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Enhancing Your Resume: Sound...

Enhancing Your Resume: Sound Better to Employers

8 min read · Updated on June 25, 2024

What are the secrets to learning how to sound impressive on a resume?

Today's employers often need to sift through dozens or even hundreds of applications to find a handful of candidates they want to interview. If your resume is dull and uninspiring, you'll never stand out from the crowd. That's why it's important to know how to sound impressive on your resume. Without the right strategy, however, that can be easier said than done!

In this guide, we'll explain the benefits you can enjoy when you learn how to sound impressive on your resume, explore tips that can make your resume details more compelling, and provide some examples that show you how to turn boring information into a more dynamic and interesting presentation.

Why does your resume need to be impressive?

If you've ever struggled to gain traction in your job search and have been disappointed in the number of interviews you've received, chances are your resume isn't making the right impression on employers. The good news is you can change that dynamic by learning how to sound impressive on your resume. If you can accomplish that feat, you'll enjoy a whole host of benefits, including:

Separating yourself from the competition

When you learn how to sound impressive on a resume, you can immediately differentiate yourself from candidates who are still relying on dusty old resume habits from yesteryear. While other job seekers are focused on dry lists of job roles and skills, you'll be emphasizing the key qualities and achievements today's employers expect to see from top candidates.

Establishing yourself as a professional and expert in your field

With a clear and concise resume that delivers compelling content to highlight your qualifications, you can demonstrate you're the professional hiring managers are looking for. Conveying skills, experience, and achievements in a compelling way can help to prove you're an expert in your field who can provide real benefits to any team.

Highlight your skills and potential value as an employee

The key here is “value.” Ultimately, all employers are looking for candidates who can bring value to their organization – which is why those boring resumes no longer resonate with hiring managers. When an employer picks up your resume, they have one main question in mind: “What can this candidate do for my company?”

By learning how to sound impressive on a resume, you can help that employer see your unique value proposition and inspire them to invite you for an interview.

Tips to help you learn how to sound impressive in your resume

Now that we've explained why it's so important to know how to sound impressive on a resume, it's time to explore some of the best ways to achieve that goal. The following tips can help you bolster your resume to create a truly compelling document that makes the right impression on employers.

Tailor your resume to the job

When you're trying to figure out how to sound impressive on your resume, start by reviewing the job description for the position you're seeking. The job posting will typically include specific skills and experiences the employer expects great candidates to bring to the job. The words they use to describe those qualifications are keywords you should add to your resume.

If the job description calls for project management experience, make sure you include those exact words in your resume – either in your skill section or in one of the bullet point achievements you list in your work experience section. Including those keywords can help you speak directly to the employer's needs, which will help you stand out from the competition.

As an added bonus, the inclusion of those specific keywords will also help your resume satisfy any applicant tracking system the employer is using. Those systems scan for unique keywords related to skills, educational credentials, and experience. If your resume fails to get past those ATS screenings, chances are the employer will never get a chance to see it.

Related reading : How to Make an ATS-Friendly Resume - Tips for ATS 2024

Create a compelling skills section

If you've only been listing a few key skills in your resume, it's time to focus on revamping your Core Competencies section. The most effective resumes list anywhere from nine to fifteen skills in that section – including a balanced mix of both hard and soft skills. You should always start by identifying any required skills in the job description and then add other relevant skills to round out your list. You don't need to include everything you know how to do, but you should make sure your skill list demonstrates your expertise.

Related reading : What Are Skills? (With Examples and Tips on How to Improve Them)

Use powerful verbs to describe achievements

It's also important to use powerful verbs when you're describing your achievements. Never use boring terms like “responsible for” or “led” – hiring managers' eyes will often glaze over when they read that type of dull language. Instead, use more powerful and descriptive words like:

Spearheaded

Implemented

Facilitated

Revolutionized

Accelerated

Reorganized

We've compiled a list of more than one hundred of these power words that can help you sound more impressive to employers. Before you finalize your resume, make sure you check out that list and see which ones will work for you:

Related reading : 100 + Keywords, Verbs and Action Words for Your Resume

Focus on value

This is probably the single most important tip for anyone who wants to learn how to sound impressive on a resume: emphasize your value. Of course, that doesn't mean you should use your resume to boast about yourself or describe yourself as a valuable asset. Instead, you need to include examples of accomplishments that demonstrate your value.

The key here is to create bullet point achievement examples for each job title you include in your work experience section. Describe those accomplishments using real numbers that prove the type of value you can provide to any employer who's savvy enough to offer you a job. For example:

Reorganized sales funnel process, reducing customer acquisition and onboarding time by 33%, contributing to 27% boost in sales volume and 21% increase in profitability

Designed and executed marketing campaign for online rebranding of ABC Corp., doubling customer engagement and increasing online sales revenue by 42%

In each of those examples, the candidate expresses value by highlighting specific achievements that demonstrate how they used their skills and expertise to create tangible and quantifiable results for their employer. By incorporating that strategy into your resume, you can more effectively highlight your potential value as an employee by demonstrating your proven track record of success.

Related reading : 47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

Weave testimonials into your resume

Have you been recognized for a major achievement? Have supervisors praised you for your innovation, problem-solving, or leadership abilities? You can add testimonials like that to your resume, too – but only if you know how to do it the right way. The key is to include that testimonial in one of your bullet points. For example:

“Received company praise and promotion for my proven ability to provide innovative solutions that consistently boosted productivity and profits.”

Eliminate or explain employment gaps

While most employers understand that even the most talented individuals may have some employment gaps in their work history, it doesn't hurt to minimize those gaps as much as possible. There are some effective ways to do this without resorting to dishonest means.

For example, if you have six months of unemployment between two jobs, you can close that gap by listing any skill development, freelance jobs, or volunteer work you did during that time period.

Create a stellar profile summary

Once you've completed the main sections of your resume, go back and draft a truly compelling profile summary statement. This should be a three to five-sentence paragraph that highlights your years of experience, job title, notable skills, and an attention-grabbing achievement. This summary should be placed near the top of your resume – below your resume headline and above your core competencies section. Use power words, several keywords from the job description, and real numbers to quantify your accomplishments.

Related reading : Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

Learn how to sound impressive on a resume and land more interviews!

The job market is more competitive than ever before, and it's vital to stand out from the competition if you want employers to take notice of your qualifications. By learning how to sound impressive on a resume, you can create a more tailored and compelling resume document that speaks to each employer's needs. That can help capture their attention and increase the odds you'll be offered an interview opportunity.

Need more help learning how to sound impressive on a resume? Our team of resume experts is always available to provide the insight and assistance you need. Get your free resume review today!

This article was originally written by Rachel Fletcher. It's been updated by Ken Chase.

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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.

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Perfect Resume (With Examples!)

Your resume is arguably the most valuable piece of paper for your career. But this document can be daunting for many. Maybe you’re not sure how to fit in all your information onto one page. Maybe you’re not sure about the right way to format and write your resume. Maybe you don’t even know what the heck a resume is!

Whatever your concern, we’ll break down everything you need to know about making the perfect resume, from scratch.

What Is a Resume?

What are employers looking for in a resume.

Pick Your Format
Start With Your Basic Information
Add in Your Work Experience
Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience
Don’t Forget Your Education
Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests
Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)
Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)
Edit and Refine It

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

A resume is a summary of your career, whether yours is just getting started or has been going on for years. Coming in at around one page in length (two only under specific circumstances), it showcases the jobs you’ve held and currently hold, the responsibilities you’ve taken on, the skills you’ve developed, and the qualities you bring to the table as an employee. Together, those things make it super easy for any hiring manager to see your qualifications and fit for a role.

For all the work you may put into writing one, hiring managers actually spend very little time—mere seconds in many cases—looking at your resume. But despite this sad fact, it’s safe to say that creating a great resume (rather than hastily throwing one together) still matters.

“If you miss the mark, your resume may never be read. Even worse, you might be removed from the applicant pool by a computer before a human even knows you exist,” says Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky , founder of Shatter & Shine. So you want to get it right because, as she explains, isn’t the goal to “spend less time looking for a job and more time in a role you love?”

You might be wondering if you can lean on your LinkedIn profile instead of writing a resume. The answer, sadly, is no. Most hiring managers still expect you to submit a resume, even if they also look at your LinkedIn. Even if you don’t need a resume for a job you’re applying for now, you’re going to need one at some point in your career—they’re not anywhere close to going out of style. So it’s best to always have one at the ready should an opportunity pop up.

And although LinkedIn has plenty of benefits, a resume has one clear advantage: While your LinkedIn is usually a broader picture of your career trajectory, your resume gives you the opportunity to tailor your career story to a specific role or company (more on that later).

Oh, and you’ve probably heard of something called a CV? It’s slightly different from a resume , and usually more common with academics and job seekers outside the U.S.

Hiring managers look for three things on your resume, “What did you do? Why did you do it? And what was the result?” says Muse career coach Martin McGovern , owner of Career Therapy. “If you can answer all three of these questions in...your resume bullet points, you’re going to be on the right track.”

Clear, easy-to-understand language is key. “The truth is that most resumes make no sense. They are stuffed with jargon, they are too technical, and they are filled with redundancies. Try to read a resume that isn’t yours and you will quickly realize that it feels like an alien wrote it,” McGovern adds. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter who has no idea how your role works—how can you make your resume accessible to them?

The hiring manager also cares about more than just you and you alone—they care about you in relation to them. “Hiring managers want to see if a candidate matches the requirements” of the role they’re hiring for, Yurovsky explains. “Your resume should paint this picture so the hiring manager not only knows what day-to-day responsibilities you can handle, but why you, above other[s], bring value to their organization.”

How Do You Write a Resume?

Whether you’re someone who’s never written a resume in your life, or you need a nice, thorough refresher on the process of creating one, follow these steps to go from a blank page to a complete—and dare I say beautiful—document.

Related: This Free Worksheet Makes It Easy to Create (or Update) Your Resume

1. Pick Your Format

Before you start typing one single thing, you have to decide what you want the overall resume to look like.

Resume builders can be helpful for this step—they’ll take all your basic information and organize it for you, eliminating some of the legwork. You can also use a pre-made outline, such as one of these free Google Docs templates .

But it’s often safest to start with a clean slate all on your own and eventually upgrade to a more advanced layout. (If you'd still like a place to write all the relevant information before you get started, check out our resume outline .) This allows you to course correct, edit and re-edit, and choose a resume format that best fits your particular situation (after all, not everyone has a career trajectory that’s easy to compartmentalize).

In general, you’re most likely to cover and/or include sections on the following:

Your work experience
Your non-work experience, including professional organizations, community involvement, or side projects
Your education and certifications
Your skills (specifically hard skills) and interests

So how do you format and organize all of that information?

By far the most common (and safest, if you’re not sure which route to take) option is reverse chronological order . This means you organize your experiences from most recent to least recent. So your work experiences would go above your education, and your current role would go above previous roles you’ve held. This of course has its exceptions—maybe you went back to grad school between jobs, or your most recent role is irrelevant to the job you’re applying for. So the whole page may not be exactly in reverse chronological order depending on your situation. It’s just a guideline.

There’s also something called a functional or skills-based resume . This is used pretty rarely, mainly with career changers and those with limited or complicated work histories. It gets its name because it’s primarily about listing your skills rather than experiences, and showcases them above your work history and education.

You can also opt for a combination resume , which is a mix between a reverse chronological resume and skills-based resume. It highlights your skills at the top, but allows just as much room below to cover your job and school experience.

Use caution when choosing these two formats: “Combo and skills-based [resumes] can be hard to follow, because [they force] the reader to hunt for connections between your skills and experience, and [don’t] provide the full context of your work,” says Muse Career Coach Angela Smith , founder of Loft Consulting. “I’ve also heard a lot of recruiters say that they automatically discount skill-based resumes because they feel the candidate is trying to hide something. I don’t necessarily believe that, but I think it’s important for job-seekers to know that perception is out there.”

2. Start With Your Basic Information

Your contact information should always go at the top of your resume. In this header you’ll want to include anything that could be helpful for a recruiter to get in touch with you. Usually, this means adding in:

Your full name (preferably the name you use across the web)
Your phone number
Your personal email address

You might also choose to include other basic information, such as your LinkedIn or personal website URL, your GitHub (for technical roles), your social media profiles (if relevant to the job), or your address. If you’re looking to move for a job, you may choose to leave out your address or write “open to relocating” to better your chances of getting an interview.

The key is to make this part as clear as possible. If a hiring manager can’t reach you, there’s no point in perfecting the rest of your resume.

3. Add in Your Work Experience

This section will most likely be the bulk of your resume. Even if you’re changing careers, employers still want to see where you’ve worked, what you’ve done, and the impact of that work to get a sense of your background and expertise.

Your “Work Experience” might be one entire category, or you might choose to break it up into “Relevant Experience” and “Additional Experience” to highlight the jobs that are most important for hiring managers to focus on. Either way, you’ll almost always want to have your most recent experience at the top and your older experience down below.

Within your work experience, you’ll want to include each official job title, the company (and possibly its location), and the years you worked there. Below that, you’ll add in two to four bullet points explaining what you did in that job, the skills you built and exercised, the tools you used, and the results of what you did. If you accomplished a lot during your time there, focus on the responsibilities that made the most impact or you’re the most proud of, as well as the ones that best align you with the job you’re applying for (more on that in the following sections). It’s key here to list, if relevant, quantitative as well as qualitative accomplishments.

For example, you might write:

Associate Accountant, Finances and Co., Ann Arbor, MI September 2017 – Present

Manage billing and invoicing for more than 50 clients, ensuring the deadlines and needs of our enterprise partners, including Big Company and Super Star Org, are met
Collaborate closely with sales, account management, and project management teams on project setup, maintenance, and invoice management
Assist in the streamlining of invoicing guidelines and procedures through documentation and the implementation of new software, resulting in an average two-week decrease in total time spent per client

Your resume bullets should be in past tense if you’re referring to past jobs and present tense if you’re talking about your current roles. In addition, your bullets should always start with a strong action verb that best describes what you did. And if you have examples of your work, consider hyperlinking them here as well.

If you have a ton of experience and this category is starting to run long (read: over one page), consider kicking out your oldest jobs unless they’re super relevant to the job you’re applying for, or extra impressive for your field.

Not sure where to start? “It’s helpful to do a brain dump and create a document that has everything and anything you consider as experience or an achievement,” says Yurovsky. From there, she explains, you can start to whittle down what is and isn’t important. And you can refer to this document later if you ever decide to update your resume for a specific role.

Need more specific advice on listing your work experience on your resume? Check out these additional resources:

When you’ve held multiple jobs at the same company: 2 Jobs, 1 Company: How to Show Multiple Positions on Your Resume
When you’re not sure what your accomplishments are or how to explain them: Resume Revamp: How to Turn Your Duties Into Accomplishments
When you want to spruce up a boring or insignificant job: How to Make Your Most Boring Jobs Sound More Interesting on Your Resume
When you’re considering fudging a job title: The Answer to “Can I Change My Job Title on My Resume to Make It More Accurate?”
When you’ve had a bunch of short-term gigs: How to List Temporary Jobs on Your Resume

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

Anything you’ve done that’s not work experience—your side gig, volunteer work, special projects—can be hosted under clearly-labeled sections (“Volunteer Experience” or “Activities,” for example). Depending on how robust your work experience is, these things may be worth including, particularly if they’ve helped you level up your skill set or better align you with your dream job. Plus, they make you look that much more well-rounded, passionate, and hardworking.

If you’re a recent grad, you might also build out a section for on-campus activities, such as clubs, organizations, or leadership experience. This can be a great supplement if you’re lacking in the jobs department. You can frame these just as you would professional jobs—including your title, the organization’s name, and bullets describing what your role was and what you accomplished.

Read More: This Is Exactly How to List Volunteer Work on Your Resume

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

If you’re still in school or just graduated, your education can go at the top of your resume, but for pretty much everyone else, this goes near the bottom. Most people include their school, graduation year (for folks less up to about a decade out of school), major, and degree. Brand-new grads might also write in their GPA, honors and awards, study abroad, thesis, or other notable achievements. But keep this section super simple, as you don’t want it to take up too much space over your work experience.

It’s possible you have unique education experience, such as taking an online course or certification. If you did this specifically as a way to boost yourself within your industry, definitely include it. Again, list everything more or less reverse chronologically—so a grad school degree would go above an undergrad degree, and a more recent relevant online course would go above that.

Learn more about the ins and outs of listing your education on your resume:

How to (and How Not to) List Education on Your Resume
How to List Online Courses on Your Resume the Right Way (Because Yes, There Is a Wrong Way)

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

The skills section of a resume gets a bad rap, but it’s just as important as the rest of the stuff you include. It’s a quick list a recruiter can scan to see if your skill set aligns with what they’re hiring for. And it’s super ATS-friendly (ATS stands for “applicant tracking system,” the robot that in some cases reads your resume before a human does) because it allows you to add in keywords the machine is scanning for.

Usually this section goes at the bottom of your resume, but in special cases—such as a skills-based resume or when someone’s switching fields—you may place it further up.

What exactly do you throw in here? You’ll want to list any hard skills and applications you’re familiar with (Photoshop, SEO, JavaScript, to name a few examples), and, if relevant, your level of expertise. Avoid including soft skills here, like time management or public speaking—save those for your bullet points instead.

Be strategic when filling in your skills. Don’t list things you actually couldn’t do at a high competence level (I’m looking at those of you who say you’re “great” at Excel), and maybe nix skills that are completely irrelevant to the job you want. For example, you may not even need to include Excel if you’re applying for say, a design position, unless it’s listed as a job requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking, I’m a really good volleyball player, but that’s not a “skill,” right? No, it’s not, but it is a hobby. Adding in a hobby section at the bottom of your resume is underrated, and frequently a smart choice. It can be a great conversation starter with a hiring manager, and it can show that you’re a good culture fit—or a culture add—for the company. Also, it’s just a nice way to add in some of your personality. So tack on a bullet point listing out some of your interests, such as hiking, rowing, or crafting (no more than five to seven work-appropriate verbs), and you’re all set here.

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

You may have heard of a resume summary statement . They’re not super common, but they can be useful to include near the top of your resume if you’re looking to add clarity or context to your resume. If you’re a career changer, you might find a summary statement helpful in explaining your leap and tying your experience to your new path. Or if you’re a more experienced professional, you can use a summary statement to highlight a theme that brings your career trajectory together.

Overall, you probably won’t need a summary statement if your career is pretty linear and your bullet points do a great job of emphasizing what you have to offer in terms of skills and experience. But if you think it makes sense to include one, “Take the time to think about what the person reading your summary wants to know before you write it,” says McGovern. “Good summaries explain why you do what you do and how it can help. For instance: Merging a background in ABC, I help companies improve XYZ through 123. Summaries shouldn’t be any more complicated than that.”

So, taking McGovern’s example, you might say:

Merging a background in social media marketing and PR with seven years in the consumer tech space, I help companies improve their internal and external communication and brand awareness through data-driven, quality content and strategies that align with the modern trends of the space.

Yurovsky adds that “you don’t want your summary statement to be a dense paragraph with too much information. You want it to be easy to read, concise, and memorable. Almost like a tagline.”

Read More: 3 Resume Summary Examples That’ll Make Writing Your Own Easier

8. Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)

Once you have your resume written out—you’ve broken down your work experience, tagged on some activities and additional experiences, and listed out your skills—it’s important to go back to the job description (or multiple job descriptions, if you’re applying to several similar jobs) and make sure that what your resume says matches up with the kind of candidate the employers are looking for. In other words, tailor it .

Let’s explain further. You’ll want to begin by tackling the ATS . This means combing the job description to see if individual words and phrases line up. What skills are they asking for, and have you listed them (so long as you actually have them)? What words are they using to describe their ideal hire, and do you use similar language in your resume?

Next, take a bird’s-eye view. If you were the hiring manager for the role, where on your resume would your eyes be drawn to? And what would you be looking for? Whatever you think will be most important for the recruiter, make sure it’s near the top of your resume, or otherwise emphasized.

Finally, dig into the role and responsibilities of the job. Does your resume reflect similar experience? If not, is there a way you can spin it so that it’s clear you’re capable of doing the job (and doing it well)?

These articles can help you if the word “tailoring” makes you start to sweat:

What It Really Means to “Tailor Your Resume”
Your Guide to Making Unrelated Experience Look Relevant on Your Resume
A Cool Trick: How to Spin 1 Resume Bullet 5 Different Ways

9. Edit and Refine It

Please, please don’t just write your resume and shoot it out without giving it a second glance. Hiring managers may not spend hours browsing it, but if there’s one thing that sticks out more than anything else it’s a glaring typo.

The best approach? Write a rough draft, then leave and come back to it later with fresh eyes to give it an edit.

Cover the basics: Is your contact information correct and updated? Are you using the right verb tenses? Does everything look consistent and accurate in terms of spelling and grammar?

Then do some cutting if your resume’s quite long. It’s no longer a hard-and-fast rule that all resumes must be only one page—but consider it a smart guideline for most applicants, especially if you've got less than 10 years work experience. The exception is if you’re very senior or very established in your career; in this scenario, a two-page resume isn’t completely out of the question. Everyone else, read this article for advice on how to cut your resume down.

Formatting-wise, it’s key to consider a couple things. First, what font are you using , and is it legible (for a human and a robot)? When in doubt, go with one of these simple, but sleek, options: Arial, Arial Narrow, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, or Helvetica.

Second, are you going to save it as a Word document or PDF ? Neither option is wrong, although a PDF helps ensure that your formatting is maintained, no matter what type of computer the hiring manager uses to open the document.

Third, is your resume formatted in a way that it’s skimmable? If it’s feeling crowded or overrun with words, read this: 12 Tiny Changes That Make Your Resume Easy for Recruiters to Skim .

Once you’ve given it a few good looks, it may be worth sending it to a friend or colleague (or even a career coach ) to get a second opinion. Don’t just have them edit it for spelling and grammar—they should dig into your bullets and offer feedback on whether or not your resume is showing you in the best possible light (it’s smart to also send them the job description for something to compare it to).

Here’s the thing: Your resume won’t ever look exactly like someone else’s, nor should it. How you choose to format it, organize your information, and talk about specific experiences depends not just on your career path, but on your field, the job you’re applying for, the company that job is at, and more.

So there isn’t a universal way to do a resume. But there are common themes. To give you some context as to how yours might turn out, here are three examples of different kinds of resumes.

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

As previously mentioned, a reverse chronological resume is preferred by many coaches and HR experts, mainly because it’s super readable. When everything’s in a clear order, it’s easy to skim and even easier to draw lines between experiences.

Who it’s good for: Just about everyone—from students applying to internships all the way up to senior-level executives (with an optional resume summary statement)

Download an Example Chronological Resume for a Software Engineer

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

Rather than listing out your experience in reverse chronological order, a functional or skills-based resume has bullet points that reflect how each of your skills is demonstrated by the work you’ve done over the course of your career. At the bottom, you’ll include everything else, such as your education, job history, professional achievements, community involvement, and other technical skills. This is a good option if you have a somewhat all-over-the-place work history and want to tie everything together neatly.

Who it’s good for: Career changers whose work experiences may not appear to be relevant and people with an abundance of temporary jobs or gaps in their work histories.

Download an Example Functional Resume for a Project Manager

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

This resume type is characterized by how it’s formatted visually. You may choose a reverse chronological order or skills-based style to organize your information, but also use graphics, colors, unique fonts, and even multimedia elements to help that information pop. Keep in mind that any creative resume is still likely subject to an ATS—and certain elements may be unreadable by a robot. So consider going this route only if you know a human will be reading your resume (and that said human might enjoy it).

Who it’s good for: People applying to creative roles (designers, editors, writers, marketers, video producers, for example), startups, or fun companies, or to jobs where a creative resume is encouraged, if not required.

Download an Example Infographic Resume for a Designer

Not a designer but want your resume to look just as pretty as this example? Check out these articles:

5 Sites to Create an Awesome Infographic Resume (Even if You’re the Least Creative Person Ever)
How to Build a Resume Website That Will Impress Every Hiring Manager Who Sees It
5 Digital Tools That Will Make Your Resume Infinitely More Beautiful

Your resume is a living, breathing document. So while you won’t go through this whole process every time you apply for a job, you should be thinking about all these things as you go to update your resume for your next career step. You might decide later on to switch up the order, or remove or add things, or even get creative and try out a whole new format. If you’re not getting the calls back you expect, you may decide to scrap it and start over —and that’s totally OK.

Regardless of where this piece of paper goes and how it grows, when you give it the care and attention it deserves, you set yourself up for success. And you’ll make it that much more likely that you’ll land an interview and get the chance to prove to the hiring manager—over the phone or in person—what you’ve got to offer.

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.

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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!

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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:

Consolidate similar jobs under a single heading to highlight your strongest accomplishments

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.

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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.

EXPLORE Random Article

How to Make Your CV Sound More Impressive

Last Updated: January 12, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Katrina Georgiou . Katrina Georgiou is a career coach and the founder of Katrina Georgiou Coaching based in Silicon Valley. Katrina helps individuals find new careers as well as career advancement, including resume writing, interview preparation, salary negotiation, and performance reviews. Trained in the co-active method from the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), Katrina uses personalized communication and leadership strategies to support her clients in building successful and fulfilling careers. There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 81% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 88,120 times.

Getting a good job these days is harder than ever. With dozens or even hundreds of applicants for every position, it is difficult to make your resume stand out above others and get that first interview. Have you ever wondered how to improve your chances? It may take time for the results to show, but there are definite methods you can use in formatting, presentation, and content to make your resume more competitive.

Improving Format

For example, a business resume is often about one page long. It is meant to summarize your skills and qualifications and to introduce you to an employer. An academic CV on the other hand is comprehensive. It is meant to provide all or most of your past education, experience, writing, and professional development.
You should also tailor the resume to the job itself. You can do this, firstly, by carefully reading the ad. As you get ready to put together a resume, mark the skills that are mentioned with a pen. Note anything – your qualifications, personal talents, experience – that you can link directly to these needs. An employer should be able to see from the information you give and from your structure that you are a good “fit.”

Step 2 Break the resume into subsections.

In the header, make your name slightly larger than the other information. Include below your name your current mailing address, telephone number, and the email address that you most frequently use.
Give education and work experience in a reverse chronological order. That is, start with the most recent positions and work backwards. For each job under work experience, employers will expect you to give the company’s name and location, your job title, dates (i.e. when you worked there), and three to four short lines describing your duties. [4] X Research source
The interests section is a chance for you to include extracurricular activities, volunteer work, or other community involvement. Use this strategically if you can, particularly if you have outside experience relevant to the job at hand. Skills can include things like languages, proficiency in computer programs, social media skills, or other training specific to the job. [5] X Research source
As always, an academic CV will be different. Along with the usual header and education, work history will usually focus on teaching, research, and/or editing experience. Depending on the job, employers may also want to see publications, a list of public lectures and presentations, and your grant history. [6] X Research source

In an academic CV, the format will again depend on the type of job. If you are applying for a research-oriented position, for example, employers will want to know more about your publications, grant history, and research impact. For a teaching-oriented position, they will want to know about you previous experience – where, what, when, and how successfully you have taught before.

Improving Presentation

Step 1 Follow the rules of formal English.

Spell correctly, for one thing. Use capital letters appropriately. Do not rely entirely on spell-check to catch all of your mistakes, moreover. Use it, but then have a friend read through the resume to make sure that you haven’t missed anything.

Try to avoid confusing language and jargon, as well. You might think that big words or complicated sentences make you seem more serious or smarter. You might actually end up seeming pompous, annoying an employer. It is better to choose simple, to-the-point words when you can. [11] X Research source

Improving Content

There are many skills that you have picked up in your education or previous job experience that can be useful, even if they don’t seem immediately related to the job you’re applying for. Do you have past experience in public speaking? Can you read Spanish? Did your previous job in sales require you to work in a team? These can all be marketable skills.

Step 3 Seek out volunteer opportunities, internships, or work placements.

To better highlight internships, you might try creating a subsection under your personal info or before your education called “Internships and Work Placements,” or something similar. This formatting will highlight your experience and show an employer that you have more than just a degree. [17] X Research source
Remember to note your relevant volunteer work, as well. In some sectors like non-profit organizations this kind of work is highly desirable. If you are applying for a job with a women’s advocacy charity, for example, include the fact that you volunteered at a local women’s shelter.

For an academic CV, awards and honors are even more important, as they show that you have been recognized by peers in your field for excellence. Here you will want to provide the name of the award and granting institution. In some fields it is also usual to include the amount of money, if you received any.

Try to get inside the classroom. Some graduate schools give you experience as a teaching assistant or even in teaching your own course. Others do not. Make the most of your opportunities. Talk to your professors and mentors. See whether they will let you give a guest lecture in one of their courses.
Talk to your advisor. Advisors can be “gateways” to your first publications. They might be able to recommend you to a journal editor for a book review, or ask you to contribute to a volume that they are editing. Let them know about your desire to publish. At the very least, they can advise you on how to turn your research into your first published article.

Community Q&A

↑ Katrina Georgiou. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 June 2020.
↑ http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm
↑ https://careercenter.georgetown.edu/resumes-cover-letters/resume-formatting-tips
↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/565/03/
↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/641/1/
↑ http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2012/03/06/how-to-enhance-your-resume
↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/644/1/
↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/10-words-and-phrases-you-should-never-use-on-your-resume-2015-7
↑ http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/actionverbs.htm
↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2011/09/15/ten-cliches-to-ditch-on-the-job-hunt/
↑ http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2012/mar/15/cv-tips-first-arts-job
↑ http://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/seven-ways-to-improve-your-cv
↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/719/04/
↑ https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/professional-development/career-strategies/improving-your-curriculum-vitae

About this article

To fill all of the space and make your CV sound more impressive, break it into multiple sections, such as “Education,” “Work Experience,” and “Technical Skills.” In each of these sections, use action words, such as “performed” or “created,” and strong verbs, like “coordinated” and “built,” to tell employers what you’ve done. Additionally, emphasize the skills you have, such as expertise in excel or experience with public speaking, especially if they’re in the job description. For more tips, such as how to stay honest yet positive, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Enhancing Your Resume: Sound...

Enhancing Your Resume: Sound Better to Employers

8 min read · Updated on June 25, 2024

What are the secrets to learning how to sound impressive on a resume?

Why does your resume need to be impressive?

Separating yourself from the competition

Establishing yourself as a professional and expert in your field

Highlight your skills and potential value as an employee

By learning how to sound impressive on a resume, you can help that employer see your unique value proposition and inspire them to invite you for an interview.

Tips to help you learn how to sound impressive in your resume

Tailor your resume to the job

Related reading : How to Make an ATS-Friendly Resume - Tips for ATS 2024

Create a compelling skills section

Related reading : What Are Skills? (With Examples and Tips on How to Improve Them)

Use powerful verbs to describe achievements

Spearheaded

Implemented

Facilitated

Revolutionized

Accelerated

Reorganized

Related reading : 100 + Keywords, Verbs and Action Words for Your Resume

Focus on value

Reorganized sales funnel process, reducing customer acquisition and onboarding time by 33%, contributing to 27% boost in sales volume and 21% increase in profitability

Designed and executed marketing campaign for online rebranding of ABC Corp., doubling customer engagement and increasing online sales revenue by 42%

Related reading : 47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

Weave testimonials into your resume

“Received company praise and promotion for my proven ability to provide innovative solutions that consistently boosted productivity and profits.”

Eliminate or explain employment gaps

For example, if you have six months of unemployment between two jobs, you can close that gap by listing any skill development, freelance jobs, or volunteer work you did during that time period.

Create a stellar profile summary

Related reading : Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

Learn how to sound impressive on a resume and land more interviews!

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This article was originally written by Rachel Fletcher. It's been updated by Ken Chase.

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How to make any job sound...

How to make any job sound impressive on your CV

7 min read · Updated on May 18, 2022

If you want to impress a recruiter, it starts with a CV that sells you at your best.

Picture this. You've found the perfect job. You have the relevant experience, the job is at the right level, it's with a company that suits your values, and the salary is in line with your expectations.

But there's an issue. You're not sure your CV is displaying your candidacy in the right way, even though you know you're a great fit for the job. You're not sure that you stand out.

Writing a CV can be daunting – and writing the perfect CV takes time and effort. Not only to detail relevant information, but also to display your talent in an extraordinary way. No fear: there are ways to make any job sound impressive on your CV. Use the following suggestions to tweak and tailor your CV to show recruiters that you're the best candidate for the job.

Inject keywords into your CV

One way to make your experience immediately impressive is by using keywords from the job description throughout your CV to tailor it to the role. Using the same language and phrases shows the recruiter that you're a good match for the position. Plus, it will aid your performance when up against applicant tracking systems .

Before you optimise, you must first find the best keywords to use in your CV . Sift through the job description and highlight any skills that align with your own abilities. Also, make a note of industry jargon that can be leveraged. Then, naturally pepper the keywords throughout your document to show how you're a good fit.

Reduce irrelevant information

It's very common for job hunters to over write their CVs. And it makes sense. After all, you want to put your best foot forward and showcase everything in your entire professional repertoire. However, your CV will speak to different audiences, so reducing the fluff and customising your CV to a specific vacancy is essential.

Target the role you're applying for by removing details in your employment history that aren't directly related to the vacancy. You've already scanned through the job advert, so you will know what to cut - for example, skills that are not mentioned.

Don't feel you have to remove all irrelevant details, especially if it seems like there are yawning gaps in your employment history. But consider limiting them, as you don't want to cast shade over your top skills.

Use the active voice

Using the active voice is guaranteed to make any job sound impressive on your CV. This is because active words push your achievements to the forefront of the sentence and therefore highlight your abilities.

For example, note the difference between:

The active sentence: “Managed inventory activities, including ordering and re-stocking, for a workforce of 50.”

And the passive sentence: “Inventory activities, including ordering and restocking, for a workforce of 50, were managed by me.”

The passive is rather waffly and less dynamic.

Trace over your CV and swap passive sentences for active ones. Replacing the passive voice will instantly highlight your capabilities and create a pleasant read.

Leverage powerful verbs

Take the active voice one step further by using powerful and creative verbs to enhance your abilities and create a more engaging read. “Managed”, “led”, “communicated”, and “assisted” are common cliches and, while they do the job of describing your actions, they don't necessarily showcase your personality or make your CV sparkle.

Review your CV to identify verbs which are overused and consider finding an alternative. For example, instead of '“led” try “headed”, “directed”, or “oversaw”. You don't need to break out the thesaurus and go overboard, but do consider your word choice to aid storytelling and bring your personality to life. Here's a handy list of action words to use in your CV to help you.

Choose accomplishments, not duties

Another way to make a job look amazing on your CV is by listing your accomplishments rather than your responsibilities. While providing a list of your duties is likely to offer a decent overview of your experience, it doesn't differentiate you from another candidate with exactly the same job title and experience. Plus, a recruiter is likely to know what your daily tasks are from your job title, so you're not adding anything to your application.

Reframe the focus of your CV to highlight accomplishments. Consider what you achieved while carrying out your role and the successes that you generated from your actions. If you led a meeting, what was the impact of that? If you created a monthly report, why did it matter to the business? Consider how your role was connected to the bottom line in each of your experiences.

Quantify your achievements

Once you have identified your accomplishments, it's time to make them tangible with numbers. For example, which sounds more impressive?

Option one: “Analysed keyword performance data to optimise page rankings.”

Option two: “Analysed keyword performance data to optimise page rankings, resulting in a 14% YoY uplift in organic traffic.”

The chances are you'd pick option two, which is a little more descriptive and impressive thanks to the use of numbers. Any numbers that demonstrate your ability or quantify your achievements will show the recruiter your capabilities, which is much more convincing than simply telling them what you do day to day. Providing evidence of your growth and successes, no matter how small they seem, might help you to cinch the interview.

Prioritise readability

The most standout CVs have a clean and professional layout. Therefore, formatting is essential for making a job look good on your CV. You might have the best content in the world, but if the formatting is clunky and indigestible then a recruiter is likely to lose patience and walk away.

Ask yourself, can you easily scan your CV and identify key points? Is your CV pleasing to look at? You're looking for an even balance of text to white space and snappy sentences or bullet points, as opposed to blocks of heavy, dense text. In addition, watch out for typos and grammatical errors as they are equally detrimental to readability.

Include testimonials

While testimonials and recommendations are commonplace for LinkedIn profiles, they can also be used in your CV to add character and weight. However, we're not suggesting you ask your past managers to contribute a lengthy paragraph.

Instead, reflect on compliments and recognition from one-to-ones or appraisals. Then, include the commentary as a bullet point. For example, “recognised by management for the ability to discuss sensitive information from feedback interviews, distil them for stakeholders, and supply tangible solutions.”

Adding a testimonial is effectively another way to quantify your accomplishments and illustrate how impressive you are.

When you're job hunting, you have to be your own cheerleader. You may know you're good enough, and your friends, family, and fellow professionals likely will too. But if you don't blow your own trumpet on your CV, a recruiter never will.

Be bold, be brave, and don't be afraid to brag. Pretend your CV is an abbreviated quarterly report. It must provide context, details, and results to reflect the hard work that went into making something a success. Recognising your own achievements and channelling your joy and passion into your CV will make your job sound more interesting and impressive.

There are plenty of tips and tricks to make any job sound impressive on your CV. It all comes down to fine details, tiny tweaks, and confidence. Want to double-check you've done everything you can to make your job descriptions sound their best? Request a free CV review .

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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.

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.

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How To Make Your Internship Sound The Best On Your Resume

Your daily commutes, brown bag lunches and early mornings will soon be a thing of the past. Right after you send your supervisor a thank-you note and bid your internship ado, remember to add your experience to your resume. Since you just spent a whole summer working hard, you’ll want to make sure your internship stands out. Open up that Word document because Her Campus has the tips you’ll need for maximizing your internship experience on your resume , straight from the career counselors. Make a list Before you make any changes to your resume, type or jot down a list of everything you did while you were at your internship. Ideally you kept track during your internship, but if you didn’t, do it now while your experience is fresh in your mind. If you don’t get around to adding your internship until September, at least you won’t be racking your brain trying to think of everything you did. Begin a new entry Since your internship is likely the most recent position you’ve held, make sure it appears at the top of all your other experience. There are two parts to each entry: the job or internship information and a bulleted list of key accomplishments and duties. Your internship information should take up one line and your bulleted list can be anywhere from 1- 4 lines depending on how much room you need. Here’s an example of what your finished entry could look like: Assistant City Editor, The Daily Tar Heel , Chapel Hill, N.C.(Jan. 2009 – May 2009)

Edited staff articles using AP style, developed story ideas and emailed assignments to writers
Wrote stories, police logs, and event calendar on a daily deadline, and covered breaking news

Part I. The Position and Company Information Add your title You should have your title, company, city and state and then the dates worked all on one line. Start with your title first. Were you an intern, an editorial assistant, a sales associate or something else? Next put the company details After your title, put the company, city and abbreviated state of where you worked. In general, list your position first unless you want to call attention to the name of the prominent companies where you worked, according to Quint Careers. (For example, “if you plan to enter the tourism industry, and you’ve had internships at Disney World, Sea World, and Universal Studios, you could list company names first,” explains an article from Quint Careers.) Don’t explain the company or organization Writing “XYZ Company, an environmental non-profit” in your entry takes up valuable space on your resume. You are better off explaining XYZ Company during a job or internship interview, according to Duke University’s Career Center. For example, I studied abroad in London and interned at Itchy City Media, a company not many American employers know. I get questions on job interviews about it and this gives me a chance to explain about the company and my experience. Finish with the dates On the same line as your title and company details, add the dates you worked. Decide whether to write “Summer 2010” or “May 2010 – August 2010” based on your personal preference and consistency with the rest of your resume. Use clear formatting Double-check what you just wrote to make sure it looks the same as the rest of your resume. Your resume should have consistent formatting and style. You should be making use of bold, caps and italics but don’t use too many enhancements, according to Duke University’s Career Center. If the rest of your job or internship entries take up three lines each, make sure your new internship entry doesn’t take up six lines. [pagebreak] Part II. Your Duties and Accomplishments Consult your list of job tasks Gary Miller, assistant director of University Career Services at UNC-Chapel Hill, says the process of maximizing an internship on a resume usually begins with a good analysis of what roles and responsibilities were held during the experience. Miller says as you examine your projects and tasks, think about what skills were used—these are what are most “sellable” to future employers. Here’s a great website for examples of skills and a short list to get you started:

analyzed data
promoted events
organized files
conducted meetings
operated equipment
maintained records
drafted reports
coordinated schedules
negotiated conflicts
compiled statistics
gathered information
designed logos

Use action verbs When writing out your responsibilities and skills, Laura Lane, assistant director at UCS at UNC-Chapel Hill, says it is important to use action verbs to describe what you did over the summer and try to avoid “worked with” and “assisted.” If you do a Google search for “action words” and “resume,” you are bound to find a great list to keep bookmarked for next time. Many times they are divided up according to whether that verb is describing research, communication, or management skills. Here is another great list I’ve relied on. Group these skills together Since space is precious on a resume, group your skills together in a logical way. Use bullet points underneath your initial entry to list these tasks. For example: •Gathered voter information, analyzed demographics data and presented ideas at team meeting Miller says when articulating an internship on a resume, students need to be sure to think about showing their “skills in action” and think about how transferable these skills are to prospective employers. Too many students make the mistake of describing their tasks rather than the skills used to accomplish those tasks. Words in the example above such as “analyzed” and “presented” showed that you practiced skills that are valuable to other employers. Remember your accomplishments You should also focus not just on duties but on any accomplishments, Lane says. If you wrote a research article for a non-profit that was picked up by a major news outlet, mention that in your description. If you won a scholarship from your company, you should save a spot for that. Quantify your descriptions Laura Lane says any time you can quantify your descriptions it makes them more powerful. Seeing a specific number or amount stand out gives potential employers the impression that you made a substantial impact. For example, she says you should have statements such as “Increased website traffic by 25%,” “increased the budget by $2,000,” or “supervised a staff of 6.” If you didn’t work with money or supervise a staff, think about how many articles you wrote or how many tweets you contributed each week. Flex your social media skills Also highlight your social media skills. Lane says if you used social media or any other specific tools of the industry you worked in you want to be sure to describe that. She says you’ll be hired for your skill set in the future and want to be sure to highlight those skills you have in your internship descriptions. Whether it was Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace or YouTube, put it on your resume if you used it during your internship. Avoid redundancies You should not have too many details of your duties and responsibilities, according to Duke University’s Career Center. For example, you don’t need to mention those pesky coffee runs or endless mail sorting. Make sure you do not use the phrases: “Responsible for…” or “Duties included…” Get right to the point after your bullet points and for example, start with “Wrote articles on a weekly deadlines, compiled calendar entries and brainstormed story ideas.” Check and recheck Now that you’re back on campus, take advantage of your own career counselor. You should be stopping by occasionally especially as you get closer to graduation. Print out the latest copy of your resume and ask them to review it. They’ll be able to catch spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes you may not have seen. More importantly, they can tell you if you should revise your new entry or reword your job duties. Landing that internship was hard enough but maximizing every experience from your job on your resume doesn’t have to be. Just be clear, concise and use those oh-so-necessary action verbs. The better your internship sounds on your resume, the easier it will be to earn your next one. Check out these three interns’ real resumes that we work-shopped to maximize how their internships sound!

Sample Resumes:

Sources: Gary Miller, assistant director, UCS at UNC-Chapel Hill Laura Lane, assistant director, UCS at UNC-Chapel Hill Duke University Resume Guide Quint Careers Resume FAQ

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How To Make Waitressing Sound Good On A Resume

In This Guide:

Example of how waitressing experience looks good on a resume..

Waitressing experience can be presented positively on a resume by highlighting key skills and responsibilities that are transferable to other job positions. These may include:

Customer service: Mention how you have experience dealing with customers and resolving any issues they may have had.
Cash handling: Highlight any experience you have handling cash, making change, and balancing a cash drawer.
Multi-tasking: Waitressing often requires juggling multiple tasks at once, such as taking orders, delivering food, and cleaning tables.
Teamwork: Emphasize any experience you have working as part of a team, especially in a fast-paced environment.
Flexibility: Waitressing often requires being able to work varying shifts, weekends, and holidays. Highlight your ability to be flexible and adaptable.
Sales and upselling: Highlight any experience you have with suggestive selling and upselling menu items to customers.

It's also important to use action verbs and quantify your accomplishments, such as "Provided excellent customer service to over 100 customers per shift" or "Implemented a new upselling strategy that resulted in a 20% increase in sales".

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• Handled cash and credit card transactions and balanced cash drawer at the end of each shift.
• Worked as part of a team to keep the dining room clean and organized during busy hours.
• Implemented a new upselling strategy that resulted in a 20% increase in sales.
• Worked flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Trained new servers on customer service, cash handling, and menu knowledge.
• Contributed to the team effort by completing side work and other tasks as needed.
• Assisted in maintaining inventory and placing supply orders.

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How can I make my resume sound better when I’ve been an unemployed student/housewife for 4 years?

So for the last 4 years I have been living as a housewife/student. I obtained my associates degree in psychology, I am still finishing my bachelors in psychology but I am extremely part time right now/semi on a break from courses as I’m just wrapping up the end of my degree.

I briefly had a job in the last four years for about 6-7 months in retail (at a pet store), and before that I had world at the same job from when I was 18-23 ish, which was in retail as well but I have some supervisor experience from that job and some other mixed experience cause I got to change positions in the store.

Basically I’m not sure how to make my resume sound better because I fear it just sounds like I’ve been unemployed for 4 years and don’t have any work skills. I’m not trying to do any more retail jobs, I want to move on with my life. Please help!

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How to make your presentation sound more like a conversation.

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The main difference between strong, confident speakers and speakers who seem nervous in front of the room is in how relaxed and conversational they appear. Here are some basic pointers that will help you create a conversational tone when speaking, regardless of the size of your audience.

1. Avoid using the word, “presentation.” Every time you say, “I’m here to give you a presentation on X,” or, “In this presentation, you’ll see…,” you are emphasizing the formal, structured, sometimes artificial nature of the interaction. No one wants to be “presented” to. Instead, use language that emphasizes a natural, conversational exchange. “We’re here today to talk about X,” or “Today I’ll be sharing some ideas regarding Y.” You can even go so far as to say, “I’m glad we have time together today to discuss Z.” Even if your talk is not going to truly be a dialogue, you can use language that suggests engagement with the audience.

2. If you are using PowerPoint, avoid using the word “slide.” Instead of talking about the medium, talk about the concepts. Swap out, “This slide shows you…,” for, “Here we see….” Instead of saying, “On that slide I showed you a moment ago,” say, “A moment ago we were discussing X. Here’s how that issue will impact Y and Z.” Casual conversations don’t usually involve slide decks. Just because your complicated presentation on tax exposure, supply chain issues, or new health care regulations requires you to use slides, doesn’t mean you have to draw attention to that fact that the setting is formal and structured.

3. For many large-group events, speakers are provided with what’s called a “confidence monitor,” a computer screen that sits on the floor at the speaker’s feet showing the slide that appears on the large screen above the speaker’s head. Avoid using confidence monitors. Our natural inclination when using a confidence monitor is to gesture at the bullet point we’re discussing at the moment. However, we are pointing to a bullet point on the screen at our feet, which the audience can’t see, so it creates a disconnect between us and the audience. Instead, stand to the side of the large screen and gesture at the bullet point you’re talking about so that the audience knows which point you are discussing at the moment.

4. Don’t tell your audience, “I want this to be interactive.” It’s your job to make it interactive. If you are delivering the type of presentation where your audience size allows you to create true engagement with your listeners, create that connecting in stages to “warm up” the audience. Stage One engagement is to ask the audience a question relevant to your topic that you know most of the audience members can respond to affirmatively. “Who here has ever bought a new car?” or, “How many of you have ever waited more than 5 minutes on hold on a customer service line?” Raise your hand as you ask the question to indicate to the audience how to respond. Whoever has raised their hand has now participated in the discussion. They have indicated a willingness to engage. Stage Two engagement is calling on one of the people who raised their hand and asking a specific, perfunctory question. Again, it needs to be a question they can answer easily. If your first questions is, “Who here has bought a new car?” you can then call on someone and ask, “How long ago,” or “What kind of car did you buy most recently?” If your first question was, “Have you ever waited on hold for more than 5 minutes,” you can’t ask, “What company were you calling at the time?” The people who raised their hands weren’t thinking of a specific instance; they were just thinking broadly about that type of experience. You could, however, call on someone and ask, “Do you prefer when they play music or ads for the company’s products?” Anyone can answer that question. At that point, you are in an actual dialogue with that person. Stage Three engagement is asking them a question where they need to reveal something more personal. “How does that make you feel when you hear those ads?” You’ve warmed up your audience and drawn them in with baby steps. Now you have actual, meaningful audience participation.

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5. Use gestures. When we’re speaking in an informal setting, we all use hand gestures; some people use more than others, but we all use them. When we try to rein in our gestures, two things happen that diminish our speaking style. First, we look stiff and unnatural. We look like we are presenting a guarded or cautious version of ourselves; we look less genuine. Second, hand gestures burn up the nervous energy we all have when speaking in front of a large group. That’s good. When we try to minimize our hand gestures, we tie up that nervous energy and it starts to leak out on odd ways, where we start to tap our foot, fidget with our notes or microphone, or tilt our head side to side to emphasize key points. Just let the gestures fly. It’s unlikely they will be too large or distracting. I have coached people on their presentation skills for 26 years. In that time, I have met three people who gestured too much. Everyone else would benefit from using their gestures more freely.

The impact we have as communicators is based on the cumulative effect of many different elements of our delivery. These suggestions alone won’t make you a terrific presenter. They will, however, add to the overall package your present of yourself when speaking to large audiences.

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Who Won the Debate? Biden Stumbles Left Trump on Top

A halting debate performance by President Biden left Democratic strategists reeling, raising questions about his fitness to stay in the race.

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By Alan Rappeport

Reporting from Washington

In the first presidential debate of the year between the leading Democratic and Republican candidates, President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump clashed on inflation, taxes, Ukraine and the future of democracy.

A halting performance from Mr. Biden and a relatively steady and measured delivery by Mr. Trump left Democrats deeply concerned about Mr. Biden’s prospects. Personal attacks overshadowed discussions of policy during the debate, with the candidates sparring over who had a better golf game, their respective cognitive abilities and their legal problems.

On cable news and social media, strategists from both parties wondered if Mr. Biden could continue in the race against Mr. Trump. Few Democrats could muster an upbeat assessment of the president’s performance.

Here is a sampling of the reaction.

“It was a really disappointing debate performance from Joe Biden. I don’t think there’s any other way to slice it. His biggest issue was to prove to the American people that he had the energy, the stamina — and he didn’t do that,” Kate Bedingfield, Mr. Biden’s former White House communications director, said on CNN.

“Biden is even whiffing on his easy pitches — abortion and Jan. 6. I mean, my God,” said Matt Gorman, a Republican strategist and former senior adviser to the presidential campaign for Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina.

“Look, I debated Joe 7 times in 2020. He’s a different guy in 2024,” Andrew Yang, a Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, said on the social media platform X, adding the hashtag #swapJoeout.

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COMMENTS

How to Make Your Job Experience Sound Better
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.
How To Improve Your Resume in 10 Steps (Plus Tips)
6. Optimize your resume for digital devices. Some employers review your resume on a mobile device or tablet. While you may have a hard copy of your resume, it's important to optimize it for different devices, too. Make sure the resume you submit is responsive and readable across all digital formats.
How to Make a Job Sound Super Impressive on Your Resume
In This Article. Use Numbers. Prioritize Readability. Talk Accomplishments, Not Tasks. Choose Powerful Words. Photo: Digital Vision / Getty Images. Learn tips and tricks that'll help make jobs sound super impressive on your resume, jazz up your job descriptions, and catch the hiring manager's attention.
Enhancing Your Resume: Sound Better to Employers
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.
How to Improve Your Resume: 12 Easy Steps to Beef it Up
Set your resume margins to 1" on all sides of the page. Choose a modern and professional resume font like Arial or Georgia and set it to 12 pt. Double check if your resume sections stand out and make it easy for employers to find relevant information about your experience or skills.
How To Make Your Resume Sound Good to Hiring Managers
Consider following these steps to create a resume that gains the attention of hiring managers: 1. Prioritize readability. One of the most important steps toward ensuring your resume sounds good to hiring managers is prioritizing readability. There are several things you can do to ensure your resume is easy-to-read and visually appealing, including:
Free Resume Fixer
Remember, the goal of a resume is to present your skills, experience, and qualifications clearly and succinctly to potential employers. You don't necessarily need a professional writer to achieve this, although they can certainly help if you're struggling. Our free and fast ATS resume fixer relies on algorithms developed by reading 500000 resumes.
How Can I Make Myself Sound Good on My Resume?
Scroll back to the top. If you want to sound good on your resume, here are some proven tips: Utilize action verbs and power words to sound more confident. Research the employer and study the job ad carefully to tailor your resume to employer expectations. Feature relevant experience only, and carefully pick professional skills and resume keywords.
How to Make Your Resume Work History Look Better
Tips for Writing Your Resume Job Descriptions. An Example of a Revised Job Description. What to Include in the Revised Description. Photo: Georgijevic / Getty Images. Tips for mproving your resume job descriptions to make your work history sound better, with examples of how to present your qualifications on your resume.
How to Make the Perfect Resume (With Examples!)
5. Don't Forget Your Education. If you're still in school or just graduated, your education can go at the top of your resume, but for pretty much everyone else, this goes near the bottom. Most people include their school, graduation year (for folks less up to about a decade out of school), major, and degree.
I've reviewed 1,000+ good (and bad) resumes. Here are my ...
6. Back up your experiences with data & numbers. All the entries on your resume should be super-specific. This allows you to stand out from the other candidates & show the recruiter that you're a high-achiever. DO: Managed and optimized the client's Facebook ad account, increasing the ad ROI from 42% to 65%.
How To Make Your Skills Sound Better On Your Resume
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.
How to Make Your Resume Sound Better
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).
Essential Tips: How To Make Waitressing Sound Good on a Resume
How To: In your work experience section, create a single heading like "Professional Wait Staff" and group all your related positions underneath. Example: Professional Wait Staff, [Dates] Company #1, Location, Dates. - Bullet point. - Bullet point. Company #2, Location, Dates. - Bullet point.
3 Ways to Make Your CV Sound More Impressive
4. Avoid clichés. In the same vein, there are phrases in the business world that have become clichés. To employers these buzzwords are like white noise and make very little impact. Read through your resume with an eye toward things that seem clichéd, like "dynamic," "proactive," or "synergy.".
How Can You Make Yourself Sound Better on Your Resume?
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 ...
How to make any job sound impressive on your CV
Use the active voice. Using the active voice is guaranteed to make any job sound impressive on your CV. This is because active words push your achievements to the forefront of the sentence and therefore highlight your abilities. For example, note the difference between: The active sentence: "Managed inventory activities, including ordering ...
How Can You Make Yourself Sound Better on Your Resume?
How Can You Make Yourself Sound Better on Your Resume? If you want to impress a hiring manager, it starts with a resume that sells you at your best. By Rachel Fletcher. Content sourced from Talent Inc. Browse Topics:
How To Make Your Most Boring Jobs Sound More Interesting On Your Resume
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 ...
How to Make Normal Things Sound Better on Resume
Learn how to write in a vibrant style, highlight your results, use dynamic verbs and add color to your resume to make normal tasks sound more impressive. Avoid boring lists, overused terms and drab language that fail to convey your value.
How To Make Your Internship Sound The Best On Your Resume
Make sure you do not use the phrases: "Responsible for…" or "Duties included…". Get right to the point after your bullet points and for example, start with "Wrote articles on a weekly deadlines, compiled calendar entries and brainstormed story ideas.". Check and recheck.
How To Make Waitressing Sound Good On A Resume
Waitressing experience can be presented positively on a resume by highlighting key skills and responsibilities that are transferable to other job positions. These may include: Customer service: Mention how you have experience dealing with customers and resolving any issues they may have had. Cash handling: Highlight any experience you have ...
How can I make my resume sound better when I've been an ...
Resume Writing Guide. Try Resumatic, a GPT-Powered Resume Builder. Thinking of hiring a resume writer? Read this first. Troubleshooting your resume and your job search. Free Resume Template - Google Docs. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
How To Make Your Presentation Sound More Like A Conversation
2. If you are using PowerPoint, avoid using the word "slide." Instead of talking about the medium, talk about the concepts. Swap out, "This slide shows you…," for, "Here we see…."
Who Won the Debate? Biden Stumbles Left Trump on Top
"Biden is even whiffing on his easy pitches — abortion and Jan. 6. I mean, my God," said Matt Gorman, a Republican strategist and former senior adviser to the presidential campaign for ...

Enhancing Your Resume: Sound Better to Employers

Why does your resume need to be impressive?

Separating yourself from the competition

Establishing yourself as a professional and expert in your field

Highlight your skills and potential value as an employee

Tips to help you learn how to sound impressive in your resume

Tailor your resume to the job

Create a compelling skills section

Use powerful verbs to describe achievements

Focus on value

Weave testimonials into your resume

Eliminate or explain employment gaps

Create a stellar profile summary

Learn how to sound impressive on a resume and land more interviews!

Recommended reading:

Related Articles:

Career Advice Newsletter

How to Make Your Resume Work History Look Better

How to Make Your Resume Sound Better

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Perfect Resume (With Examples!)

What Is a Resume?

What Are Some Examples of a Good Resume?

How Do You Write a Resume?

1. Pick Your Format

2. Start With Your Basic Information

3. Add in Your Work Experience

4. Consider Including Volunteer Work or Other Experience

5. Don’t Forget Your Education

6. Top It Off With Some Skills and Interests

7. Write a Resume Summary Statement (if Relevant)

8. Tailor It to the Job (and the ATS)

9. Edit and Refine It

The Most Popular: A Reverse Chronological Resume

The Unorthodox Route: A Functional or Skills-Based Resume

The Creative Angle: An Infographic Resume or Resume Website

How To Make Your Skills Sound Better On Your Resume

Tip #1: Do not list given skills

Tip #2: Spotlight “key” skills

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

In Conclusion

Marissa Letendre, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Our Latest Blog

20+ Resume facts

How to Write a Resume Personal Statement (with examples)

How to Include Contact Info on Resume

Professions

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

Why is Confidence Important in a Resume?

1. Customize Your Resume to Fit the Job Posting

2. Remember: It’s Okay to Brag

3. Include Examples

4. Use the “XYZ Formula”

5. Avoid Cliché Words

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

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

How to put waitressing or server on a resume

Waitressing resume template

Tips for how to make serving sound good on a resume

Consolidate your waitressing experience

Target your resume

Use metrics

Polish it to perfection

Waiter and waitressing resume bullet point examples

Training others

Scheduling and planning

Business operations and development

Sales and marketing

Financial handling

Going above and beyond

Spread the word

How to Make Your CV Sound More Impressive

Improving Format

Improving Presentation

Improving Content

Community Q&A