Published October 13, 2024 · 4 min read

I've seen countless so-called resume coaches who stuff resumes with flashy buzzwords like 'scalable' and 'fast.' It's all fluff, and it doesn't land real results. A truly impactful CV is about substance over style. Let's dive into how to craft a CV that stands out by focusing on concrete achievements. I center my approach around "Stay away from adjectives." 

No fluff please

Resume Tips

I have been hiring for many years at this point. One thing a hiring manager doesn’t have is time. So, your CV needs to have the least amount of crap. I have seven tips as follows:

Focus on Achievements, Not Responsibilities

Instead of listing tasks you were responsible for, emphasize what you accomplished. Use quantifiable results wherever possible. For instance, replace "Managed a team of developers" with "Led a team of 6 developers, resulting in a 30% reduction in delivery time."

Use Action Verbs

Start bullet points with action verbs that convey impact, such as "developed," "initiated," "implemented," or "optimized." This keeps your tone strong and direct while avoiding vague descriptions.

Be Specific with Metrics

Numbers catch the eye and demonstrate the scale of your achievements. For example, "Increased website traffic by 50% in 6 months" is far more compelling than "Increased website traffic."

Cut Out Fluff

Avoid subjective language like "excellent," "outstanding," or "innovative." Instead, let your work speak for itself through concrete examples. Replace "achieved excellent customer satisfaction" with "Improved customer satisfaction score from 80% to 95%."

Structure for Readability

Use bullet points and concise phrasing to make your CV skimmable. Hiring managers often spend mere seconds on each CV. So, you need to be extremely clear. Avoid long paragraphs; break up your experience into clear, impactful statements.

Keep It Relevant

If you really want the job, then tailor your CV to it. Focus on the most relevant skills and achievements for the role. This shows a direct fit without unnecessary details that could dilute your impact. I know job hunting is a numbers game from time to time. So, a generic CV that tells your main expertise would do, too. You shouldn’t really diverge from your strength too much anyway. 

Highlight Leadership & Problem-Solving

Demonstrate instances where you identified challenges and proactively addressed them. Avoid adjectives like "visionary" or "strategic"; instead, outline the concrete results of your leadership.

A real life Example

Here’s an example of someone who claims to coach others on resume writing, but falls short:

"Versatile Frontend Developer with over 3 years experience in designing, developing, and implementing scalable and responsive enterprise level application with configurable approach, creating common framework components for easy & quick development."

Breakdown of Problems 

Here's a breakdown of problems in the resume summary:

Adjective Overuse: Words like "versatile," "scalable," and "responsive" are adjectives that add fluff without contributing measurable information. Staying away from adjectives will make the CV more impactful.

Lack of Specific Metrics: The summary uses broad terms like "over 3 years of experience" and "enterprise level application" without any quantifiable details. Specific numbers or achievements, such as "developed 5 scalable web applications serving over 10,000 users," would be much more compelling.

Vague Phrasing: Phrases like "configurable approach" and "quick development" are unclear. It’s better to describe exactly what was done, such as "implemented reusable components that reduced development time by 20%."

Focus on Responsibilities Rather Than Achievements: The text lists tasks like "designing, developing, and implementing," but it doesn’t highlight specific results or impacts. Adding details such as "led the development of a responsive web application that increased client satisfaction by 15%" would add more value.

Suggested Rewrite

"Frontend Developer with 3+ years of experience in building responsive web applications. Developed reusable components that reduced development time by 20% and led the implementation of scalable features for applications serving 10,000+ users."

You need to market yourself. And your CV is the most important one when you’re applying to jobs.

A well-crafted resume is a personal marketing document that showcases your skills, experience, and accomplishments in a way that convinces the hiring manager you’re the best fit for the job.

Alison Doyle

By focusing on the measurable impact of your work and keeping your CV concise and straightforward, you'll present a strong case for your candidacy. You definitely don’t need any fluff. If anything, that makes me less impressed. The key is to communicate your value clearly and directly, making it easy for hiring managers to see how you can contribute.