Take a look at real estate listings.  Read a restaurant menu. 

Invariably, the descriptions of houses and entrées are dressed up to pique interest.  They take writing euphemistically to the Nth degree. 

A “charming fixer-upper with loads of potential in a quaint neighborhood,” for instance, is real estate talk for “rundown house surrounded by other rundown houses.”

And, of course, a “hearty helping of pasta smothered in our special house sauce, accompanied by two generous portions of hand ground chuck” is restaurant speak for “spaghetti and meatballs.”

Real estate and restaurant wordsmiths’ techniques can be applied to resume writing, too, by focusing on three things: 

Key point.  A house.  An entrée.  An accomplishment.  When describing a house, agents describe one house; a chef describes one dish.  Likewise, when describing an accomplishment, it’s wise to describe only one at a time; lumping them together prevents readers from focusing.

Sell it.  Much as a home buyer would have no interest in a house described as “a dump,” a diner would similarly be less interested in a meal described as “something you could make at home for 80% less than we charge.”  Jobseekers, likewise, need to sell their accomplishments to hiring managers.  How? By quantifying and writing euphemistically.  And, when trying to sell, it’s wise to focus on – and write to – the buyer’s (employer’s) needs.

Professional and sparing.  A little goes a long ways.  Reading menus or home listings extensively can numb readers, rendering the carefully crafted prose ineffective.  After a while, all of the descriptions will seem the same.  Resumes are the same: overuse of flowery language will cause sensory overload in hiring managers.  As such, it’s wise to keep the descriptive language professional and not overdo the adjectives.

IN THE CARAVAN: Resumes can be improved by using real estate and menu writing techniques.

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