Avoiding repetition in your resume and cover letter

When you write your resume and cover letter, the same words keep cropping up.

I know for me, I always want to have several "excellents" and "effectives", and a few other of my favorites.

So how to avoid them?

There are several ways.

One of the most obvious is to use a Thesaurus, which is a list of other words to use to mean the same as the one you are searching.

Microsoft Word has one in the "Tools, Langauge" menu. If you highlight the word you are concerened about, it will automatically show you alternatives. Likewise, you can "Google" for an online thesaurus.

Alternatively, almost every job search book has word lists to help you. These word lists will give you other descriptive words, and also suggest action verbs to make your resume more dynamic. They can be very useful.

Again, using Google, search for "word list for resume." I just did it as I write this and a great variety of helpful sites came up.

The other time you need "new" words, is when you want to show that you have whatever a job ad is asking for.

You can't just take what the ad says and copy it into your resume and cover letter, no matter how close a match it is for you. Or at least, you can't do that if you want to be taken seriously as a job candidate.

Instead, go back to the thesaurus and find other ways to express that you have everything the ad is seeking.

That of course is not the total content of either your resume or cover letter, but it's something to bear in mind as you "tweak" your carefully prepared material for each individual position.

Your job is to show that you are an excellent fit for this position.

More help with resumes and cover letters...

Resume writing for computer jobs is a bit different than for other jobs. Find help here...

Other articles on this blog to help you are:

Cover letters to suit each job

Questions about resumes and cover letters

Resumes need action verbs

What does the employer want?

Should you get your Resume professionally written?

Should you get help writing a resume?

Well firstly, I don't like the word "should"! Is getting help writing your resume a good idea?

If you don't know how to write a good one, or writing this type of thing is not your strength, then yes, it is.

Is getting your resume professionally written for you? That is a more difficult question.

It depends on how the process is done.

If you just fill out your work history and information on a form and hand it in for a resume to be written for you, totally by someone else, without your input, then, no, I don't recommend it.

Why not?

Because then you will have a resume that is totally impersonal and describes you in someone else's "voice."

An example of someone else's voice, in the world of books rather than resumes, would be to imagine Dr. Seuss writing (in his usual style) a horror book. It might be very amusing ... or not ... but it would not be in the same "voice", or feel the same, as a horror book by legimate horror book best selling author.

The reason is that these two people have very different styles of writing, and are satisfied with totally different output.

I am not suggesting that either you or your resume writer are into either horror or Dr. Seuss. My point is that the resume will not sound like you if someone you have probably never met before writes it alone.

If you need help with your resume, the best way to get one, is to find a professional resume writer who will work with you.

You are present when the resume is being written. You will be asked questions, and although the resume writer is the one who can turn the phrases, and knows how to draw out your skills for the specific job, you are there being asked if you feel comfortable with what your resume says.

After all, if the resume succeeds and gets you into an interview, you are the one who has to live up to it in front of the employer.

The employer has "got to know you" through your resume. It's all s/he knows about you. It should have given him or her a taste of who you really are, and you should feel comfortable sticking up for everything your resume says.

So yes, by all means, get help to write a dynamic resume that will present you in the best possible light for each job for which you apply. But make sure you are part of the process. Not just supplying information ahead of time - be part of the process of creating the resume. It makes a huge difference.

I assist people, individually, by distance and locally, to write effective resumes. We work together on the process. If you would like to learn more about how....

If you prefer to learn how to write your own resume, I recommend these resources:

The Best Resume And Cover Letter Step By Step Secrets Exposed. This Resume And Cover Letter Step By Step Guide Creates Amazing Job Offers In Less Than 33 Days -- Guaranteed!

Guerrilla Resumes. Gets You Hired For The Job You Want, In 45 Days. Or Your Money Back! Written By 2 Employment Pros With 30+ Years Of Experience

How To Write A Professional Resume. Learn The Secrets Of Writing A Professional Resume Fast! Step By Step Guide Shows You The Way. Written By A Human Resource Professional. Excellent Resume Advice!

Never mention negatives in your resume or cover letter

In a nutshell: It's your job to tell the employer what you DO bring to the job. It's the employer's job to work out what you DON'T bring!

So, let's say computer skills are required. You have great computer skills, but there is one piece of software listed in the job ad that you have no experience on.

Your resume and cover letter should tell in great detail what glorious experience and expertise you have with the software you use. They could also mention (assuming it's true) that you are a quick learner on new and company-specific software.

If the employers looks closely enough at your written material to work out you don't have one experience with one specific piece of software he needs you to use, this mention of learning quickly can help.

However, you then have to be prepared to support that in the interview, with a story of how you learnt some software very quickly, and perhaps, without formal training.

But, to get back to the point, your job on cover letter and resume, is just to list the skills you DO have. Do not mention anything you lack.

After all if you we introduced to someone and they were asking about your work history. You would tell them what you had done only. You would not be likely to say "I am a computer programmer. I have not been a rocket scientist, an astonaut, a personal trainer........" They can work that out from what you tell them you HAVE done.

The same goes for the resume and cover letter. Give all the benefits of what you have done and can do, and leave it at that.

I assist job seekers with resumes and cover letters (USA & Canada).