how to make buzzer sound good on resume

Press Enter to search

Essential Tips: How To Make Waitressing Sound Good on a Resume

If you’re a hospitality professional wondering how to make waitressing or serving sound good on a resume, we have you covered in this step by step guide with examples.

2 years ago   •   6 min read

Anyone who's ever worked in customer service knows it's not an easy job. You're on your feet all day, constantly multitasking, and singlehandedly responsible for keeping customers happy. But how do you translate all of that to a resume?

In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to make serving sound good on a resume, including:

• What to put on a waitressing resume
• How to come up with measurable, resume-worthy bullet points
• Tips for highlighting transferable skills
• Ready-made resume templates
• Sample bullet points you can copy and paste

Want to dive right in? Here's a quick-start guide.

How to put waitressing or server on a resume

• Look at the description of the job you’re applying for.
• Make a list of the key skills and responsibilities they're asking for.
• Brainstorm your own skills and accomplishments — everything from "fantastic at conflict resolution" to "turned over 100 tables on our busiest night without a single complaint."
• Now try to match up the two lists. It's okay to think outside the box on this one — for example, if a job requires event planning, think about how many functions have been held at your restaurant, or how you handled overlapping reservations.
• Work each of these examples into a bullet point focusing on what you accomplished.
• If possible, add a number or metric to show measurable results.
• Once you're done, upload your resume to our free ATS resume scanner for more tips and personalized suggestions.

Waitressing resume template

Here's an example of how to put waitressing accomplishments on a resume:

To get a headstart on your own resume, download one of our free ATS resume templates .

Tips for how to make serving sound good on a resume

Want to really level up your customer service resume? Here's how to:

Consolidate your waitressing experience

Highlight transferable skills.

• Come up with concrete metrics

Target your resume

The nature of hospitality, waitressing and similar gig work means that you may have held several similar positions over a relatively short amount of time. Instead of having to find new ways to describe waiting tables for every job on your resume, consider using a single job heading that covers similar serving jobs at different restaurants.

How To: In your work experience section, create a single heading like “Professional Wait Staff” and group all your related positions underneath.

Professional Wait Staff , [Dates] Company #1, Location, Dates - Bullet point - Bullet point Company #2, Location, Dates - Bullet point Company #3, Location, Dates - Bullet point

Here's how it might look on a resume:

More Tips: Read our guide on how to list work experience on your resume for a detailed breakdown of what your work experience section should look like and when it’s appropriate to bundle different positions together.

Related: How To Put DoorDash or Uber Eats on Your Resume

The good news is, serving jobs require a lot of in-demand skills you can use in other industries, like teamwork , adaptability , strong communication and interpersonal skills . But before you list “excellent customer service skills” on your resume, you should know that these are soft skills — not hard ones.

What does that mean? When it comes to soft skills, self-assessments are basically meaningless. To show a hiring manager that you have what it takes, you need to prove it.

How To: Instead of listing soft skills outright, choose accomplishments that demonstrate those skills in action.

DON'T: “Demonstrated excellent customer service skills.” DO: “Recognized as employee of the month on 10/2020; awarded to one person out of 50 employees.”

More Tips: Read our guide on how to include soft skills on your resume for all the do’s and don’ts when it comes to highlighting transferable skills.

Use metrics

Metrics are the key to making any resume look good. The trick is to quantify everything — even things you’ve never thought about in measurable terms.

How To: Use numbers to describe the number of customers you served, the size of your team, or the scale of the work you did.

Before: “Served food and drinks to customers in popular establishment.” After: “ Served 100+ customers daily in 20-table restaurant.”

More Tips: Our guide on how to quantify your resume has 50+ examples you can choose from on how to add meaningful numbers to your resume.

The first step to writing any successful resume is to tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. If you’re looking for professional jobs with a hospitality background, this may seem like a stretch, but it’s easier than it sounds.

What hiring managers are really looking for is somebody who will be successful in the position. That doesn’t have to mean that you have experience in a similar role — instead, match your accomplishments to the job you’re applying for and focus on highlighting relevant skills.

How To: If a job description lists “planning and scheduling meetings and appointments” as a key responsibility, think about a time when you had to plan or schedule something as a waitress or waiter at work. This might be organizing a weekly roster, suggesting extra staff to cover a holiday weekend, or organizing a staff function.

If the job description says: “Planning and scheduling meetings and appointments.” Your resume could say: “Scheduled 20+ staff on weekly roster to ensure full coverage on all shifts.”

More tips: For extra help in creating a targeted resume, use the tool below to get a list of skills and keywords relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Polish it to perfection

Once you’re done updating your resume, upload it to the tool below to check if you’ve shown enough relevant skills and quantifiable accomplishments. It’ll also identify any mistakes and give you suggestions for improvements.

Waiter and waitressing resume bullet point examples

If you’re ready to get started, here are some sample bullet points you can use to make serving sound good on your resume — no matter what job you're aiming for next.

Training others

• Trained 6 new waiters and developed repeatable onboarding process; reduced onboarding time of new staff by 15%.

Training new employees is an in-demand skill in just about any profession. If you've ever helped out with training — whether that's showing a new hire around the restaurant or creating onboarding materials — highlight that accomplishment in your bullet points.

Scheduling and planning

• Scheduled 20+ staff on weekly roster to ensure full coverage on all shifts, including extra coverage at short notice.

Scheduling is another transferable skill that you'll use in just about any industry. If you created rosters, handled shift changes, or arranged coverage for other staff, use a bullet point like this to emphasize those skills.

Business operations and development

• Part of core team involved in transition to delivery/takeaway options to help restaurant survive during Covid-19; increased customer base by 10%.
• Reduced unnecessary inventory and maintained a 3 percent over/short ratio, reducing waste by almost 4 percent.

Ultimately, what employers care about most is whether you can contribute to the bottom line. Highlight accomplishments that you can tie to measurable results like revenue growth and cost savings.

Sales and marketing

• Collaborated with marketing team to redesign menu and increase revenue by 10%.
• Spearheaded initiative to gain new customers; handed out 400+ promotional materials and grew revenue by 20%.

Looking to pivot to a different industry? Pick out examples of accomplishments that show different types of skills, like this one.

Financial handling

• Balanced all transactions daily with credit card machines, cash registers and check scanners.

Even the smallest tasks can become resume-worthy accomplishments with the right spin. Focus on exactly what you did and any tools you used to emphasize technical skills as well as soft skills like attention to detail and trustworthiness.

Going above and beyond

• Recognized as employee of the month in 10/2020; awarded to one person out of 50 employees.

As a server, you're probably used to going above and beyond — so don't let that go to waste. Even better if you can point to something concrete, like a major award or promotion.

Spread the word

How to list a bootcamp on a resume (and other resume tips), how to remove fillers from your resume, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay updated with Resume Worded by signing up for our newsletter.

🎉 Awesome! Now check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription.

Please enter a valid email address

Oops! There was an error sending the email, please try later

Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

How to Properly Use Resume Buzzwords to Get An Interview

In This Guide:

Buzzwords to avoid, buzzwords you should try to include, better alternatives for common key phrases, using action words on your resume, using buzz and action words effectively, personal summary, previous experience, using resume buzzwords and actions words on your resume.

Quick Answer: "Buzzwords on your resume should be specific and backed up with evidence. Recruiters are looking for key competencies, and using vague language won't impress them. Avoid overused buzzwords like ""detail-oriented"", ""team player"", or ""hard worker"". Instead, be specific and use action words to describe your achievements. Buzzwords should be used sparingly, and tailored to the job description. Show, don't tell."

Resume buzzwords can secure an invitation for your next interview. There are loads of different factors to consider when it comes to building the perfect resume. But there’s one particular thing we can guarantee a reader will notice in the time they take to review your resume…

No. Not your resume header , or the length of your resume . It’s not even your name or personal website .

What recruiters notice no matter what is more simple than you’d think.

It’s language. More specifically, your use of language.

Recruiters are looking to see key competencies on your resume . The way you package this will influence both the recruiter’s perception of you as a worker and how you compare to others. Inevitably, this has an impact on whether you’re going to get called in for an interview.

Now can you see why buzzwords are so important? Do you want to find out how you can properly use them to your advantage and get a new job? See below.

Everyone optimizes the buzzwords they include on their resume. But unfortunately, this has led to many words being misused and overused. More than 2,000 hiring managers indicated that overused buzzwords disengage them from the applicant’s resume.

From their point of view, the reason behind the negative impression is actually quite clear: they’re fluff. They have no actionable meaning at all.

Examples from the worst-offenders guilty of this include:

• ‘Best of breed’
• ‘Go-getter’
• “Think outside of the box”
• “Go-to person”
• “Results-driven”
• “Detail-orientated”
• “Team player”
• “Bottom-line”
• “Hard worker”
• “Strategic thinker”

Using these descriptors without evidence to back them up is frivolous. And even if you did have proof, it’s not necessary to say you’re a “team player” as the evidence should speak for itself.

You might be a “go-getter”, but what does that have to do for the business? What’s the meaning behind it? What have you done that shows your character and who you are?

Merely describing oneself with a lack of evidence or verification is the fastest way to leave a poor impression on your reader.

Recruiters have said it time and time again – be specific!

Vague and nonspecific language

To be clear, I’m referring to words like:

• “detail-orientated”
• “best of breed”
• “go-getter”

But we’ve all seen detail-orientated at some point in our career. Whether that’s been in your career guidance textbook in school or on your resume in the past, it’s up there with the most common phrases included on a resume.

The logic is technically sound, but aren’t the recruiters already looking for people who pay attention to the details?

While you’re not necessarily wrong , let’s consider the old saying:

“The proof is in the pudding”.

In this case, the proof of being detail-orientated should be apparent from your experiences (or your career pudding, so to speak). Rather than tell the hiring manager you’re detail orientated, show them that’s what you are.

When it comes down to comparing someone who made this characteristic evident versus someone who made a vague statement about it, the former will get called for the interview.

So, be detail-orientated and showcase the work that reflects that. There’s a good phrase that helps whenever you’re talking about yourself:

“Show, don’t tell.”

Instead of simply saying it, it’s more compelling if you could show it.

(Tip: use fewer sentences with more impactful language! For example, rather than just saying “From my past role, I’m attentive to detail for business needs”, it’s better if you show that and not just tell it. Alternatively, you can do this by saying something like this instead: “I’m attentive to business needs and have reflected this by reducing costs by X%.)

In this program manager resume , Tobias describes pitching revolutionary health technology to the Clintons.

There’s no need to state that he’s detail-orientated in his resume in light of this. We clearly see and notice he’s meticulous in his work!

Unnecessary language

This time, I’m talking about the notorious word for all job recruiters – “team player”.

Well, without collaboration businesses are quickly going to fail and become ineffective . Naturally, after that, they fall short of their goals and objectives.

Recruiters look for people who will add to the dynamics of their employee environment and mesh well with the work style of others. While this is true, the hiring manager isn’t necessarily looking for a “team player”. Let’s start off with the first impression that term leaves on the recruiter.

Team players generally avoid confrontation. They concede when facing an opposing opinion, they put others first, and they make sure everyone else is happy (on the surface). They rarely like to disrupt the status quo and shy away from being different…

Does that sound like an employee you’d like to hire?

The reality here is that: team players are followers, not growers.

Recruiters are more interested in those that will make positive changes in their organization. After all, if there weren’t anything to change, there wouldn’t be a need to hire someone new.

Again, the proof in the pudding argument is relevant here too.

Don’t just describe yourself as a team player. Instead, include examples of where you have worked and performed well in a team. Perhaps you have experience working on a project team or something similar.

This is where you let the experience shine…

For example, in this real estate resume , they describe partnering with trustees to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

As shown above, with prior experience working on a team, that itself exceeded the criteria.

Not only is it transparent to the recruiter, but they see how his traits can benefit their organization. So, take the extra time to implement credibility in your statements. It goes a long way with actually landing the new job you’re applying for.

Obvious and givens

Last of all, you’ve probably seen the words “hard worker”. I don’t think there’s a single company in the world that’s looking for lazy workers…

Describing yourself as a hard worker is up there with writing a “resume” on your resume header . Or it’s just as bad as closing your resume with “references upon request”.

You’re literally just stating the obvious…

And not only does it take up valuable spaces, but it’s adding white, polluted noise. The recruiter hopes you’re a hard worker, that’s a given. What they don’t know, and what your resume should be showing them, is how you’re a hard worker. What’s the influence and impact you have on their company?

On Maximillian’s account manager resume , he effectively describes his work with AIESEC. He talks about implementing a digital sales system that increased sales by 100% for the organization.

Because of this, recruiters at Amazon recognized his dedication to volunteering projects and committing towards success. This easily translates into the meaning of being a hard worker without actually having to use those words directly.

Sometimes, you’ll find yourself in a circumstance where you need to include a (common) buzzword on your resume. This is most likely to occur when applying to organisations that use an ATS (applicant tracking system).

But now you’ve got a good idea of how you should use buzzwords properly, and you shouldn’t. Let’s have a look at a list of common buzzwords to consider.

Also, remember to show. Don’t just tell.

(See further below for more alternative and effective power words.)

• Value / Valuable
• Commit / Devote
• Spearheaded
• Acquisition
• Collaborate
• Troubleshoot

When organizations compile a huge list of applicants, they use these systems to scan for buzzwords on their resumes. The best strategy is to implement them directly from the job description and turn them into subsections.

Here’s a good example from Paula. She included the characteristic of being ‘independent’ as one of her core strengths because this was something potential employers were looking for on her eCommerce resume .

Action words are used to describe the impact you’ve had in your previous roles. The typical action words people think of when putting their resume together are these two words: increased and decreased.

These are everyone’s bread-and-butter. But that doesn’t mean to say there are better alternatives you could choose from too.

Alternatives to increased

• Strengthened
• Widened (profit margins)
• Cultivated (new sales)

Alternatives to decreased

First and foremost, your buzzwords and action words should be adding value. Prioritize that, instead of throwing down flashy words as an attempt to cover up shortcomings or a lack of experience.

Buzzwords are the most relevant in your personal summary.

However, action words come into play when describing your personal experiences. These words are used to enhance what you already have.

The personal summary is where you introduce who you are to an employer (especially when making a career change or entering your first job ).

You can use the following formula to craft a personal summary that makes for a positive first impression:

[Description of current status] with an interest in [Industry / Role you’re applying to] hoping to improve skills of [hard & soft skills]. A [personal attribute] worker motivated by [aspect of company culture].

Buzzwords come in when describing your personal attribute.

Check out the comparison of a well-used buzzword personal summary versus a poorly executed personal summary in the next section.

Effective uses

High-school student with an interest in computer applications hoping to improve my skill in Python, JavaScript, and A/B Testing. A dedicated worker motivated by independent work and personal freedom (with guidance) in tasks.

Ineffective uses

High-school student with an interest in computer applications hoping to improve my skill in Python, JavaScript, and A/B Testing. A worker motivated by independent work and personal freedom (with guidance) in tasks.

As seen in the above examples, buzzwords are best when used to enhance your description rather than pad it out.

Action words should be used to describe the manner you carried out your responsibilities and to enhance an achievement you’ve mentioned.

Make sure you’re quantifying your past-achievements in conjunction with your action words too.

Previous experience without action words

Involved in a 5-person team responsible for quality assurance of sold products each day.

Previous experience using action words

Spearheaded a 5-person team involved in quality assurance of sold products each day.

Recruiters come across too many of the same buzzwords on applicants’ resumes. Sticking to the norm will likely cause them to distance themselves and overlook your resume for someone else.

The best way to enhance your resume is to use the buzzwords sparingly, and match them to the job description . With action words, recruiters can get a better sense of your previous experiences while you can show your initiative at the same time.

Whenever you feel confused with implementing some of the power words, you could always right-click and look for synonyms. But if you’re doing this, just ensure you choose an appropriate word that makes sense and fits with what you’re trying to say.

Click here to see how the buzzword tactics discussed are successfully applied to resumes that got people hired at Spotify, Amazon, Verizon, and other large organizations.

Buzzwords are an effective way to upgrade your resume. It improves readability, as well as your chances of getting your foot in the front door for an interview. You can rest assured that your resume is more likely to get recognized and noticed if you follow the tips discussed.

Are there any other buzzwords you like to use that we haven’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments below!

• Resume Guides

Språkkunskaper på ditt CV: Hur du visar dina språkfärdigheter & språknivå

How to sign a cover letter: paper vs digital, how to add self taught programmer on your resume, dates on resume: how to format, templates & tips, should i put in an incomplete degree on a resume, spot the red flags: how to know if a job is a scam.

• Create Resume
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Preferences
• Resume Examples
• Resume Templates
• AI Resume Builder
• Resume Summary Generator
• Resume Formats
• Resume Checker
• Resume Skills
• How to Write a Resume
• Modern Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Cover Letter Builder
• Cover Letter Examples
• Cover Letter Templates
• Cover Letter Formats
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Cover Letter Guides
• Job Interview Guides
• Job Interview Questions
• Career Resources
• Meet our customers
• Career resources
• English (UK)
• French (FR)
• German (DE)
• Spanish (ES)
• Swedish (SE)

© 2024 . All rights reserved.

Made with love by people who care.

Free Resume Builder

• Resume Writing
• Job Interviews

How to Make Waitressing Sound Good on a Resume

You have a few waitressing jobs under your belt. That's great, but how do you stand out from the crowd?

And how do you spin your waitressing experience not just as a positive thing, but also as a way to add value to your future job?

In this article, I will teach you how to write a resume that not only impresses hiring managers but actually gets you the job you want . Read ahead.

Notice: these tips will work whether you want to continue waitressing or pivot to a different career.

Spice up your resume summary

Your resume summary is a brief paragraph where you summarize your past job experience, skills, and what you want for your next job.

It's almost like an elevator pitch for your career . Simply put, it's a way for you to sell yourself.

If you want to continue waitressing, write a summary focusing on your serving experience:

Summary: I have over 6 years of experience working in upscale restaurants, helping maintain high serving standards. Experience with POS systems and increasing restaurant profits through careful customer suggestions. Looking forward to helping your establishment become more successful.

If you want to pivot your career into something else, focus on your soft skills while downplaying your serving experience:

Summary: I have over 6 years of customer service experience, dealing with customers on a day-to-day basis, handling money, and working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. Looking forward to transferring my skills to your business and help you be more successful.

Mention your waitressing skills

When waitressing, you will build two types of skills: soft skills and hard skills .

Your soft skills are things like your ability to communicate, attention to detail, social skills, hard work, or reliability.

Your hard skills will be practical skills you learn on the job such as dealing with POS systems and cash registers, food regulations, or cooking ability.

Whether you want to leave the industry or stay, both resumes should focus on your soft skills .

Now it's time to create a "Skills" section. Put your skills section right under your resume "Summary":

• … [any other skills you gained through your career]

The first 5 bullets are all soft skills. These are great to have on your resume. The last 2 are serving related.

You only want to focus on your practical waitressing skills(like handling cash registers) if you want to get a job that makes use of those skills.

If you want to pivot away from waitressing, focus on your soft skills , and use them as a trampoline to a different career.

Change your job experience section

After your skills section comes your job experience. This is where you put your professional experiences, ordered chronologically(from latest to oldest).

A mistake many people make in this section is to state the work they did without spicing it up. Here's an example of a boring job description:

Job Experience:

Waitress / Host / Food Handler Olive Rome - Italian Restaurant (2018 - 2020)

• Updated social media accounts with menu updates

It's an okay job entry. But it's boring. We could do much better.

Here's the new version with a focus on your waitressing achievements:

• Successfully replaced the manager in his absence.

Go into the numbers, talk about your achievements . How did you help the restaurant? Spice things up!

Do you get the point? You don't need to use these specific examples. Use them as inspiration.

Group your waitressing jobs

If you had multiple waitressing jobs, especially jobs you held for small amounts of time, you can group them together.

This is also a perfect resume format for those who want to pivot their careers away from waitressing:

Experience:

Waitress, Host (2015-2020) Sweet Desserts, Austin, Texas (2019, 2020) Pancake Factory, NYC, New York (2017, 2018) Burger King, NYC, New York (2015, 16) 5 years of experience working as a waitress, providing exceptional customer service and helping business run smoothly.

This prevents you from having to repeat yourself, as many waitressing jobs have similar responsibilities.

Your bullets should be responsibilities and achievements that are generic enough they can fit all jobs you grouped.

Put testimonials on your resume

Another way to stand out is to ask your previous managers for testimonials.

You can then embed these testimonials on your resume . Either a testimonial per job entry or a section dedicated to testimonials. Either way will work.

Most people are not doing this, but it's a great way to stand out in a crowded field.

Tailor your resume to your future job

As I wrote previously, you need to tailor your resume to the job you want to get. Want to get out of waitressing? Focus your resume on skills that are portable to other careers.

For instance, if you want to get a call center job, mention how your customer service experience will make you the ideal candidate.

If‌ you want to keep working as a server, mention your practical waitressing skills every chance you get.

Should you put waitressing on your resume?

Absolutely yes! Even if it's not what you want your career to be focused on, it's better to include a waitressing job than having a resume gap.

It shows you can work hard for your goals. Don't remove it.

Other formatting tips for your resume

Mcdonald's interview questions and answers for 2024, 25 coach interview questions and answers.

© 2024 Free Resume Builder, All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy & Terms

How to Make Your Most Boring Jobs Sound More Interesting on Your Resume

You’ve finally found it: The job listing that appears on your computer screen with a glowing beam of light and a rousing rendition of the “Hallelujah Chorus” playing on repeat.

Alright, maybe that’s a little bit dramatic. But, the point remains the same: You’ve found an open opportunity that sounds like it could be the perfect fit for you. There’s nothing you want more than to land this job, and you know you have the qualifications to make it happen.

But, every time you return to your resume to make those oh-so-necessary tweaks, you’re confronted with the same glaring issue: All of your experience sounds so boring .

You assisted clients. You made cold calls. You analyzed data. Blah, blah, blah. Yes, it’s all important information. However, when your main goal is to stand out from the competition and grab that hiring manager’s attention, you wish there was a way to make it all sound a little less snore-worthy.

The good news? There is! As with anything, it’s not so much about what you say—it’s about how you say it.

A Quick Word of Caution

First things first, be forewarned that there’s a big difference between making your experience sound better and blatantly lying.

While there are some clever tactics you can implement to spice up the way your qualifications are presented, the content itself should always be truthful. Your mom was right—honesty really is always the best policy.

1. Focus on Achievements

One of the biggest faux pas I see is that the summaries of past positions read like straight up job descriptions. They detail the daily duties that person completed (think answering phones or planning marketing initiatives), rather than the things that person accomplished while in that role.

Remember, hiring managers don’t only want to see what you’ve done—they also want to see how good you are at it. So, make sure to set your sights on your achievements, rather than just your daily tasks. And, as always, quantifying your bullet points is highly recommended!

Instead of: Cold called prospective clients to increase sales of Dunder Mifflin paper.

Say this: Increased sales of Dunder Mifflin paper products by 23% in the first quarter through effective relationship building and cold calling.

2. Include Examples

Admittedly, this tip will work better for some people than others. However, anytime you can show rather than tell, that’s a great opportunity to separate yourself from the pack and make a powerful impression.

This doesn’t need to be anything complicated—no, you don’t need to mail a USB full of presentations or a leather-bound portfolio after you’ve submitted your application.

But, if there are natural places where you could include a real example (whether it’s a website or the specific name of a project you worked on that the hiring manager could Google) directly on your document, that’s a surefire way to add some flair and added context.

Instead of: Created, planned, and executed various community events.

Say this: Spearheaded the creation of St. Louis’ first ever “Restaurant Week” promotion.

3. Remove Cliché Words

Managed, led, communicated, assisted.

They’re all words that appear at the front of nearly every single bullet point on nearly every single resume that has ever been written. In fact, these verbs are so oft-repeated that most people’s eyes just skip right over them.

As you might guess, using the same language as every other resume that’s in that ever-growing pile isn’t a great way to stand out and make your mundane experience sound a little zippier.

This is why it’s smart to go through your document with a fine-tooth comb, identify those cliché words you’ve used numerous times, and find a more creative way to replace them. Need some help? This list of 185 powerful verbs will be your lifesaver.

Instead of: Managed a team of 10 customer service associates.

Say this: Directed a team of 10 customer service associates to provide outstanding service to clients and increase repeat business by 48%.

4. Include Testimonials

Alright, the idea of including testimonials might seem a little strange. However, rest assured that this doesn’t need to mean listing an entire page of glowing recommendations from past supervisors. In fact, there’s a relatively easy way to incorporate positive reviews from past employers without being over-the-top about it.

The secret to doing it? Think back on any compliments or recognition you received from a boss—whether it was done in passing or in a formal performance review. Then, include that as a bullet point.

“Most people don’t know you can use the praise and positive feedback they’ve gotten from their superiors on your resume. But you definitely can,” says Muse writer, Aja Frost, in her article on how to best describe entry-level positions .

Add this to your resume: Recognized by manager for ability to take complex technical topics and distill them to a broader audience in a manner that’s easier to comprehend.

You know there’s a lot of competition in your job search. And, feeling like your experience is so dry and dull that only a Ben Stein voiceover could do it justice is definitely discouraging.

However, you don’t need to resign yourself to having a resume so boring it makes the hiring manager’s eyes instantly glaze over. Instead, roll up your sleeves, get to work, and use these tips to transform your past positions from humdrum and tiresome to engaging and attention-grabbing.

Tried-And-True Ways to Confidence-Ify Your Resume

• May 8, 2023

Fact : Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. 

But why is this the case?

It boils down to confidence—a quality that many women (yes, even me) struggle with when applying for a job. If you struggle with confidence while searching for jobs, you’re not alone.

However, one way to build and show off your confidence is through your resume. Learning how to make your resume sound better can be a great start to improving your confidence.

Why is Confidence Important in a Resume?

A solid resume is key for anyone on a job hunt, since it’s the first thing a potential employer sees about you. 

That’s why it’s important to make a good first impression with a resume that not only demonstrates your experience and qualifications, but that shows your confidence in your ability to do the job better than anyone else.

Below, we discuss how to make your resume sound better by adding some confidence!

1. Customize Your Resume to Fit the Job Posting

Hiring managers are scanning for specific qualities in job candidates. So, if your resume doesn’t match those qualities, they may just toss it and move on to the next candidate.

Customizing your resume to address points that relate to the job you’re applying for is a great way to stand out among other candidates. This lets the employer know that you’re able to do the job, and that you cared enough to really study the job description and demonstrate interest.

2. Remember: It’s Okay to Brag

When you’re looking for a job, you have every right to talk about everything you’ve done that you’re proud of—whether it be experience, awards, or skills, you should give them the details!

If you’re not proud of your work or you don’t go above and beyond describing your achievements, then it’s very difficult to stand out among others. Showing off these aspects show that you’re both capable and trustworthy.

3. Include Examples

It’s important that you back up your statements with examples. For instance, if you have on your resume “planned company events,” you should elaborate on that. Include a brief description of one of these events and how it helped the company grow.

Note: Don’t add too much detail. No one wants to read a resume that has excessively long descriptions. Find a way to cut out any unnecessary wording and focus on making your point in 1-2 sentences.

4. Use the “XYZ Formula”

The XYZ formula is a way to format elements of your resume to make it easy-to-read and concise, while also providing context and flow. 

In one sentence, it includes what you’ve accomplished (X) + the qualitative results (Y) + the skills or experience you utilized to achieve the outcome (Z). This use of both facts and numbers helps add credibility and gives insight into your strengths! 

A sentence structure in the XYZ format should look like this: action verb, achievement, measurement, detail of what you did to achieve your goal. Here’s an example: 

“Grew revenue for 15 small business clients by 10% quarter-on-quarter analysis through mapping new software features as solutions to their business goals.”

5. Avoid Cliché Words

There are several words that many people tend to use on their resume. Using the same cliché words that thousands of other people use on their resumes tends to get boring, and won’t help you stand out whatsoever.

Below is a list of words and phrases that are overused on resumes:

• Detail-oriented
• Team player
• Self-motivated 
• Hardworking 
• Innovative 
• Responsible for

Try to find different words that portray the same meaning. For example, instead of “team player,” try “team-oriented” or “collaborative.” 

This way, you still describe yourself with the same attributes. However, it won’t look like the same cookie-cutter resume sections that the hiring manager has probably seen many times before.

Want to Learn How to Make Your Resume Sound Better? Enlist the Help of a Professional Performance Coach

Before you display your confidence on paper, you need to find it within yourself.

At Stiletto, we provide professional performance coaching to help individuals and organizations find confidence and clarity in the workplace. 

We work with individuals and organizations to create deep self-awareness and effective actions to make positive changes. We hope that these efforts are reflected in all of our clients’ everyday lives so that they can eliminate vulnerability and intimidation in order to achieve their goals.

If you want to feel more empowered in your professional life, contact us today!

Related Posts

Setting SMART Goals for Success: A Guide for 2024 and Beyond

As the new year approaches, many of us are eager to make positive changes and set ourselves up for success. One way to do this is by adopting the SMART goal-setting framework.  SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound, providing a clear and structured approach to achieving success. There are several benefits of SMART goals that can help you meet your true potential at work and in your personal life.  In this blog, we’ll dive into what each

Simplifying Everyday Life: The Power of Hick’s Law in Decision-Making

In a world filled with countless choices and distractions, the ability to make quick and informed decisions is an invaluable skill. Enter Hick’s Law; a psychological principle that offers a simple yet powerful way to streamline a smart decision making process.  Below, we’ll delve into what Hick’s Law is and how you can apply it to simplify choices in various aspects of your life. What is Hick’s Law? Hick’s Law, also known as the Hick-Hyman Law, is a psychological concept.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Debunking Domestic Violence Myths

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about domestic violence and promoting efforts to prevent and address it.  One important aspect of this awareness campaign is debunking common myths and misconceptions about domestic violence. Understanding the reality of domestic violence is crucial for supporting survivors and creating effective prevention and intervention strategies.  Below, we explain some common myths about domestic violence and the truths that debunk them. Myth 1: Domestic Violence Only Involves Physical

5+ Creative Ways to Reward Your Employees (Without Money!)

Employee motivation is the cornerstone of a thriving workplace. While 80% of employees say they would work harder if they felt better appreciated, over 29% of employees haven’t received recognition for good work in over a year, if at all.  Monetary rewards play a significant role. However, there’s a plethora of alternative ways to incentivize your employees that go beyond a paycheck.  In this blog, we’ll explain how to reward your employees without money, and provide you with a variety

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

• Resume and Cover Letter
• How Can You Make Yourself...

How Can You Make Yourself Sound Better on Your Resume?

3 min read · Updated on December 17, 2021

If you want to impress a hiring manager, it starts with a resume that sells you at your best.

Your resume is your primary personal marketing tool in the job search. You very well may have the chops for whatever role you've set your sights on, but you can still come up short if your resume is missing the mark on reflecting your skill set. These five tips will provide essential marketing flair while ensuring you never have to exaggerate or bend the truth when it comes to your career.

Convert accomplishment numbers

Decreasing spending by $10,000 in a quarter might sound like a lot of money in your current role, but you may be applying for a role where $10,000 is a fairly insignificant amount. However, updating your resume to reflect that you were able to reduce spending by 20% is a much more digestible statement, regardless of the sample size. Converting all dollar amounts, page views, or revenue gains to percentages that reflect growth or year-over-year change will make all of your accomplishments sound much more impressive to hiring managers.

Don't be afraid to brag

Think of your resume as an abbreviated quarterly report or project debrief that you'd deliver at work: It needs to provide context, details, and results to reflect the hard work that went into making something a success. Therefore, being your own cheerleader is essential. So is making sure your responsibilities or day-to-day tasks don't outweigh the measurable accomplishments throughout your most recent roles. If tooting your own horn isn't something you feel particularly comfortable with, hiring a professional resume writer can help take the pressure off.

Stand out from the crowd

Rewriting your resume is the perfect time to think about what makes you unique as a professional. Hiring managers see tons of cookie-cutter resumes with bland objective statements on a daily basis; identifying a few specific points about your individual skill set will set you apart from the rest of the applicant pool. Are you a marketer with HTML skills? An operations manager with a background at Fortune 500 companies? A multilingual analyst? Once you've found your specific edge, don't be afraid to highlight it in your resume and cover letter (and LinkedIn profile summary, while you're at it!).

Address specific points from the job posting

A common mistake job seekers make is not customizing their resume for every application they make. Remember that a recruiter or hiring manager is looking for incredibly specific qualities in a candidate, and if your resume doesn't address those points, it's likely to end up in an application black hole. For example, if a role will focus heavily on P&L or developing a loyalty program or managing a large team of cross-functional direct reports, make sure your experience tied to these focus areas are front and center on your resume when you send in your application.

Related:   How to Avoid the Resume Black Hole

Don't leave gaps in employment

Periods of under- or unemployment are not uncommon in our current workforce, and there are several techniques to address employment gaps effectively on your resume . If you're stumped on how to work with these gaps yourself, a professional resume writer can work to equip you with the tools you need for your specific set of circumstances.

Click on the following link for more resume and career advice .

Professional resume writers know how to make a resume that presents you at your best. Learn more about TopResume's professional resume-writing services here .

Recommended Reading:

How We Helped This Jane of All Trades Focus Her Resume

5 Signs You Need a Professional Resume Review

How to Brag on Your Resume Without Sounding Like a Jerk

Related Articles:

7 Signs Your Resume is Making You Look Old

Why a Simple Resume Layout is a Successful Resume

8 Tips to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market

See how your resume stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & resume tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

How To Make Your Skills Sound Better On Your Resume

Published on:

• April 16, 2023

Writing your resume for the first time or editing it for the 100th can both be incredibly daunting experiences.

With today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving corporate environment, hiring managers are consistently searching for unique candidates in an oversaturated market.

This makes resume writing so much more integral to landing a job that you want.

Most hiring managers utilize applications called “Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS),” which help electronically filter through candidate resumes searching for keywords, required skills, and overall competency.

For example, if a job required Slack as a hard skill, and you fail to mention your proficiency within your resume, your resume will automatically be sorted out of potential applicants immediately.

That being said, making a point to highlight your skills effectively is essential to passing through the ATS successfully.

Keep in mind that hiring managers are sent hundreds to thousands of resumes per job advertisement. After making it through the ATS, your resume will have approximately 6-8 seconds to prove your worth.

This means that you should ensure it looks professional and highlights the key information in bite-size pieces for quick reading and digestion. Your goal is to provide information and make the hiring process as painless as possible for the employer.

The following part of this article will walk you through several suggestions to better your skills section so that it will pass inspection and highlights you as a strong and capable candidate for the jobs you are applying.

These suggestions are: (1) Do not list given skills, (2) Spotlight key skills, and (3) Highlight your knowledge by separating hard and soft skills.

By incorporating these 3 modifications to your resume, you’ve already created a great start to passing through the ATS and getting the hiring managers’ attention.

Resume Template

Tip #1: Do not list given skills

It’s in our nature to want to name each and every skill we have in order to show that we are qualified, if not overqualified, candidates. Though this approach worked in the past, now it’s more necessary to omit skills that would be assumed.

For example, previously it was necessary to indicate proficiency with technical skills including Microsoft Office and Google, however, now it seems redundant. In today’s technical climate, it is assumed that all applicants applying for positions have these commonplace skills.

Keep in mind that your goal of listing skills is to showcase your attributes, not bog down the hiring manager with information they already assume to know.

Tip #2: Spotlight “key” skills

The next suggestion is to spotlight “key” skills on each resume. This means that when applying to multiple jobs, ensure that you are adjusting your skills section based on the needs of the individual job.

It’s a great idea to use keywords and specific skills from the job description itself. If a requirement or specific responsibility is listed or has an apparent theme throughout the job description, use your skill section to highlight your ability to accomplish those tasks.

An effective way of doing this would be to rephrase their needs into your own voice and then adding that to your resume. For example, if the job description stated, “a strong background in CRM systems,” you could add, “Proficient with CRM system,” within your skills section.

However, avoid copying and pasting only the skills outlined in the job description, as this could be seen as unimaginative and hurt your chances of candidacy.

Tip #3: Emphasize the difference between soft skills and hard skills.

Previously, it was simple to add a single skills section and be content with your resume. Now, it is necessary to emphasize both hard and soft skills.

Hard and soft skills are equally important to create a compelling resume. An ideal way to include both skills is to create two separate lists. This allows for a hiring manager to easily read through both skillsets.

Remember, you have 6-8 seconds to convince the hiring manager that you’re a worthy candidate for the job.

In order to ensure balance across your resume, try to keep the number of skills on each list the same. For example, if you have 5 hard skills, ensure that you have 5 soft skills too.

In Conclusion

This article highlights 3 suggestions that you can incorporate into your skill section to make your resume stand out from others.

This includes: (1) do not list given or assumed skills, (2) take time to spotlight “key” skills, especially those that are discussed within the job description, and (3) emphasize the difference between your hard and soft skills by giving each their own section.

Marissa Letendre, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Marissa Letendre is a senior HR leader and resume expert with over 12 years of experience. She has worked for both startups and Fortune 50 corporations and has helped thousands land jobs at top companies. Marissa has written on a wide range of topics, including employee engagement, career development, resumes, job searching, recruiting, and organizational effectiveness and has been featured on sites such as Slack and The Undercover Recruiter.

Our Latest Blog

20+ Resume facts

A job search itself is already a challenging task, but it is even more from where it starts.

How to Write a Resume Personal Statement (with examples)

“I’m a recent graduate applying for a new job / changing careers or industry / returning to the

How to Include Contact Info on Resume

If you’re writing a resume, you’re too focused on perfecting the skills, education, and experience sections to impress

ResumeSeed is a highly customized resource of resume templates for specific job roles and industries that make the most impact on employers.

Professions

Copyright © ResumeSeed 2023

More From Forbes

How to make your most boring jobs sound more interesting on your resume.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Shutterstock

You’ve finally found it: The job listing that appears on your computer screen with a glowing beam of light and a rousing rendition of the “Hallelujah Chorus” playing on repeat.

Alright, maybe that’s a little bit dramatic. But, the point remains the same: You’ve found an open opportunity that sounds like it could be the perfect fit for you. There’s nothing you want more than to land this job, and you know you have the qualifications to make it happen.

But, every time you return to your resume to make those oh-so-necessary tweaks, you’re confronted with the same glaring issue: All of your experience sounds so boring .

You assisted clients. You made cold calls. You analyzed data. Blah, blah, blah. Yes, it’s all important information. However, when your main goal is to stand out from the competition and grab that hiring manager’s attention, you wish there was a way to make it all sound a little less snore-worthy.

Watch on Forbes:

The good news? There is! As with anything, it’s not so much about what you say—it’s about how you say it.

A Quick Word Of Caution

First things first, be forewarned that there’s a big difference between making your experience sound better and blatantly lying.

While there are some clever tactics you can implement to spice up the way your qualifications are presented, the content itself should always be truthful. Your mom was right—honesty really is always the best policy.

1. Focus On Achievements

One of the biggest faux pas I see is that the summaries of past positions read like straight up job descriptions. They detail the daily duties that person completed (think answering phones or planning marketing initiatives), rather than the things that person accomplished while in that role.

Remember, hiring managers don’t only want to see what you’ve done—they also want to see how good you are at it. So, make sure to set your sights on your achievements, rather than just your daily tasks. And, as always, quantifying your bullet points is highly recommended!

Instead Of:

Cold called prospective clients to increase sales of Dunder Mifflin paper.

Increased sales of Dunder Mifflin paper products by 23% in the first quarter through effective relationship building and cold calling.

2. Include Examples

Admittedly, this tip will work better for some people than others. However, anytime you can show rather than tell, that’s a great opportunity to separate yourself from the pack and make a powerful impression.

This doesn’t need to be anything complicated—no, you don’t need to mail a USB full of presentations or a leather-bound portfolio after you’ve submitted your application.

But, if there are natural places where you could include a real example (whether it’s a website or the specific name of a project you worked on that the hiring manager could Google) directly on your document, that’s a surefire way to add some flair and added context.

Created, planned and executed various community events.

Spearheaded the creation of St. Louis’ first ever “Restaurant Week” promotion.

3. Remove Cliché Words

Managed, led, communicated, assisted.

They’re all words that appear at the front of nearly every single bullet point on nearly every single resume that has ever been written. In fact, these verbs are so oft-repeated that most people’s eyes just skip right over them.

As you might guess, using the same language as every other resume that’s in that ever-growing pile isn’t a great way to stand out and make your mundane experience sound a little zippier.

This is why it’s smart to go through your document with a fine-tooth comb, identify those cliché words you’ve used numerous times and find a more creative way to replace them. Need some help? This list of 185 powerful verbs will be your lifesaver.

Managed a team of 10 customer service associates.

Directed a team of 10 customer service associates to provide outstanding service to clients and increase repeat business by 48%.

4. Include Testimonials

Alright, the idea of including testimonials might seem a little strange. However, rest assured that this doesn’t need to mean listing an entire page of glowing recommendations from past supervisors. In fact, there’s a relatively easy way to incorporate positive reviews from past employers without being over-the-top about it.

The secret to doing it? Think back on any compliments or recognition you received from a boss—whether it was done in passing or in a formal performance review. Then, include that as a bullet point.

“Most people don’t know you can use the praise and positive feedback they’ve gotten from their superiors on your resume. But you definitely can,” says Muse writer, Aja Frost, in her article on how to best describe entry-level positions .

Add This To Your Resume:

Recognized by manager for ability to take complex technical topics and distill them to a broader audience in a manner that’s easier to comprehend.

You know there’s a lot of competition in your job search. And, feeling like your experience is so dry and dull that only a Ben Stein voiceover could do it justice is definitely discouraging.

However, you don’t need to resign yourself to having a resume so boring it makes the hiring manager’s eyes instantly glaze over. Instead, roll up your sleeves, get to work and use these tips to transform your past positions from humdrum and tiresome to engaging and attention-grabbing.

How To Make Your Most Boring Jobs Sound More Interesting On Your Resume was originally published on published on The Muse .

Kat Boogaard is a freelance writer, covering topics related to careers, self-development and the freelance life. Say hi on Twitter @kat_boogaard.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

• Get the Job
• Resumes and CVs
• Applications
• Cover Letters
• Professional References

Professional Licenses and Exams

• Get a Promotion
• Negotiation
• Professional Ethics
• Professionalism
• Dealing with Coworkers
• Dealing with Bosses

Communication Skills

Managing the office, disabilities, harassment and discrimination, unemployment.

• Career Paths
• Compare Careers
• Switching Careers
• Training and Certifications
• Start a Company
• Internships and Apprenticeships
• Entry Level Jobs
• College Degrees

Growth Trends for Related Jobs

How to make normal things sound better on resume.

Professionals whose job descriptions include reading and sorting through resumes for a company consistently say that most resumes are ineffective. The most common offenses relate to boring job descriptions written in drab language that fail to adequately convey the value that the job seeker offers. For job seekers, making normal things such as mundane tasks or routine assignments sound better can give their resume a much-needed jolt. It can make a crucial difference on the way to landing a job.

Write in a vibrant style to make mundane tasks sound more impressive. Avoid the recital of boring lists in favor of pointing out duties that demand responsibility and a sense of purpose. For instance, instead of: "I answered phone calls at the front desk each morning," write: "I actively managed incoming verbal communication for the firm."

Highlight the results of your ideas and suggestions, not just that you had them and submitted them. Anyone can spout off a series of ideas. Focus on the outcome instead. For example, don't write: "I suggested our magazine should start a theater-review column." Instead, write: "My idea for a theater-review column raised the profile of our publication in the community and led to hundreds of dollars per quarter in new advertising revenue."

Use dynamic verbs to make normal tasks sound better. For example, "I was a teacher for two years" does not convey much of anything. Instead, write: "I actively engaged with students, kept learners on task, managed divergent learning styles within a classroom and presented material in a creative way."

Write in specifics instead of relying on overused terms and phrases such as "team player" or "self starter." For example, "team player who makes valued contributions to office projects" sounds normal, at best. Make it sound better by writing: "Worked with public and private fund-raising officials, doctors and cancer researchers to raise donations by 70 percent year over year."

Add a splash of color to your resume if you work in a field such as entertainment, marketing or promotions. This will not work in conservative lines of business, but if you are in a creative field, change the color of headings or key words from traditional black to maroon or gold. This tactic will make normal-sounding elements shine.

• Never lie or exaggerate on a resume. Simply use your writing and organizational skills to create a better presentation of the facts.

Related Articles

Junior copywriter job description →.

Creative Designer Job Description →

How to describe yourself on a resume →.

The Average Salary of a Fortune Cookie Writer →

How to Write Employment Prospecting Letters →

A Publisher's Yearly Salary →

• "Happy About My Resume: 50 Tips for Building a Better Document to Secure a Brighter Future"; Barbara Safani; 2008
• "One Hundred and One More Best Resumes"; Jay A. Block and Michael Betrus; 1998
• "Resume, Application and Letter Tips for People With Hot and Not-So-Hot Backgrounds: 185 Tips for Landing the Perfect Job"; Ron Krannich, Caryl Krannich and Caryl Rae Krannich; 2006

Steven Wilkens has been a professional editor and writer since 1994. His work has appeared in national newspapers and magazines, including "The Honolulu Advertiser" and "USA Today." Wilkens received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Saint Joseph's University.

• Job Descriptions
• Law Enforcement Job Descriptions
• Administrative Job Descriptions
• Healthcare Job Descriptions
• Sales Job Descriptions
• Fashion Job Descriptions
• Education Job Descriptions
• Salary Insights
• Journalism Salaries
• Healthcare Salaries
• Military Salaries
• Engineering Salaries
• Teaching Salaries
• Accessibility
• Privacy Notice
• Cookie Notice
• Copyright Policy
• Contact Us
• Find a Job
• Manage Preferences
• California Notice of Collection
• Terms of Use

• Research & Strategize
• Build & Position
• Search & Focus
• Prepare & Practice
• Communicate & Learn
• Clean Energy
• Manufacturing & Design
• Robotics & Industrial Automation
• Pressure Technology
• ASME Membership

How Can You Make Yourself Sound Better on Your Resume?

by Career Guide on Jan 5, 2023 12:21:35 PM

If you want to impress a hiring manager, it starts with a resume that sells you at your best.  

By Rachel Fletcher

Your resume is your primary personal marketing tool in the job search. You very well may have the chops for whatever role you've set your sights on, but you can still come up short if your resume is missing the mark on reflecting your skill set. These five tips will provide essential marketing flair while ensuring you never have to exaggerate or bend the truth when it comes to your career.  

Convert accomplishment numbers  

Decreasing spending by $10,000 in a quarter might sound like a lot of money in your current role, but you may be applying for a role where $10,000 is a fairly insignificant amount. However, updating your resume to reflect that you were able to reduce spending by 20% is a much more digestible statement, regardless of the sample size. Converting all dollar amounts, page views, or revenue gains to percentages that reflect growth or year-over-year change will make all of your accomplishments sound much more impressive to hiring managers.  

Don't be afraid to brag  

Think of your resume as an abbreviated quarterly report or project debrief that you'd deliver at work: It needs to provide context, details, and results to reflect the hard work that went into making something a success. Therefore, being your own cheerleader is essential. So is making sure your responsibilities or day-to-day tasks don't outweigh the measurable accomplishments throughout your most recent roles. If tooting your own horn isn't something you feel particularly comfortable with,  hiring a professional resume writer  can help take the pressure off.  

Stand out from the crowd  

Rewriting your resume is the perfect time to think about what makes you unique as a professional. Hiring managers see tons of cookie-cutter resumes with bland objective statements on a daily basis; identifying a few specific points about your individual skill set will set you apart from the rest of the applicant pool. Are you a marketer with HTML skills? An operations manager with a background at Fortune 500 companies? A multilingual analyst? Once you've found your specific edge, don't be afraid to highlight it in your resume and cover letter (and LinkedIn profile summary, while you're at it!).  

Address specific points from the job posting  

A common mistake job seekers make is not customizing their resume  for every application they make. Remember that a recruiter or hiring manager is looking for incredibly specific qualities in a candidate, and if your resume doesn't address those points, it's likely to end up in an application black hole. For example, if a role will focus heavily on P&L or developing a loyalty program or managing a large team of cross-functional direct reports, make sure your experience tied to these focus areas are front and center on your resume when you send in your application.  

Don't leave gaps in employment  

Periods of under- or unemployment are not uncommon in our current workforce, and there are several techniques to  a ddress employment gaps effectively on your resume .  If you're stumped on how to work with these gaps yourself, a professional resume writer can work to  equip you with the tools you need  for your specific set of circumstances.  

Content sourced from  Talent Inc. 

How To Create an Elevator Pitch for Your Job Search

5 Signs You Need a Professional Resume Review

• Finding a Job (21)
• Staying Relevant (13)
• Robotics (11)
• Clean Energy (10)
• Interviewing (9)
• Manufacturing (9)
• Resume Preparation (9)
• Aerospace (7)
• Pressure Technology (7)
• August 2023 (9)
• July 2023 (13)
• June 2023 (23)
• May 2023 (16)
• April 2023 (8)
• February 2023 (1)
• January 2023 (40)

Subscribe by email

Provide more info.

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean.

Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar.

Get the tools that have helped thousands of ASME members get hired, get trained, and get ahead

• Search Search Please fill out this field.
• Career Planning
• Finding a Job

How to Make Your Resume Work History Look Better

How to Make Your Resume Sound Better

Tips for writing your resume job descriptions, an example of a revised job description, what to include in the revised description.

Georgijevic / Getty Images

How can you make your resume sound better? When you’re writing the work history section of your resume, there are a few goals to consider. It’s important to get your resume noticed by the hiring manager and to show a strong career record, presented in reverse chronological order.

However, your resume isn’t just a list of what you did when. Rather, it’s your most valuable tool in landing an interview—a “sales pitch” for your candidacy. Thus, the experience section needs to highlight your best qualifications for the job for which you’re applying.

You can  write job descriptions  that will make your  work history  sound better, get  past the applicant tracking system , and impress the hiring manager. Even if you had a boring job, you can focus on your best skills and highlight them on your resume.

Don’t make stuff up, because hiring managers do check. Instead, filter your responsibilities and focus your resume on the attributes the employer is seeking.

Review these tips for improving your resume job descriptions, as well as a “before and after” version of a revised position description.

• Edit your resume for every job . It can be time-consuming, but the more time you invest in your resume, the more you’ll get out of it. Take the time to  review and decode the job posting , so you know what the company wants in applicants. Make a list of what the organization is looking for, and highlight those qualifications on your resume.
• Prioritize . Take the time to  tweak your resume  for every job you apply to. List your most relevant duties first, being sure to  connect your accomplishments to the job description . Move your other responsibilities down the list. You’ll be able to “mix and match” based on the job opening, so your top qualities are always listed first.
• Use bullets in addition to narrative paragraphs . To highlight your work achievements, format them in a bulleted list immediately following a short narrative description of your specific work responsibilities. This will allow the accomplishments to “pop” on the page, setting you apart from your competition.
• Quantify your accomplishments.  Numbers work well on resumes. They are informative and noticeable. For example, “Increased fiscal year revenue 25%” sounds much better than “Improved revenue.” Use percentages, dollars, and numbers instead of words to show what you achieved at the positions you have held, and selectively boldface these figures so that they immediately catch the hiring manager’s eye.
• Show what you have accomplished on the job . Include actionable achievements, not just descriptions of your daily tasks. Hiring managers want to know why you were a stellar employee, not what you did at work. Use action words to describe your duties. Here’s a list of  resume action verbs and power words  to get you started.
• Keep it concise . You don’t need to include everything you did at every job you’ve ever had on your resume. Three or four sentences for each description, followed by a few bulleted achievements, is plenty. Include your most valuable contributions to the organization. You’ll have an opportunity to discuss your other duties in-depth when you interview.

Here’s a “before and after” version of a job description, written to highlight the candidate’s best attributes for the job.

Before:  I was responsible for website design and development for a variety of clients. I oversaw data optimization, product uploads, and product management, and diagnosed and repaired product issues. My responsibilities included implementing and managing projects from design through launch. I managed search engine marketing, SEO, and online advertising for several clients including strategizing solutions for optimizing visibility.

After:  Created, developed, launched, and managed websites for a variety of clients with an emphasis on state-of-the-art, responsive, and user-focused designs. Implemented data, product, and design enhancements. Managed search engine optimization and marketing and monitored site statistics to optimize visibility.

• Increased search engine traffic by 25%, pages per session by 18%, and doubled site revenue over the past year.
• Trained and mentored 5 new team members in effective client relations strategies.
• Implemented enhancements to employer’s website that increased client list by 45% between FY 2020 and FY2021.

Do you see the difference? By using active verbs and tangible bulleted achievements, the “after” example delivers a more persuasive argument for the candidate’s suitability for the job.

• Search Search Please fill out this field.
• Career Planning
• Finding a Job

How to Make a Job Sound Super Impressive on Your Resume

Tips for jazzing up your resume job descriptions.

Madeleine Burry writes about careers and job searching for Business World Tips. She covers topics around career changes, job searching, and returning from maternity leave, and has been writing for Business World Tips since 2014.

Use Numbers

Prioritize readability, talk accomplishments, not tasks, choose powerful words.

Digital Vision / Getty Images

When it comes to applying for jobs, looking good on paper is important. After all, you'll only get to the next step—an interview—if your resume grabs the attention of hiring managers. If you've already done the basics of crafting your resume, it's time to move on to the next phase: making each individual position shine with the work experience section .

But how? We've rounded up tips and tricks that'll help make jobs sound impressive on your resume—without going too far, and making yourself appear boastful or silly.

Which sounds better? Option 1: "Served tables at busy restaurant" or Option 2: "Served 15 tables simultaneously at busy restaurant."

You'll probably pick option number two, which is just a bit more descriptive thanks to the use of numbers. It's surprising how meaningful metrics can be—and that's true even for positions that are English-major friendly. If your position is staff writer, your resume can list how many articles you write each month or how many page views you receive online, for instance.

Go ahead and q uantify your job descriptions with numbers , whether it's tables served, customers helped, or percent of growth in sales. 

You probably thought about formatting, from font choice to margin size, at some point during your resume creation. But take a second look at each job description that you have listed, with an eye toward how easily each description can be absorbed. Consider the readability from both a copy and a design perspective.

If it's a bit too take in, consider cutting some copy or using less jargon. (Some jargon is good, but using all buzzwords and acronyms can make a resume hard to read.) And, make sure there's plenty of white space—you can add this by using bullet points or paragraph breaks.

Of course, it goes without saying that having typos or grammatical errors in your job description is detrimental to their readability.

Use this resume proofreading checklist to help guarantee your document is error-free.

It's tempting when describing a job on your resume to create a bulleted list of tasks, essentially writing down your day (or week's) to do list when you were on the job. But most likely, that's information that hiring managers already know from looking at the job title. Instead of a to-do list, share accomplishments and achievements.

Rather than write, "Designed window display on monthly basis," you might write, "Increased customer walk-in rate by 10% with themed window displays, updated on monthly basis."

If you led a meeting, talk about what happened during that meeting, how you steered it, or what got done as a result of your leadership. Or, if you create a monthly report, talk about why the report matter—did it help keep the budget on track, prioritize sales efforts, or engage customers? See more tips for sharing accomplishments on your resume .

A caution: Don't go over the top with your word choice. No need to break out the thesaurus on a hunt for zany, unusual words! But be aware that some words are just more exciting than others—here are some recommended power words to use on your resume .

Review your job descriptions for words that get re-used throughout the document. Try to vary them more. Instead of "managed," for instance, try "supervised" or "coordinated."

There are some words that often come up on resumes. Think: "team player" or "detail oriented." These words and phrases can feel stale to hiring managers. Consider ways you can show off that you have these skills rather than stating you possess them. For instance, instead of saying "detail-oriented" maybe you can have a bullet point about "Releasing clean code and helping others track down small code errors."

One cautionary note: There's making your job sound impressive and meaningful—and then there's boasting. If you puff up recognizable positions with over-the-top language, it can really backfire and make you seem silly.

The hiring manager will know what it means if your job title is "assistant" or "manager" and aggrandizing the position's responsibilities with inflated language won't help you land an interview.

And definitely, do not be deceitful or dishonest. Lying on your resume can cost you a job opportunity and is even grounds for dismissal if the lie is discovered after you're hired on—here's more on why it's important to keep your resume honest.

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.