Best Words To Describe Yourself (For Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews)

Choosing the right words can significantly enhance your resume, cover letter, or interview presentation. With limited time to showcase your qualifications, selecting impactful descriptors is crucial. Utilize strong adjectives, action verbs, and industry-specific language to effectively present yourself.

Word choice plays a vital role in your resume and cover letter, which are concise documents designed to capture the attention of hiring managers quickly. If you’re crafting a resume, cover letter, or preparing for an interview and want to know the most effective adjectives to use, continue reading.

Key Takeaways

• Utilize action verbs, industry-specific terminology, and impactful adjectives to describe yourself in resumes, cover letters, and interviews.

• Avoid clichés, slang, and exaggerated descriptors.

• Integrate keywords from the job description into your resume and cover letter to navigate ATS filters effectively.

• Power words can evoke emotion and draw attention; they are valuable tools in marketing and personal branding.

The Best Words to Use to Describe Yourself

Using evocative language to convey your personality, skills, or achievements is essential. Aim for a balance between being persuasive and authentic, employing active voice and compelling adjectives. You want to present yourself as proactive and results-driven.

Consider emphasizing the following types of descriptors:

1. Strong Verbs. Start sentences on your resume with powerful verbs. For example: Organized and facilitated weekly team meetings. This phrasing is more dynamic and emphasizes your active role compared to: Responsible for organizing and facilitating weekly meetings. A strong cover letter should also prioritize impactful verbs. Here are some suggestions for replacing commonly used verbs:

   • Change cut costs to decreased, streamlined, economized, reduced expenses, or controlled costs.

   • Replace led with: orchestrated, conducted, directed, or spearheaded.

   • Created can be swapped with designed, crafted, developed, formulated, or conceptualized.

   • Boosted could be replaced with increased, accelerated, drove, improved, or optimized.

   • Improved can be exchanged for advanced, enhanced, increased, or strengthened.

   • Trained can become facilitated, educated, instructed, taught, guided, or coached.

2. Industry-Specific Skills. To capture a recruiter‘s attention, tailor your language to your industry. Familiarity with the specific skills and keywords that hiring managers prioritize demonstrates your expertise and readiness for the role.

   Here are some examples:

   • Sales: relationship building, negotiation, persuasive communication, prospecting, closing, territory development.

   • Management: leadership, supervisory skills, coaching, mentoring.

   • Marketing: SEO, conversion optimization, email marketing, content marketing.

   • Accounting: taxation compliance, automatic data processing (ADP), reconciliation, accounts payable, accounts receivable, return on assets.

   • Project Management: budget management, proposal writing, compliance, vendor management, risk mitigation.

   • Administration: attention to detail, creating macros, confidentiality, Microsoft Office suite, scheduling.

   • Engineering: quality control, troubleshooting, materials management, research and development, systems integration.

   • Web Development: graphic design, user experience, e-commerce, web design, front end/back end, Java, HTML/CSS.

   Finding industry-related keywords is straightforward; conduct a quick online search for job openings in your field, and analyze the job descriptions for standout keywords that align with your qualifications.

   Incorporating these keywords into your resume can help you present yourself as an ideal candidate for the position.

3. Powerful Adjectives. Strive to convey your strengths without sounding overly promotional. The right adjectives can enhance your resume summary statement and the body of your resume, helping you strike the right tone.

   Employers are keen on attracting and retaining top talent, so demonstrating initiative and results-driven qualities is essential. Here are some adjectives to describe leadership qualities:

   • Authoritative

   • Decisive

   • Dedicated

   • Engaged

   • Goal-Oriented

   • Strategic

   • Motivated

   • Innovative

   • Delegation

   Teamwork Adjectives:

   • Determined

   • Reliable

   • Deadline-Driven

   • Detail-Oriented

   • Effective Communicator

   • Organized

   • Collaborative

   • Cross-Functional

   • Team Player

   If you find it challenging to identify the right words, a thesaurus can be a valuable resource. For instance, if you’ve used “write” multiple times, look for alternatives like develop, craft, or create.

Tips for Using Power Words in Your Resume

Incorporating power words, strong verbs, and impactful adjectives is an excellent way to catch a recruiter’s attention—if done appropriately. Here are some strategies for effectively integrating strong language into your resume:

1. Be Concise. Short, direct sentences are more impactful than lengthy ones. Aim for clarity and brevity.

2. Limit Bullet Points to One Line. Avoid wrapping bullet points across lines; keep them succinct whenever possible.

3. Eliminate Any Widows. A widow is a single word left alone on the next line. Avoid this formatting issue:

   Spearheaded initiative to go green and eliminate delivery truck gas emissions by August
   2021

4. Include ATS-Friendly Words. Even the best resume may go unseen if it isn’t optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Many companies rely on ATS to filter resumes, so it’s crucial to make it past this initial screening.

   To increase your chances, ensure you include relevant ATS keywords. Craft your resume for both human readers and ATS, as larger organizations often use these systems to identify top candidates. If your resume doesn’t pass through the ATS, a recruiter or hiring manager may never see it.

   The keywords that ATS systems look for are based on the employer’s criteria. Therefore, closely examine job descriptions, identify keywords, and integrate them into your resume.

Tips for Incorporating Power Words into Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter is an opportunity to showcase your writing skills and highlight interests and abilities that may not fit neatly into your resume. Here’s how to use power words to craft an engaging cover letter:

1. Focus on the Opening Line. The opening line of your cover letter is crucial for capturing your reader’s attention. Ensure it is impactful and conveys your enthusiasm for the role while maintaining professionalism.

2. Avoid Rehashing Your Resume. Your cover letter should not simply reiterate your resume. Instead, include skills and interests that provide additional insights into your qualifications. Pay attention to industry-relevant skills and the verbs and adjectives you choose.

3. Showcase Your Passion. A cover letter’s purpose is to make you memorable. Share interesting aspects about yourself that relate to the job and highlight your passion and interests in a way that aligns with the position.

4. Add a Call to Action. Conclude with a strong call to action, whether it’s expressing your eagerness for an interview or your anticipation of discussing your qualifications further. Use strong verbs and active voice to make your conclusion impactful.

5. Ensure ATS Compatibility. Though not all ATS scan cover letters, it’s wise to consider keywords. Include both industry-specific terms and those from the job description. If the ATS does evaluate your cover letter, you’ll appear highly qualified.

How to Answer “How Would You Describe Yourself” in a Job Interview

Navigating the balance between being unprepared and overly scripted during an interview can be challenging. Consider your knowledge of the position and the company, and prepare thoughtful responses. Here are some strategies to help you answer this question:

1. Get to the Point and Stay Relevant. It’s easy to stray off-topic. Focus on one or two personality traits that reflect the professional skills valued by the employer.

2. Be Honest. Authenticity is vital; don’t just tell the interviewer what you believe they want to hear. Being truthful allows both you and the hiring manager to determine if the job is a suitable fit.

3. Select Universally Appreciated Traits. Avoid words that could be interpreted negatively. Instead, choose personal qualities that are widely regarded as positive, such as “collaborative,” “curious,” or “diligent.”

4. Provide Context. Simply listing adjectives isn’t enough. Share a story that illustrates how your descriptive words manifest in your professional life. For example, if you describe yourself as persistent, recount a situation where your persistence led to successful outcomes.

Example Answers to “How Would You Describe Yourself?”

1. Example Answer: Team Player

   I would describe myself as a team player who prioritizes collective goals over individual achievements. While working on a design project with fellow graphic designers, we discovered late in production that several small yet crucial elements were overlooked. Although it was a team oversight, I took on the additional workload to allow my colleagues to focus on the client’s next project. The client appreciated our attention to detail and has continued to work with us since.

2. Example Answer: Persistent

   Persistence distinguishes me. When I envisioned a social media marketing campaign, I dedicated myself to its success. Despite initial setbacks with low engagement and shares, I sought advice and researched best practices. After six months of experimentation, I achieved over 15,000 subscribers and boosted engagement by over 1000%. When I believe in an idea, I will pursue it relentlessly until it becomes a reality.

3. Example Answer: Creative

   My creativity is one of my greatest strengths, frequently highlighted by my previous supervisor. During a project requiring the coding of multiple landing pages, I recognized the lengthy timeline ahead. To streamline the process, I developed a Python script that automated much of the tedious work while ensuring consistency. My manager praised this innovative approach, noting it saved over $10,000 in labor costs.

4. Example Answer: Organized

   As an executive assistant, organization defines my professional identity. Managing a boss with dozens of client accounts valued at over $1M requires diligent attention to detail. By creating a comprehensive spreadsheet for all relevant information and condensing it into concise notes for the VP of sales, I streamlined client meetings and enhanced account management efficiency.

Resume-Killing Phrases to Avoid

Using outdated phrases can evoke the same cringe as when parents attempt to use slang. Hiring managers often react negatively to buzzwords on resumes.

While many of these phrases may have been trendy, they have lost their impact and should be retired. Are you using any of the following outdated terms? Here’s a list of resume buzzwords and terms to avoid on a resume.

To avoid making recruiters cringe, articulate your points using engaging, conversational language instead of relying on overused terms.

Best Words to Describe Yourself FAQs

1. How do you describe yourself in a resume?
   You describe yourself in a resume by utilizing action words, industry-specific skills, and powerful adjectives. Effectively showcasing your goals and achievements provides hiring managers with a clear understanding of your qualifications.

2. What are three words to describe yourself for a job?
   Three words to describe yourself might include “motivated,” “reliable,” and “strategic.” While many words can describe you, these tend to resonate well with most employers (ensure they genuinely reflect your character).

3. How can I describe myself in one word?
   You can describe yourself in one word by selecting a term that applies across various contexts. Words like “tenacious” or “positive” can be exemplified in numerous situations. If responding in a job interview, consider a word that aligns with the company’s values and the position’s requirements.

4. What are good action words to use on a resume?
   Effective action words include “achieved,” “conducted,” and “assisted.” Opt for stronger terms that convey more specific meanings while avoiding generic phrases like “managed” or “worked on.”

References

1. University of Colorado Boulder – Action Verbs to Use on Your Resume

2. Harvard Business Review — How to Respond to “So, Tell Me About Yourself” In a Job Interview

3. Forbes — 34 Words and Phrases That Scream ‘I’m a Leader’ on Resumes

Ask the Experts

What tips would you give to optimize a resume?

Bill Gutches
The Path To Inkc

In your Overview or Value Proposition, use power verbs to initiate each bullet or statement and quantify the benefits your employer received from your contributions.

Ensure that the Start and Stop dates for each Employment or Contract are contiguous, avoiding gaps in your work timeline.

Personalize your resume with appropriate key phrases for each application, ensuring that the words align closely with the job description.

Author

Hope Stebbins

Hope Stebbins is an experienced writer and editor within the field of finance and contracts, sales, and business operations. She combines operational analysis with creativity to develop compelling written content. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Eastern University.

Expert

Don Pippin, MHRM, CPRW, CDCS

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.