Resume Adjectives

When it comes to writing a professional resume, adjectives can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how they are used. While most people believe that it is much more effective to use verbs and action words, adjectives do have their purpose. Impressing a potential employer with the knowledge that you have what it takes to benefit their company is your top priority, so how you go about accomplishing that is important.

As you are writing your resume, adjectives may come in handy in particular areas. The information below will help you decide when and where to use adjectives, and which ones you should NEVER use. Unfortunately, people tend to use lots of them naturally, but with good proofreading skills and help from others you can create a resume that shines and dazzles any employer.

Which resume adjectives you should never use

There are certain words you should never use to describe yourself or your skills. These include pretty, sweet, loving, funny, likable, wonderful, etc. Adjectives like these are vague, and don't really offer anything of value as far as describing your work accomplishments or skills to a potential employer. In short, these words are "fluffy."

When preparing your resume, adjectives should be used sparingly. In fact, most people who are capable of writing a professional resume recommend using verbs, which add life and personality to what could otherwise be dull reading. Adjectives may work in some circumstances, particularly if they are used in a positive way.

Your resume: Adjectives - positive and negative

There are a few adjectives that you may find useful in describing your abilities or qualifications on your resume. These words are capable of describing not only your personal work ethics, but the quality of your work as well. As long as your resume reflects professionalism and clearly points out your capacity to benefit the employer and make a positive impact on the company, you will likely be considered for the position. Here are a few of the more positive adjectives for your resume:

Agreeable
Collaborative
Cooperative
Confident
Dedicated
Dependable
Mature
Productive
Responsible

On your resume, adjectives such as these give the potential employer the impression that you are a responsible individual who is dedicated to doing the best possible job, and that you are not afraid of hard work.

There are some adjectives you should use sparingly, if at all. Words like aggressive, cynical, passive or distracted may shed a negative light on you as far as potential employers are concerned.

When it comes to your resume, adjectives can tend to look forced or artificial, particularly when they aren't used effectively. Be careful of using too many, as your resume may end up looking unprofessional or even awkward. Your goal is to sell yourself and your abilities to an employer; you must rise above the competition in order to secure the job.