Whether you’re writing a college essay, answering the question, “How would you describe yourself?” during an interview or posting about your professional accomplishments on social media, the adjectives you use to describe yourself make all the difference. It’s important to select words that highlight your best qualities without sounding cliche. For example, avoid using overused phrases such as, “hard-working” and “team player.” Instead, focus on your unique strengths that differentiate you from other applicants, such as a rare certification or an unconventional career path that gives you a broad perspective.
Describe yourself with words that reflect your personality, character and abilities. Whether you’re discussing your work ethic, leadership style, communication skills or problem-solving capabilities, the adjectives you choose can give hiring managers insight into how you would fit into the company culture and what value you could add to their organization.
When interviewers ask the question, “How would you describe yourself?” it’s an opportunity for you to show that you have what it takes to be successful in the role. However, if you’re nervous or unable to articulate your own qualities, the answer may not provide the positive impression that you deserve.
Your choice of adjectives will determine how you’re perceived, so it’s critical to understand the meanings and uses of each word. This article provides an overview of the various words you can use to describe yourself and offers a list of the best adjectives that convey your strengths.
How to Use You
In English, you is both singular and plural; it can be used as a personal pronoun or as the object of a preposition. You can also use it to refer to yourself by name (you as your own person). The distinction between the singular thee and thou gradually faded, and special plural forms such as you-all, you-uns, yez and youse were introduced, but none of them became standard.
Although the verb you can be used as a subject pronoun, it’s most often used in the object form, in the phrase you guys. Younger speakers and some politically progressive individuals find this slangy phrase gendered and problematically noninclusive of transgender and nonbinary persons, so they prefer to avoid it.
The adjectives you use to describe yourself should focus on your strengths and highlight your personality. Recruiters and hiring managers want to hire people who are dependable, organized and focused on achieving results, so your descriptions should emphasize these traits. Inventive: Demonstrate your ability to produce new ideas and solutions. Strategic: Emphasize your ability to plan and execute with long-term goals in mind. Dedicated: Indicates your commitment to your work and the company. Analytical: Demonstrate your ability to interpret data and make informed decisions. Productive: Show how you can accomplish tasks and projects with efficiency. If you’re unsure which adjectives to use when describing yourself, consult with family members and friends for feedback. You can also ask them how they would describe you and why. The most honest answers can be the best.