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How to Format a Modern, Visually Appealing Resume

4 min read · Updated on December 15, 2021

Here are some tips on how to format a modern and visually-appealing resume and stand out from the job-search crowd.

Are you putting together your resume? To begin, you'll want to gather the following information: employer names, educational history, volunteerism, professional engagement, and transferable skills. Unsure of how to proceed with formatting from there? Start by Googling templates or reviewing friends' documents. You may then realize that there are unlimited options for how to format a resume .

No matter the format you choose, keep these tips in mind when taking the first steps towards creating your resume — especially one with a modern and visually-appealing look.

Add a professional summary

When creating a resume, this 3–5 line section should be placed immediately following the header/contact information. This short professional summary in a resume is an introduction to you as the candidate while focusing on how you can help the employer. By adding this, you are immediately showcasing what talents and abilities you can bring to the table.

Believe it or not, adults have short attention spans. In fact, if they see large, bulky, and never-ending paragraphs, they are less likely to read the information — and that information is important! When deciding how to format the information on your resume, put each phrase into bullet points.

Highlight the important information

Even if your information is in bullet format, it may still be difficult to quickly identify the pertinent skills and accomplishments that are important to the potential employer. If a bullet contains an impressive award or measurable accomplishment that illustrates your qualifications, then draw attention to this detail by bolding the text.

This type of strategic highlighting is illustrated below. While both phrases contain the same information, someone quickly scanning your resume will go to the bold information and note that you were exceptional at sales in this position.

Previous Version:

Boosted sales by 83% within six months through effective target marketing, in-person sales meetings, consistent follow-up strategies, and team collaborations.

New Version:

Utilize quantitative information whenever possible.

Our minds automatically respond to numbers, percentages, and dollar signs. Rather than using words to describe these achievements, use numbers and symbols. Whatever you can do as an applicant to keep the eyes on your document means that you have a better chance of being noticed.

Related: Words and Phrases to Remove From Your Resume Right Away

Use clear section headings

Most resumes will have similar components: a professional summary, areas of expertise, professional experience, education, and volunteerism. When deciding how to format a resume, remember that these headings must be definitive and must stand out amidst the other text in the document. Don't be afraid to use a shaded box, bold text, and white-space around each heading.

Create white-space

Too much text is overwhelming to the reader and may even stop a potential employer from reviewing your information. Each page of the resume should have sufficient white space around all four sides of the document. Also, be sure not to push the margins to the edge. If and when a person prints the document, you want to make sure there are no technical challenges.

Use common fonts

While script may be a beautiful choice for handwriting and Comic Sans may be appropriate for your child's birthday invitation, they aren't appropriate for a resume. In fact, applicant tracking systems (ATS) can have difficulty reading these fonts. In addition, a human being may not find these fonts as easy to read. Instead, stick with common fonts such as Cambria, Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman.

Remember, creating a resume that catches eyes in today's marketplace is vital to your job-search success. After you create your document, send it to a trusted colleague or business partner for advice. Ensuring that your resume is visually appealing will bring you one step closer to your future career success!

Click on the following link for more resume advice .

Not sure if your resume is grabbing the right attention? Utilize our free, objective resume review to see if your resume is visually appealing enough!

Recommended Reading:

11 Steps to Writing the Perfect Resume

Why a Simple Resume Layout is a Successful Resume

10 Powerful Changes for Your Senior-Level Resume

Related Articles:

7 Signs Your Resume is Making You Look Old

Software Developer Top Needed Skills

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More From Forbes

The ultimate guide to writing a career change resume.

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Changing careers doesn’t have to be difficult. It all starts with a resume crafted to highlight your ... [+] transferrable skills.

Your resume is one of the most critical tools during a career transition. Crafted thoughtfully, a career change resume can effectively highlight transferable skills and experiences from your old career to the new one, showcasing you as a prime candidate for your dream job .

Career change resumes offer a different narrative of a person’s experience versus someone looking to advance in their current industry. Transferrable skills are the most important to highlight.

What Success Looks Like In A Career Change

A successful career change doesn’t necessarily mean starting over. It can involve leveraging existing skills in a new context or applying knowledge from one industry to another. Success is about finding a role where you can make a meaningful contribution, and it often requires a blend of determination and strategic planning. The story you tell so far in your career that paints you as the right person for the job is vital to your resume being seen by the hiring manager.

Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Your Career Change Resume

It’s a fine line between highlighting what makes you unique and ensuring your document aligns with industry expectations. Here’s how to do it right.

Identify Your Transferrable Skills

Before opening a Word document or choosing a resume template, the first step is to take stock of your skills. Begin by closely examining your previous roles and jotting down the skills they entailed. Try categorizing them into hard skills—like technical skills and software proficiencies—and soft skills—such as communication and leadership abilities.

The Missing Factor In Explanations Of China’s Economic Distress: Covid (Part 1: The Cover-Up)

Your best look yet at the new iphone 16, arrowhead tells helldivers 2 players to change reviews to negative over psn linking, brainstorm your narrative.

What is your career change story? Who’s the audience that will be listening to it? These are the overarching questions that will guide your resume writing process. You’ll want to combine your reasons for changing careers with your past experiences and future aspirations.

When crafting your career change narrative, consider these critical questions to create a cohesive and compelling story:

• What motivated your career change? Reflect on the reasons behind your decision to shift careers. Was it a pursuit of passion, a need for a new challenge or an inevitable industry change affecting your previous role?
• How do your past experiences contribute to your new direction? Evaluate how your previous roles have equipped you with unique skills and perspectives that will benefit your target industry or role.
• What accomplishments in your career thus far can illustrate your suitability for this new path? Identify specific achievements that demonstrate your capability and readiness for the change.
• How have you prepared for the transition? Consider any additional training, courses or self-led learning you’ve undertaken to bridge any skill gaps.
• What are your long-term goals in this new career? Define what success looks like for you in this new field and how you plan to achieve it.

Choosing The Right Resume Format

The format of your resume is dependent on your career trajectory. A functional resume may be the best way to draw attention to your skills if you’re making a big career leap. A hybrid resume, which combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats, can also work well for career changers, as it allows you to detail your skills while still providing a job history.

Elements Of A Stand-Out Career Change Resume

The typical resume sections are still relevant: Skills, competencies, accolades, experience, volunteer work, education and training. For career changers, add a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of a snapshot as your elevator pitch. Instead of explaining what you are looking for, you highlight your top accolades, position and projects you’re currently working on; it shouldn’t be any longer than three sentences.

For example, “I’m Jane Doe, a marketing professional who brought the newest Target campaign to 100 million Instagram accounts. I’ve excelled in connecting influencers with top brands and have hosted over 150 brand activations.”

Make sure to include all the important elements on your resume to make you stand out. Having a short ... [+] story or narrative of who you are also helps.

Words and Phrases To Include In Resume

When it comes to the actual writing, it’s essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to the job you’re applying for, but also aim to include industry-specific terms from your previous career to highlight the breadth of your experience.

• Cross-functional expertise: Demonstrates the ability to work across various departments, enhancing team synergy and project outcomes.
• Quick Learner: Indicates your capacity to rapidly acquire new knowledge and skills, reducing the learning curve in a new role.
• Innovative Thinker: Shows your capability to think creatively and bring new ideas to the table, driving progress.
• Versatile Professional: Indicates a broad skillset and flexibility, positioning you as a candidate capable of handling various responsibilities

Do’s And Don’ts Of Resume Etiquette

• Do focus on your achievements and how they demonstrate your capabilities, not just the tasks you’ve performed.
• Do quantify your accomplishments with numbers or percentages whenever possible to add weight to your claims.
• Don’t include unrelated job experiences that don’t align with the position you’re targeting.
• Don’t gloss over any employment gaps resulting from your career change. Instead, use these gaps to explain how you spent that time productively, such as through continuing education or volunteer work.

Your career change resume aims to get your foot in the door for an interview. Invest time in perfecting your career change resume, and you’ll find that employers will be more than willing to listen to the rest of your story.

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8 expert-recommended online resume writing services to use in 2024

I n the mix of college assignments and perhaps your 9-to-5, piecing together an attractive resume for employers can be a difficult feat.

Not only is this one-pager the bread and butter of what will lead to a first-round interview (fingers crossed!), but it’s an excellent portrayal of your skillset, employment history and unique skills that help a company’s HR department gauge if you’re the right fit.

Let’s cut to the chase — more specifically, let’s answer the question, “ How can I make my application stand out? ” One of the most influential steps is, without a doubt, rendering your resume to tip-top shape. And fortunately, there are online resume services like TopResume and Resumble to help.

• Best Overall: TopResume
• Best Budget: Resume Companion
• Best Optimization for Applicant Tracking Systems: Resumeble
• Best Customizable : Brand Resumes
• Best with Career Consulting: Top Stack Resumes

Whether you’re a senior in college applying for your first full-time job or you’ve been in the biz for years and are looking to segue into a different role, we rounded up the top online resume writing services you can use to help get your application in tip-top shape. Plus, we’ve enlisted Shannon Conklin, director of career and leadership development at The College of New Jersey to help!

Hop to her picks below or check out our FAQ for more details on things to look for when picking the right resume builder for you.

• Packages with unlimited resume revisions
• Free resume review
• 60-day interview guarantee
• Several customers who wrote reviews on Trustpilot mention having poor communication with their resume writers

TopResume is a beloved favorite — and for a good reason. It has four different packages depending on your career goals, some of which include unlimited revisions, a LinkedIn makeover, a cover letter and two interview prep sessions.

“TopResume continues to be a solid option,” Conklin shares. “It has strong descriptions, where the website and interface are easy to navigate to understand its process, its three packages, as well as testimonials.”

She also loves TopResume’s FAQ section, coupled with the various packages, that makes its process clear and timeline. “There is also plenty of mention about AI and ATS technology,” she adds. “If you need a resume quickly, one that accounts for technology, and a budget of only about $150, it looks like this service would be one to strongly consider.”

With TopResume, you’ll also get a 60-day interview guarantee. If you don’t get twice as many interviews, the platform will rewrite your resume for free. It’s pretty top tier, to say the least, and is minimal investment for those hoping to find free resume writing services.

• Self-directed service
• Template-based
• Must renew subscription to edit resume in the future

“Resume Companion is a clean website with a clear message — build a resume quickly!” Conklin highlights. “It offers templates, examples and advice on how to craft a resume, as well as cover letter, as a self-directed service within about 15-minutes.”

What’s more, the service also makes it clear it offers a variety of templates based on industries and functions. “This can really help if you are trying to transition to a new field or your resume needs to be updated to reflect the latest in your industry,” she adds.

With Resume Companion, you’ll be able to build your resume step by step, from selecting a professional template to answering a few simple questions to have your experience and skills added directly to your digital file. Namely, if you’re not much of a writer, you’ll appreciate its pre-written work experience bullet points to craft your resume in minutes and then apply away.

Not to mention, it’s only $8 a month, so if you want a one-and-done service, this one’s your best bet. Keep in mind that you will have to renew your subscription to edit in the future, but it’s a great budget-friendly option to pursue if you don’t want to be completely in the dark.

• 4-day turnover on resume drafts
• Three free revisions with standard resume package
• Only the premium resume package includes a job guarantee

Resumeble not only has a fun name, but it includes a resume and cover letter in its baseline package. If you’d like to upgrade, you can receive a LinkedIn write-up, a second resume version, thank you and follow-up notes and cold emails to recruiters.

“Have you applied to dozens of jobs, only to never get through?” Conklin questions. “If this resonates because your resume is not optimized for ATS platforms, Resumeble might be the choice for you. Mention of ‘ATS,’ as well as their outcomes and ROI, are weaved throughout its site.”

Conklin told The Post that she’s seen many clients apply to dozens and dozens of companies, only to be vetted out due to ATS. “When that happens, I often advise networking to complement a revised, ATS-optimized resume.” she tips off. “This brings me to one other noteworthy element to their various packages, they support your full professional profile; resume to LinkedIn to recruiter communication support.”

For those who want to spend less than $200 for online resume writing services, this all-in-one option is fairly priced, making it one of the best affordable resume writing services. If you’re only looking to refresh your LinkedIn, you’ll just pay a one-time $99 fee. For just your resume, it’s a one-time purchase of $129 for the service.

• Has a self pace job search course
• Helpful step by step resume building guide
• Some customers who reviewed the service on Trustpilot report time delays in receiving their resume

BrandResumes made the cut as one of our top choices for online resume services for a few reasons: it’s one of the platforms best for ATS keyword optimization and formatting for interviews, LinkedIn branding and a customizable interface. If you buy the deluxe package, you’ll have your resume distributed across the 60 top job boards (including industry-specific ones), so you’ll spend less time applying.

“Learning the fundamentals of resume writing is a skill that will carry you throughout your career, and BrandResumes offers courses and resources to accomplish just that,” Conklin highlights. “Once you understand how to format a strong bullet point, or the style you find reflects your story and values, you can start crafting various resumes to appeal to different audiences and fields.”

BrandResumes also offers resources to launch your own resume writing business — a tool that can be valuable for career experts seeking professional resume writing services. “If you’re seeking to dig into how to revamp your resume, or you find yourself (like many in HR or career services) consistently asked to help a friend or family member with their materials, this service will align with your goals,” she adds.

• Pay only after you’re satisfied with resume
• According to TopStack Resume’s site, resume complete takes up to 2 weeks

TopStack Resume is a force to be reckoned with in the career development sphere. Notably, it’s one of the only services to provide career consulting. So, in addition to resume and cover letter formatting, you have the option to partake in one-on-one sessions with a career advisor.

“Five steps is all you need to follow for your resume review by TopStack,” Conklin puts it simply. “The simplicity of this service, and the range of offerings (from a resume for $139 to career consulting for its Premium Package ) can be valuable for any job seeker or career explorer.”

More, if you find yourself in need of more career support, maybe you’re changing fields or returning to work after time off, this is a strong contender. “Be mindful of your budget and timeline, so you take full advantage of a career consultant; a solid service should focus on the process, as much as a strong career outcome,” she adds.

Plus, TopStack Resume is unique in that it has a team of well-qualified writers to ensure your one-pager is the best it can be. At a fair price point, you can always upgrade to add on more benefits in the future.

• Baseline package offers a lot more than competitors, including phone consult, optimized draft and two edits
• Cover and thank-you letters are added to packages at an additional charge

ResumeSpice is ready to add that much-needed spice to your resume. It doesn’t just provide three different package options, but it specifically tells you which one would work best for you. For example, if you have no more than two years in the workforce, you should select its baseline package ($449) that includes a phone consultation, an eye-catching resume format, keyword optimization, a personalized draft, two rounds of revisions based on your feedback and finalized versions in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats.

“Solid service is evident across ResumeSpice, and its focus on Executive Resume stands out from others,” Conklin pinpoints. “If you find yourself wanting to get to that next level in your career, you really do need to consider an executive coach with an eye towards that goal for your materials.”

You might, for example, realize you have decades of experience and unsure where to start to consolidate — Conklin offers. “This is one of the most frequent concerns when making this transition, and a third-party like ResumeSpice can be an invaluable resource and sounding board,” she adds. “Finally, its site is clear in terms of turnaround, which shows they value your time and manage expectations — a positive sign on what you can expect service-wise.”

ResumeSpice offers other à la carte services, too, including cover letter help, LinkedIn profile revamping, interview preparation and career coaching.

• Unlimited revisions
• 5 day delivery
• Some reviewers mention time delays

Craft Resumes has an engaging, user-friendly interface that makes resume-building a fun, less stressful process. With ATS keyword optimization and a dedicated writer on your resume, rest assured that it will be in a healthy state to pass along to recruiters and job posters.

“Craft Resumes cleary focus on the ‘craft’ and design of writing resumes, where a distinguishing factor that caught my eye is their unlimited evaluation ‘at any reason’ for four days,” Conklin says, recommending the service. “This is valuable for job or graduate school seekers and career explorers, as you’ll likely have questions once you find an opportunity of interest.”

Similar to other services here, there is a one-on-one aspect that can be quite valuable, especially if you have the time. “There are also a variety of services and prices, not just resume writing,” she notes. “This is helpful for you budget, and evolving needs. Often times once you get a resume underway you start to realize that you’ll want other materials to be updated and aligned with your personal brand.”

For its most popular package, The Basic, you’ll have access to a single writer and unlimited revisions (which is a score compared to some other services on this list), strong and optimized words, unique formatting and a cover letter to increase your chances of landing an interview. However, Craft Resumes has other great packages worth exploring.

• Consultation included with every package
• Executive Concierge Service that includes 10 days of unlimited revisions
• Quality writers and customer service, based off reviews
• No academic CVs or federal resumes

Humorous name aside, resume service Let’s Eat, Grandma has a laser focus on punctuation (as you can tell because nobody intends to write that they’d like to eat their grandmother on a professional document) — as well as resume formatting. What’s great about this platform, specifically, is its vast packages, ranging from drafting your resume to offering cover letter and networking services to help boost your career trajectory.

“Let’s Eat, Grandma hones in immediately on its ‘custom-tailored’ approach,” Conklin says. “While every resume review should be tailored to account for your story (as mentioned above), it’s clear this is a value of this service. Client outcomes are also front and center, where a mix of employers and schools are listed; this is notable if continuing education is a goal of yours.”

With four packages available, and FAQs on the homepage highlighting its range (i.e. academic, federal government and more), Conklin appreciates how it’s clear that this service is distinguishing themselves from others, especially given the range of specialty materials they can help you create. 

What’s more, you’ll be assisted by a team of highly skilled writers who create targeted documents to help boost your chances of getting an interview. They’ll also speak to your unique strengths — and, therefore, amplify them on your resume — to tie your entire professional portfolio of experience together. They also have a package tailored for executives, making the platform a solid option for those needing executive resume writing services.

The golden question, right? This depends mostly on your career goals. A range of services are available, and many are now even offered through LinkedIn. 

“When considering a resume service, it is important to consider the extent of guidance you are seeking,” Conklin, who’s 15 years of experience in higher education — tells the New York Post.

“Are you overhauling your resume? Are you transitioning industries and need to consider a different format or approach? What are your financial resources to pay for one, or should you explore services offered from your alma mater or current institution if you are a current or graduate of higher education?”

You’ll also want to consider the resume services’ reputation, Conklin suggests: Are there reviews or endorsements of a service, especially if you are paying for one? What is the background, and is the resume service aligned with your industry of interest? 

“It depends on the service and one’s circumstances as to whether it is ‘worth’ paying for the service,” Conklin says. “There are very reputable services out there, especially for more experienced career seekers. If you’re transitioning to a new field, or you are seeking to move to a senior or executive level, it could definitely be worth the cost.”

As a preliminary step, Conklin advises to really make sure you are an informed consumer when considering a resume service, and if you should pay or if you have a network or connections you can leverage for advice first. 

“When an individual pays for a resume service, there may be a flat rate, or it is calculated on an hourly rate and requires at least two sessions,” Conklin explains. “For example, it could cost $150 for a single session.”

However, there are resume services that can significantly exceed that rate and are part of a package that might include a quick return and other support, from LinkedIn to interview coaching, that is over $600, she highlights.

“Your story is the focus of your resume, and it is critical to be honest and reflect on how you want to tell that, ultimately,” Conklin notes. “The order also depends on the stage of your career (early, mid, senior, executive) and the industry you are seeking.”

In academia, for example, you’ll see a curriculum vitae (CV) that is pages long to reflect one’s research, publications, and roles held. In financial services, you would have a one-page resume until you have significant work experience. Or, in the creative fields, you may have a one-page resume and then an online portfolio or website that exhibits your work to complement your resume, she explains.

“No matter the field you are pursuing, you always want to make sure you list your experiences in reverse chronological order, you include your education/training, think of the keywords and skills (and make sure those are prominently displayed and included), and also think of what is most relevant,” she lists. “The most relevant should be at the top.”

It is also key to consider Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), automated review systems that scan resumes as part of an organization’s vetting process. “The format could align or cause issues with an ATS system,” Conklin adds. “This is why it’s important to do your research, leverage any connections you have to gain insights into a field and their preferred format and get advice on keywords, skills and experiences to include.”

“If you do your homework, you should find clues to answer the questions above and guide your resume writing approach,” Conklin shares.

Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.

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200+ Good Words To Describe Yourself In Resume & Interview

By Christina Colclough

Last updated: May 7, 2024

It might be difficult to describe oneself, whether you’re drafting your CV profile or preparing for the common interview question, “Tell me about yourself.” It’s important to be truthful, but not harshly so. While making an impression, you don’t want to come across as conceited.

After years of working in the labor field, I have curated a list of good adjectives to describe yourself to maximize your chance of being remembered by recruiters.

In this article:

Why having a concise self-description is crucial.

During your job hunt, one of the most crucial steps is to make a good first impression. Hiring managers get a sense of your professional demeanor from your ability to articulate yourself well in job applications and interviews.

Defining your essential characteristics in clear, concise language aids potential employers in assessing your compatibility with the team and your likelihood of succeeding in the new environment. When you discuss your talents with recruiting pros, it’s also critical to speak positively.

It’s a good idea to use strong adjectives and powerful words to describe yourself, even if the interviewer doesn’t ask you to do so explicitly. This will give the interviewer a snapshot of your authentic personality, abilities, and professional attitude.

Ways To Describe Yourself In Different Professional Situations

In job interview.

It might be beneficial to prepare your responses ahead of time for an interview, particularly for difficult questions like “Tell me about yourself.” While you should prepare, try to avoid canned or scripted responses to ensure the interview flows naturally.

You can follow this structure to craft the best answer for a self-describing question.

• Talk about your current skill and professional quality
• Illustrate how you have applied this trait or ability
• Why you think this trait or ability will be a right fit for the position you are interviewing for

While it’s crucial to provide a brief and concise response, giving concrete examples or proof of how you have applied this talent or attribute in the real world is just as important. Doing so sets the scene and lends credibility to your argument.

In Professional Resume

You won’t be asked to provide three adjectives that best characterize yourself on your resume. However, you still want to consider the terms you use to characterize yourself on your application. On the other hand, your resume profile does the talking for you before they even call you for the interview. Therefore, the words you use to define yourself may be more significant.

It goes without saying that adding a few descriptive words here and there is insufficient. You must instead learn how to effectively “sell yourself.”

As a professional in the labor field, I suggest you start by adding the appropriate terms to define yourself in your profile. Also, you must choose at least one powerful adjective to define yourself and leave a positive, long-lasting impression, whether it be through a resume goal or summary.

200+ Good Words To Describe Myself

Describing attitude.

Putting a professional spin on your demeanor can assist hiring managers in understanding how you deal with people. Here’s a lengthy list of terms to use when describing your work ethic to prospective employers.

• Considerate
• Independent
• Enthusiastic
• Intelligent
• Straightforward
• Self-reliant
• Strong-willed
• Industrious
• Team-oriented

Describing Work Ethic

Your approach to your job at work reveals a lot about your personality. During an interview, use these terms to describe how you carry out your duties and obligations inside a company.

• Disciplined
• Resourceful
• Open-minded
• Cooperative
• Self-motivated
• Hard-working
• Accountable
• Responsible

Describing Personal Experience And Ability

When discussing your prior work experience, it’s crucial to utilize detailed words. During the interview, mention your experience from past positions using the following terms.

• Professional
• Experienced
• Knowledgeable
• Detail-oriented
• Communicative
• Entrepreneurial
• Data-driven
• Collaborative
• Accomplished
• Technological
• Influential
• Forward-thinking
• Charismatic
• Instrumental

Describing Personality

Businesses are interested in the type of individual they are onboarding. They also want to see if your personality will fit in well with their corporate culture. Thus, my best advice is to keep the corporate culture in mind whenever you respond to this question. Here are the words you can use in this situation.

• Adventurous
• Affectionate
• Approachable
• Broad-minded
• Compassionate
• Competitive
• Constructive
• Extroverted
• Imaginative
• Socially conscious
• Sympathetic
• Trustworthy
• Understanding
• Warmhearted

Describing Leadership Skills

Have you ever gone through a leadership audition process? Interviewers look for certain personality traits in job candidates for leadership positions. This time, the only thing that’s different is how strict it is.

• Businesslike
• Inspirational
• Transparent
• Encouraging

Words Not To Use For Introducing Yourself Professionally

Naturally, there are some terms you should avoid using when describing yourself, particularly in a professional setting. These adjectives are not inherently terrible, but when used out of context, they could not elicit the desired response. 

Now, it would be perfectly acceptable if a coworker or anybody else put you in this category. But describing oneself as extraordinary to recruiters? Maybe a little too much, without actually making a statement.

Remember that others can say these things about you if they are true. They might come up among the references, through social media, or in private discussions. When you say these yourself, at best, you look foolish and, at worst, like a real narcissist. Here are the words I suggest you avoid.

• Extraordinary
• Outstanding

Tips For Introducing Yourself Professionally

By expressing yourself appropriately, you may give the interviewer a good image of your character and level of experience in the field. During a job interview, use the best phrases to express how well you would fit the role. The following tips will help you select words that will best represent who you are to a prospective employer.

Show Confident

Tell proudly and fearlessly of your successes and personal information. To boost your confidence during an interview, be sure you look the interviewer in the eye and speak in a clear, firm tone. Strike a balance between candor and confidence while showcasing your most marketable abilities to prospective employers, demonstrating your ability to both meet and go beyond their demands.

Select Right Words

Making an impact on employers and differentiating your interview from other applicants may be achieved by choosing intriguing and distinctive phrases to represent yourself. Select less widely used terminology and stay away from broad terms that don’t accurately convey your unique set of abilities and characteristics. Try switching to alternatives to overused phrases to be creative with your word choice.

Give Examples

As you employ evocative language, provide instances of how the attributes contributed positively to your past positions. Describe how your positive qualities benefited a previous employer or coworker. Explain how and why your attributes contributed to the organization’s success.

Match The Terms

Review your cover letter and CV before the interview, focusing on the descriptive terms you’ve included in the sections on your experience, talents, and summary. Use some of the same language from your cover letter and resume profile to refresh the interviewer’s memory about your professional background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do employers ask you to tell them about yourself.

Employers pose this job interview question to learn more about your personality and how well you would fit in the team environment. Your response to this query may also indicate your level of confidence.

How Do I Describe Myself Professionally?

Selecting a strong viewpoint is essential to crafting an impactful response and winning over the interviewer. Remain true to one main point about your professional identity and highlight how it qualifies you for the position.

What Details Are Employers Not Searching For When They Ask You To Tell Them About Yourself?

Details on your personal life are often the information recruiters do not seek, such as your birthplace, where you live, family members, etc. Although this information might sometimes come up in the conversation, I recommend not mentioning it except when the employer asks you about it directly.

The Bottom Line

Now you know which adjectives to use to describe yourself! Human resources personnel may determine whether to advance you in the employment process based on the language you choose to articulate your qualifications and work history.

Try applying the adjectives and descriptive words listed in this post, and you can present your greatest traits and make a fantastic impression in any circumstance.

Christina J. Colclough

Dr Christina J. Colclough is an expert on The Future World of Work and the politics of digital technology advocating globally for the importance of the workers’ voice. She has extensive regional and global labour movement experience, is a sought-after keynote speaker, coach, and strategist advising progressive governments and worker organisations.

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Clyde Staffing

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TLDR - Ultimately an impersonal, undiplomatic and unresponsive 'staffing' agency with strange business practices. Candidate experience is not equally prioritized and agency does not adhere to their own commitments on feedback provision after asking you prematurely (and in some cases unnecessarily) for quite a few documents & headshot (!?). Despite the few press releases announcing the agency's launch, no thorough reviews can be found anywhere, other than a sprinkling of Reddit and TikTok commentary that also speaks to poor candidate experiences. In a world of Anna Delvey's and Elizabeth Holmes', I am not sure if this is a legitimate agency. ----- Founded by former career assistant to high profile clientele, Meghan Grimm, Clyde Staffing was created with the intention of 'identifying, developing and placing exceptional assistant candidates with top talent, while providing a peer-based community.' The company hopes to execute this by doing the following: -Allowing 3 weeks for the review of your application & resume -Providing feedback to help you improve your candidacy -Offer training tools & resources to qualified candidates, while allowing them mentorship with their assistant community. One would think that because Meghan herself has been through the process of being staffed as a 'sidekick', her company would understand the sensitivity and importance of making the process of the job search/placement for qualified assistants, a streamlined and straight forward one, as I am sure the agency undoubtedly does for it's 'high profile clientele'. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Unlike other staffing agencies, Clyde follows up post resume submission with requests for certain documents prematurely, never even initiating a short screening call with the candidate of supposed interest. After resume submission, you are asked to provide a HEADSHOT, COVER LETTER, REFERENCES and a request to fill out their IN HOUSE APPLICATION, a thrown together Word doc that attempts to get addtl. info on your personal and professional background & preferences. No one introduces themselves or signs their emails, so you don't know who you are talking to or how to address them, which further makes the process incredibly impersonal and strange. The HEADSHOTS are an EXTREMELY bewildering ask and there is no disclosure as to why they need it or why it is relevant to the application process. This ultimately could lend itself to DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES and should be revised immediately. No legitimate staffing agency asks for headshots. This is NOT a casting agency. While the Clyde Staffing site does not list job opportunities like their competitors, they post opportunities on sites that aggregate entertainment roles looking to be staffed. How they ARE similar to some staffing agencies is, upon application to the role of interest, they make no mention of it, which ultimately leads you to believe that you have fallen victim to the ol' BAIT & SWITCH. Either the role has been 'staffed' or perhaps it did not exist at all. Some tips: -If you are overwhelmed by applicant volume, you should be thoughtfully parsing through applications thoughtfully to organize them in a way to do proper outreach and followup if in fact interested. Candidates don't want to do any unnecessary homework' of providing addtl documentation if you do not plan on moving forward with them as an an applicant. You should be able to tell by the initial resume submission whether the candidate is a good fit for your business. -Do not say you will provide addtl feedback in a month's time if that is not your plan. -If a candidate is respectfully following up with you, there is a diplomatic way of letting them know that you need them to be patient, etc., rather than being unresponsive. It shouldn't need to be said, but it's unprofessional. All in all, perhaps the agency does not have the clientele to keep up with the influx of candidates seeking employment opportunities. Who knows? However, looking for new employment is already sometimes such a demoralizing experience...why add to that.? There is definite room for growth.

I had a similar experience as others reviewing here. Jumped through numerous hoops (I have over 20 years of celebrity PA experience) only to be ghosted by these former "assistants" who if they are who they say they are, should know how to be more professional. This team is as phony as they come.

Very unprofessional. Requiring a headshot for a professional position is grounds for malpractice. Requires so much paperwork without even disclosing the person you are applying for. Appears as a scammy agency and impersonal which is not beneficial for the client or people interviewed.

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