Struggling to find the words to describe yourself and enhance your resumé? Then try out our CV buzzwords, key adjectives and examples, which will boost your chances of getting your dream job. When looking for a job, it is important to have a resume that stands out. One way to do this is to use positive words to describe yourself and your achievements. Using persuasive language can help you to sell yourself and your skills.
Using good, professional adjectives on your resume helps emphasize important information about your experience and skills. Descriptive resume adjectives also help grab the hiring manager’s attention and make your resume memorable (which is important when reviewing dozens of applications for a job). This is why engaging descriptive professional adjectives are crucial to getting your application noticed and selected for an interview.
Positive words to describe yourself
These are great adjectives to describe yourself:
1. Able
I am able to handle multiple tasks on a daily basis.
2. Creative
I use a creative approach to problem solve.
3. Dependable
I am a dependable person who is great at time management.
4. Energetic
I am always energetic and eager to learn new skills.
5. Experience
I have experience working as part of a team and individually.
6. Flexible
I am flexible in my working hours, being able to work evenings and weekends.
7. Hardworking
I am hardworking and always the last to leave the office in the evening.
8. Honest
I am honest and trustworthy when I am counting money after our church bake-sales.
9. Imaginative
I work with the team to provide imaginative solutions for our customers.
10. Innovative
I am always coming up with innovative ideas.
11. Motivated
I am motivated to go to the gym before work to get fit and healthy.
12. Organised
I have organised the staff functions for the last four years with great success.
13. Reliable
Co-workers rely on me to be on time.
14. Sense of humour
Even though I take my work seriously, I do have a good sense of humour.
Positive words to describe your achievements:
15. Achieved
I achieved a pass grade for my Level 2 Exercise to Music Instructor course.
16. Competed
I competed at national competitions in cheerleading.
17. Delivered
I delivered all projects in a timely fashion.
18. Helped
I helped out at the local care home during my spare time.
19. Identified
In the role, I identified a need for a new system and, with management backing, it has since been implemented.
20. Managed
Lucy has managed the team through several large projects.
21. On time
I am always on time for organised events, work-related or otherwise.
22. Participated
Alice participated in her local Race for Life 10k charity run.
23. Savings
I made cost savings on projects by using local manufacturers.
24. Supervised
During this time, I supervised swimming galas at her local pool.
25. Won
I won gold in my very first cross-fit competition.
Once you’ve gotten to grips with using action verbs and active sentences, there are a few more steps you can take to make sure your CV or cover letter makes an impact. For instance, you could try browsing relevant job adverts to see what kind of keywords are being used. Chances are, if industry recruiters spot the same kind of terms and phrases in your CV, they’ll think you’re a better applicant for the job because you fit the field. That’s why it’s essential to know how to customize your CV for each listing you submit for. If you see that employers in your field are looking for aa strategic thinker, you can be sure to include an example of how your strategic thinking has led to positive results. Or if you need to be detailed oriented, show that by submitting a CV that is error-free. This strategy can also ensure that you make it past the applicant tracking system, a kind of recruiting software that scans CVs for specific terms that denote qualification for a job and eliminates candidates who aren’t up to par.
You should also try to stay away from the obvious, boring clichés. So what if you are a ‘team player’ or always ‘complete your work on time’? Everybody does that – or they should, at least.
Finally, check your whole CV for repetition. Those action verbs might start to lose their meaning if you use them again and again. Use the verb list we included above, or simply Google ‘action words for CV [enter career field here]’.
So, now that you’ve learnt all about the power of verbs and active phrases, it’s time for those CV writing muscles to be flexed.
