobs, begin with the simple past form. This week’s vocabulary list contains words that might be useful when you write your resume: adjectives that describe personal qualities and action verbs to highlight your experience and abilities.