A good CV can significantly boost your chances of getting your dream job, but it can be tricky to give your CV a much-needed refresh when you’re feeling uninspired.
So if you’re struggling to find good things to put on a CV about yourself, then try out our CV buzzwords, key adjectives, and examples to enhance your résumé.
Positive Words to Describe Yourself on Your CV
These are great adjectives to describe yourself:
1. Able
I am able to handle multiple tasks on a daily basis.
2. Creative
I use a creative approach to problem solving.
3. Dependable
I am a dependable person who is great at time management.
4. Energetic
I am always energetic and eager to learn new skills.
5. Experience
I have experience working as part of a team and individually.
6. Flexible
I am flexible in my working hours, being able to work evenings and weekends.
7. Successful
I have successfully met deadlines on every project I’ve worked on.
8. On Time
I am always on time for organized events, work-related or otherwise.
9. Honest
I am honest and trustworthy when I am counting money after our church bake sales.
10. Imaginative
I work with the team to provide imaginative solutions for our customers.
11. Innovative
I am always coming up with innovative ideas.
12. Motivated
I am motivated to go to the gym before work to stay fit and healthy.
13. Organized
I have organized the staff functions for the last four years with great success.
14. Reliable
Co-workers rely on me to be on time.
15. Sense of Humour
Even though I take my work seriously, I do have a good sense of humour.
For more advice about embedding these words into your CV, read our article: A Guide to Writing a Successful CV
Positive Words to Showcase Your Day-to-Day Work on Your CV
These are great words to help you describe your daily tasks in a variety of ways:
16. Delivered
I delivered all projects in a timely fashion.
17. Helped
I helped out at the local care home during my spare time.
18. Identified
In the role, I identified a need for a new system and, with management backing, it has since been implemented.
19. Managed
I’ve managed the team through several large projects.
20. Participated
I participated in my local Race for Life 10k charity run.
21. Supervised
During this time, I supervised swimming galas at my local pool.
22. Presented
I presented my analysis findings to the wider business to achieve buy-in for positive change.
23. United
I united several teams in a large project to achieve real change for our customers.
24. Led
I led the project team in delivering a successful outcome.
25. Provided
I provided much-needed support to my team through the pandemic.
26. Proved
I proved my case for introducing a new system through extensive research and analysis.
27. Ran
I ran weekly project meetings to make sure work was delivered on time and to a high standard.
28. Responded
I responded to unexpected events with speed and professionalism to ensure a positive outcome for our customers.
29. Reported
I reported directly to the Board of Directors…
I reported directly to the Board of Directors with any changes in customer behaviour, along with proactive suggestions on how to address them.
30. Gained
I gained first-hand experience of customer challenges by running a series of face-to-face workshops.
31. Tested
I tested a range of products to determine which ones were most suitable for our clients.
32. Balanced
I balanced my time successfully across 3 key projects in the business, delivering results in a timely manner.
33. Conducted
I conducted several investigations to find out where there were opportunities for cost savings.
34. Focused
I focused much of my time and energy on driving improvements across the contact centre.
Positive Words to Showcase the Skills on Your CV
These are good words to include in your CV to highlight where you’ve really added value in your role:
35. Supported
I supported junior team members to help them achieve their longer-term career goals.
36. Modernized
I modernized the customer complaints process to help make efficiency savings across the business.
37. Saved
I saved time across the business by analysing key business processes and identifying improvements.
38. Volunteered
I volunteered to take the lead in a mental health and wellbeing project, above and beyond my core duties, to help improve the working environment for my colleagues.
39. Developed
I developed a new process to address a gap in the customer experience.
40. Won
I won gold in my very first cross-fit competition.
41. Secured
I secured funding from the Board of Directors for a new WFM system.
42. Savings
I made cost savings on our products by using local manufacturers.
43. Enhanced
I enhanced the leadership team by going on a mental health awareness course and bringing my learnings back into the business.
44. Implemented
I implemented a new WFM system, following several months of research and cost analysis.
45. Nominated
I was nominated for an industry award following the work I did on improving the customer experience.
46. Launched
I launched a new product to market which exceeded sales targets for that quarter.
47. Increased
I increased profits across a variety of products through cost-saving changes to our manufacturing processes.
48. Campaigned
I campaigned for positive changes to our health and wellbeing programme throughout my time at the company, resulting in new initiatives being introduced which helped boost our staff retention rates.
49. Achieved
I achieved a pass grade for my Level 2 Management course.
50. Competed
I competed at industry events for a sought-after ‘best in show’ award and won several times.
Using these words is a great way to describe yourself and your achievements and make your CV stand out. For more tips like this, read our article: How Do I Make My CV Really Special?
Printable – 50 Words to Describe Yourself on Your CV
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How to Write an ‘About Me’ Section on Your CV
Here are some top tips on getting it right:
- Combine professional and personal adjectives
- Explain how many years of relevant experience you have
- Include keywords from the job description
- Tailor each CV to the job that you’re applying for with relevant experiences and achievements
- Choose some power adjectives that are relevant to you (e.g. trained, managed, produced, etc…)
Example ‘About Me’ Section for Your CV
Find even more positive words and phrases to build enthusiasm, in our article: Top 25 Positive Words, Phrases and Empathy Statements
15 Descriptive Words to Use in the ‘About Me’ Section
Not quite what you are looking for? Then have a look at these words that you can use in the “about me” section on your résumé.
We asked expert customer service recruiters for their advice on which other words to use on a CV. These recruiters responded with the list below:
1. Articulate
I am an effective and articulate communicator with all levels of employees.
2. Confidence
I instil confidence in others and approach new challenges with an open mind.
3. Commercial
I have a strong commercial outlook…
4. Consistent
I have been able to deliver a consistent approach throughout a challenging period of development.
5. Driven
I am extremely driven, with a clear goal to succeed.
I used the advice passed on by my supervisors to mentor struggling individuals..
6. Enthused/Enthusiastic
I am always highly enthused about my work and tasks ahead.
7. Inspirational
I have been told that I am an inspirational coach and mentor.
8. Interactive
I understand the importance of being interactive and enjoy communicating with others for the benefit of the company.
9. Leader
I am a natural leader and developer of people.
10. Mentor
I used the advice passed on by my supervisors to mentor struggling individuals.
11. Personable
I am happy and extremely personable and excel in a positive work environment.
12. Safe Pair of Hands
I have been told that I provide a safe pair of hands in challenging times.
13. Self-Development
I am committed to learning and self-development so that I can consistently achieve better results.
14. Subject-Matter Expert
I am seen as a subject-matter expert within the field of workforce management and deployment.
15. Versatile
I have an extremely versatile skill set.
The Top Ten Words to Leave Off a CV
Whilst the words above can be great additions to a CV, our experts also have their bugbears about certain other words that candidates use.
Here is a list of our top ten words to avoid using on your résumé.
1. Seasoned
Using this will make you sound like you are a steak! Also, it is so dated. There are much better words to use!
2. Authoritative
Recruiters want a collaborator not a dictator, especially in the customer service field. So, replace a phrase such as “I was in an authoritative position…” with “I was in a position of leadership…”.
3. Think outside the box
Give examples of how you were made to think creatively and the benefits that such innovation brought to the company. To do this, it is important to avoid vague phrases such as “I think outside the box.”
4. Detail-orientated
There is a chance, no matter how excellent you believe your grammar to be, that you will make a mistake on your CV. Whilst many recruiters may overlook one minor error, pairing the mistake with the phrase “detail-orientated” could create problems.
5. Track record
If your CV is written correctly, the recruiter will be able to see your track record, so don’t waste your limited space with needless phrases like this.
6. Hard-worker
It is much more convincing to show the recruiter that you are a hard-worker than to tell them. Recruiters will draw their own conclusions from the evidence that you present, so don’t try to confuse them by using vague phrases… it won’t work.
7. Results-driven
Are results your only driver? Don’t limit yourself by using such language. Demonstrate how you are driven by purpose, personal development and colleagues/teammates, as well as by achievement.
8. Go-to person
Not only is this too informal for a CV, it takes focus away from how your skills align with those in the job description. Don’t distract yourself by trying to do everyone else’s jobs – they will be more experienced in these than you.
9. Passionate
This is so over-used. If you were not passionate about an aspect of the role, it is assumed that you would not be applying for the position. So, set yourself apart from the average candidate by trying something different, like noting how fulfilling the passion makes you feel.
10. Team player
It is important to note that you enjoy a collaborative atmosphere, but the phrase “team player” is contrived. Alternatively, refer to a success story of when you worked alongside someone else to bring great benefits to the workplace.
Find out more mistakes to avoid when writing a CV by reading our article: Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Job
7 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your CV
Here are some common mistakes to be wary of when writing a CV:
1. Writing in Third Person
CVs should never be written in third person. Use first person and choose the present or past tense to showcase the most important and relevant information to your employment goals.
So, for example, do not say “James Bell is…”, instead state “I am…”.
2. Removing Personal Information
Things to include: your address, postcode, mobile number and email address! So many people are not including this information, making it very difficult for agencies and organizations to know where candidates are looking for work and also to register the CVs on their systems.
It also makes it impossible to find candidates again when searching in specific locations.
3. Including a Headshot/Photograph
This is just a waste of space, especially as you should already be aiming to cut your CV down into two pages.
Also, don’t save your CV as an infographic. These may look good, but they can’t be used by agencies and often won’t upload to company career sites. Send your CV as a PDF or Word document and keep the formatting simple!
4. Expanding Margins and Cutting White Space
No one wants to read a CV that is formatted with a tiny font and no white space! White space allows the eye to rest between reading and absorbing the content, and it acts as a cue to important information the employer should read with care.
At the same time, a CV with too much white space will look like you have no relevant experience or skills to offer the employer. Find a happy medium – keep the CV readable and clean, while filling the space.
5. Including Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation Mistakes
In this day and age there should be NO excuses, but it still happens, and more often than you would expect. These kinds of mistakes can get even the most qualified candidate’s CV thrown into the “no” pile.
Remember, the CV is an excellent way to demonstrate to potential employers or recruiters what type of employee you are, your attitude to work and, most importantly, your attention to detail!
After you have reviewed your CV carefully, have a friend – or two – review it again for you!
6. Heavily Detailing Secondary Experiences
It is very easy to keep adding a new job to your existing CV, but does your previous role still hold any relevance? Or, looking back, should your previous role actually be enhanced to support more of your present role?
I am responsible for the leadership, coaching and development of 100 FTE. In the past year we have seen an uplift of 5% on service level performance against the previous 5 years.
As your career progresses, your older jobs may not be as relevant as they once were. Your CV is your opportunity to showcase your career and you need to highlight what is most important, taking space from less important detail that you may now be able to remove.
7. Listing Your Duties From a Previous Job
Everyone needs to see and understand what you do, but what is it that sets you apart from the crowd?
Instead of listing some or all of your duties and responsibilities, try and include some achievements, tangibles, or context around the role.
Contributed by: Michelle Ansell at Douglas Jackson
We hope that all of these positive words to add to your CV will get you that all-important interview.
If so, come back to this page and check out the articles below, which provide some great advice for dealing with this next stage of the process:
- Top 50 Customer Service Interview Questions – with Answers
- Interview Dos and Don’ts
- Ten Probing Interview Questions
Author: Jonty Pearce
Reviewed by: Robyn Coppell
Published On: 28th Dec 2022 - Last modified: 25th Oct 2024
Read more about - Call Centre Life, Career, CV, Downloads, Jobs, Language, Michelle Ansell, Popular, Positive words, Printable
These phrases are positive and dynamic .
I’m re-writing my CV at the moment and find this really useful.
I’m currently re-writing my CV. Trying to find words to describe my transferable skills, i’ve used ”HIGHLY motivated and EXTREMELY punctual” but struggling to find more.
Dear Sirs:
This is a wonderful an important material to increase the knowledge in these kind of topics.
I apprecite your special help.
Thanks
MM
Thank you for posting this wonderful tool. I have included many of these words in my resumes and applications, and i think that they put me over the other applicants with the same qualifications.
Well done,
KC
Amazing I’m using this for my interview. Aamazing
Brilliant help. Thank you. I knew that my daughter was good at and what her personal traits are but I just couldn’t think of the right words. Well done!
i am always trustworthy
This is very good
Thank you
You should also do negative words so that we can understand what not to use in our CV
Used correctly and appropriately, the above words can work wonders.
However, there is a risk that they are over-used or (worse) used as ‘filler’, where the CV ends up being a mish-mash of buzz-words.
Use these key ‘postivifiers’ succinctly rather than sporadically thrown in, and you will see far more companies return to you offering an interview.
You are a life saver!
awarded is a good word to use
This is amazing, I used this via email and it worked wonders. Thank you.
DO NOT use any of these words.
DO NOT say ‘I am creative/energetic/hardworking/dependable’. What have you done that shows you are creative, energetic hardworking/dependable?, use your achievements to highlight your skills and let the employer judge for themselves!
These so called ‘buzz-words’ are found on every cv, use creative ways of writing to give the same impression…
BE CLEVER
Having read all the praise and criticism I can say that you’re all right and also wrong. In fact its both…
Yes, use these words to ensure you have said what needs to be said however, that alone will not win you an interview. To say ‘don’t use these words’ is also pretty stupid as you’ll end up with the CV that doesn’t say ‘honest’ etc so, at least bring yourself in line with everyone else at that stage!
To win an interview you need to write basic information SUPPORTED with substantial evidence of competence. For example, a sales person stating only their title, dates and role responsibilities is nearly a total waste of time. Instead, support this with achievements: Target of X, won Y. Won X client, grew Y account by £20k, increased GP by 47%, etc
Think about the key skills required to do the job well and focus on providing evidence that you can do them. e.g. Communication, Negotiation, Closing, etc – then add an example/result of having done it. Simple.
If you’re in a job where success is harder to quantify than a sales role think about how your manager measures your performance. If he/she targets you on cost savings, lead times, quality, complaints, etc then that dictates your achievements. Remember that if you’re going for a job in the same sector with similar managers, speak their language to impress them.
Also, think about the changes you have introduced that have had a positive impact on your employer’s business. Each one is an achievement, even if its not work related! (e.g. started social events, charity runs, etc)
In short, its WHAT YOU DID, not just a regurgitated job description and dates.
Good Luck.
Kieran, ASG.
Great article, thanks!
This is great. Thanks