Résumés use a unique style of writing to emphasize brevity in order to maximize the reader’s time. Many people find this style of writing a bit confusing when they first encounter it, so I wanted to clarify for you how résumés are written.
Résumé Tense Examples:
- Résumés use a version of first-person style, but omit the subject (“I” / “me” / “my”).
- We use present tense for activities you currently perform, and past tense for past activities and achievements (particularly for older positions on your résumé, but also to describe responsibilities you once performed in your current job, but no longer do).
- To emphasize brevity, we remove most articles (“a” / “an” / “the” / “my”), except when doing so would hurt the readability of the sentence.
- We write in a strong, active style, emphasizing action verbs (“direct” / “manage” / “conduct” / “develop”) instead of passive descriptions of activity.
- Most often, numbers one through nine are spelled out; numbers 10 and above are expressed as numbers.
If you have any specific questions about the language used in your résumé, let me know! Otherwise, please be assured that I have written your résumé to conform to the generally-accepted principles of résumé writing. Check out more ways to properly write a résumé here.
Schedule your complimentary resume assessment.
The following two tabs change content below.
A big dreamer as well as a big do-er, Madelyn draws on her experience of successfully navigating three high-profile careers to provide the expert advice, encouragement, and step-by-step action plans you need to activate your career dreams.
Latest posts by Madelyn (see all)
- 11 Best Practices for Working With Applicant Tracking Systems - November 24, 2021
- Should I Put My Vaccination Status on My Résumé? - November 11, 2021
- 12 Strategies to the Hidden Job Market - August 12, 2021
- Activate Your Career Dreams Resume Checklist - July 30, 2021
