Making a Cranky Recruiter Smile: Adjectives/Terms/Qualities to Describe Me

Cranky Recruiter has been filing lots of resumes this week, and while looking over a new resume I saw this subject area:

Adjectives/Terms/Qualities to Describe Me

Able, hard-working, determined, accountable, conscientious, down-to-earth, responsible, creative, team-player, initiator, open-minded, out-of-the-box thinker, collaborator,  leader, innovator, professional, diplomatic, flexible, tactful, driven, self-improving, realist, diligent.

This was a fun way to say a lot of the things we all throw on our resume. While this may be a bit of flair, I think those descriptors probably are apt or the person wouldn't call them out specifically.  

Now, I'm a fan of making resumes fun for the reader to view.  I have posted before that if you are in marketing or branding, your resume had better stand out.   What if you put these descriptors at the top of the resume to make them stand out.  Maybe add a little color and some variation.  How about this to set off the top of the resume:

Adjectives/Terms/Qualities that Describe Me

Able hard-working determined accountable conscientious, down-to-earth responsible creative team-player initiator open-minded  out-of-the-box thinker collaborator  leader innovator professional diplomatic flexible tactful driven self-improving realist  diligent

Okay, that might be a bit busy on the top of a resume, but worth a shot.  Maybe craft a little word cloud that would be catchy and space saving.  I do like more avant-garde resumes, but know that they are not to every hiring manager's liking.  You have to craft the resume you feel comfortable with.  But take time to craft something that will be informative and interesting to the reader.  

After reading the resume I wanted to use these adjectives as an example for this blog.  I asked this candidate if he'd be up for me posting about it.  I loved his response, "Yes, you may use my Adjectives/Terms/Qualities to Describe Me section as long as you give me credit publicly on your blog. If you can describe me as a college graduate with an innovative streak in New Jersey who is looking to break into the wine wholesale business, that would be wonderful."  So Evan Bruder out of New Jersey, I definitely will give you credit for making my day.  

Now to see if his descriptors match what I've witnessed in my limited interactions with Evan.....  First, he is highly accountable, citing his name, what he wants and where he is located, publicly.  Scanning those words I come on team-player.  He is letting me use his info for my blog--that's team playing in my book.  All of his communications have been professional and tactful, so those match up.  And i do have to give a nod to the innovator descriptor.  His addition of these items was new and I think highly informative.  

So Evan Bruder out of New Jersey, thanks for putting an original item together on your resume.  If I know of any sales roles within the wholesaler world out in New Jersey we'll be in touch!