Word for what you think of yourself

Knowing how to describe yourself well is the first step towards success in an interview. It’s one of the most common questions during a job interview, if not the first.

How you describe yourself in an interview will help the interviewer assess your skills, traits, and attributes. It’s also a way for you to demonstrate how you can add value to their organization.

In this article, you’ll learn how to describe yourself in a structured manner. You’ll also learn which words to use in your job interview and see examples of these scenarios at work.

• How to describe yourself: A step-by-step guide
• Adjectives to describe yourself in three words
• How NOT to describe yourself in an interview: 5 mistakes to avoid
• Personalized interview coaching

One of the best ways to prepare for interviews is to look for insights from professionals in the industry you want to enter. That way, you’ll know what to expect and how to be the best candidate to exceed those expectations. In other words, having an industry professional coach will increase your chances of both acing an interview and nailing a job.

Before everything else, you have to remember that you need to start strong in your introductions. That’s because whoever’s interviewing you might cut the interview short if they don’t feel like you’re ready or if you’re not taking it seriously.

So here are ways to ensure your interview gets off the right foot. We’ll also provide examples of how to describe yourself in an interview when appropriate.

How to describe yourself: A step-by-step guide

When an interviewer asks you to introduce yourself, they’re asking you to describe yourself. Since that’s a broad question, you’ll need to create a structure for it. Here’s a simple introduction structure you can use:

1. Personal details
2. Three adjectives
3. Your achievements
4. Expectations setting

1. Personal details

When you start a conversation with someone you just met, you don’t go straight to the point.

The same in interviews. Start by telling your name and where you live. You don’t have to go into detail, but it helps to let the interviewer know about your living arrangement, such as who you live with and if you have pets.

It is your chance to inject warmth into the conversation. Don’t be afraid to be a little candid, as long as it’s appropriate for the situation. For example, you can say you like the city you’re living in, and that’s why you’re looking for work there if the job you’re applying for is in the same area.

Example answer:

“I’m (name). Pleasure speaking to you. Right now, I live in (city) by myself/with my family/with my partner. I lived here my whole life/moved here for work/when I was (age).

I’ve heard good things about (organization) in (industry), and it’s located in a great place. So I decided (organization) is a great company to pivot my career to after (years of employment) at (company name)/finishing (degree name) from (university name).”

2. Three adjectives

We’ll cover this more in-depth later. For now, what you need to know is that these three words are your most defining traits at work. Go for powerful adjectives open for further elaboration.

Example answer:

“If I had to pick three adjectives to describe myself, I’d choose resourceful, encouraging, and results-driven.

I’m resourceful because I find ways to deliver even in high-pressure situations. I’m quick to find new solutions if the current methodology is lacking. At the same time, I keep my team’s morale up by hearing out their problems and reminding them to take a breather when needed.

Being resourceful and encouraging to my team helps us achieve our set goals and tweak them so we don’t plateau in growth.”

3. Your achievements

Focus on achievements and milestones related to the job posting. In our example, the focus will be on someone applying as a content marketing manager. This person needs to use assertive language when citing concrete examples to drive home that they’re a value-add to their potential employer.

Example answer:

“In my last company, I was responsible for a 200% increase in blog traffic. By working inter-departmentally, I spearheaded an overhaul of schedules and campaigns that grew our audience. And by creating a relay system with our BDR team, we doubled our conversion rate.”

4. Expectations setting

If given the opportunity, you should try to set expectations for what you can bring to your potential employer. As much as possible, do this after you’ve asked questions about their company, and why they need the position they’re hiring for. That way, you can tailor your answer to their needs.

Example answer:

“If I become your content manager, I can take stock of your organization’s current needs and identify what strategies are needed to meet them. We can then work on a long-term plan to work on neglected goals and create new ones we can achieve per quarter. I can also introduce team bonding exercises I developed in my last place of work, proven to improve morale and synergy.”

Adjectives to describe yourself in three words

“Describe yourself in three words” is a common interview question. By asking you to describe yourself in three words, interviewers assess whether or not you have a firm grasp of your working style and personality.

It also tells the interviewer how you view yourself. Plus, it allows them to envision how you’ll fit within the workplace.

So when you’re looking for three words to describe yourself, you might feel a little overwhelmed by the choices. To lessen the pressure, try to group adjectives under traits that employers look for the most in interviews. You can try splitting these adjectives up by these five traits:

1. Industrious
2. Results-driven
3. Adaptable
4. Encouraging
5. Genuine

In many of the articles and videos you’ll find online, you’ll find that interviewers like hearing adjectives related to these traits the most. That’s because these words reveal how you interact with others, how you think, and how your skills align with your personality.

When picking adjectives to describe yourself, remember that you’re selling yourself. You need to be positive, yet realistic. Make sure you’re not exaggerating to the point of being dishonest.

At the same time, don’t be self-deprecating! There’s a way to remain humble without hurting your chances of getting hired, as the sample answers below show. And before you speak, parse out what you’re trying to say and think about it to avoid any misunderstandings.

1. Industrious

• Persistent
• Tireless
• Diligent
• Conscientious
• Persevering

Before anything else, you should note that some articles discourage the use of “hard-working”. This post points out that you can’t prove that right off the bat. Instead, it’s better if you use words that can be parlayed into examples of how you demonstrate your industriousness.

Example: “I was persistent in reaching out to our customers who had negative feedback about our product. Because of my conscientious work, my team identified major problems and addressed them.”

2. Results-driven

• Results-oriented
• Goal-directed
• Purposeful
• Committed
• Ambitious

It’s best to show your potential employer that you always have your eyes on the prize. By showing that you’re working towards goals, your interviewer will feel confident that you’re determined to be a top performer. While companies might expect this, you never know how meaningful it is to meet their expectations.

Example: “Because I’m results-driven, I look forward to working with the team to share my passion so we can meet our goals. If the worst happens, I want to ensure we can still turn things around for a net positive.”

3. Flexible

• Versatile
• Innovative
• Inventive
• Dynamic
• Resourceful

Workplace flexibility is expected of everyone, but not everyone has it. You need to be flexible to adapt to evolving challenges. You also need to show that you’re willing to modify how you approach your work to reach your goals.

Example: “I’m quite resourceful. For example, when my team needed to shift to another software to publish our content, I took courses in advance to help the team out during our retraining.”

4. Encouraging

• Coactive
• Supportive
• Corroborative
• Synergistic
• Diligent

A study in 2019 identified soft skills as a deal-maker and breaker for 92% of talent professionals and hiring managers when it comes to hiring candidates. An important soft skill is your ability to communicate and work well with others.

Example: “I’ve been described as coactive, as I tend to meet with my co-workers after hours and between breaks to help them map out their career path within the company.”

5. Genuine

• Authentic
• Sincere
• Credible
• Unfeigned
• Honest

Similar to the set of adjectives above, this set has to do with your interpersonal skills. While everyone is expected to be honest at work, can you set the record straight while remaining tactful?

Remember that being brutally honest all the time isn’t necessarily the best option. Any strong surge of emotion might lead you to say something untrue, gravely exaggerated, or intentionally hurtful, even if it’s your sincere opinion. So while you aim to be authentic, be careful when you tell the truth, and time it right.

Example: “Integrity is important to me. I must be consistent with how I act at work and be upfront with the people I work with, so none of us have to compromise on what we bring to the table.”

How NOT to describe yourself in an interview: 5 mistakes to avoid

Now that you know how to describe yourself in an interview, let’s look at some mistakes to avoid. These run the gamut from careless words and phrases to statements that might seem honest but would damage your chances.

1. Using filler words

Filler words hurt your chances in a job interview. A “basically”, “um”, or “like” makes you sound as if you didn’t think what you’re trying to say through. Don’t forget that you can ask for time to think about a question, or to have the interviewer repeat their answer if you don’t understand.

Aside from these verbal tics, you should also avoid ambiguous words. For example, avoid using “experience” and “basically”, and go straight for an elaboration. Avoid cliche words too, like “self-starter”, “motivated”, and “dedicated”.

Finally, avoid casual and double-edged adjectives. “Cool” and “radical” might be too informal for a business setting, even if the organization is relaxed. “Competitive” and “perfectionist”, meanwhile, may tell interviewers that you might prioritize your career above the overall wellness and performance of your team.

2. Badmouthing

You should also choose your words carefully when talking about previous employers. Industries are smaller than you think. If you bad-mouth an ex-employer, your potential employer will think this is your attitude towards everyone you previously worked with.

Other than that, you might be spilling NDA-protected information. Even if it’s nothing specific, it shows your potential employer that you’re careless with classified data. Plus, even if you don’t say the word “hate”, it’s implied if you rant about a previous employer. That “hate” might get you classified as a “high-risk candidate”.

3. Sounding uninterested

Your interviewer will take notice if you’re detached and unconfident from the start. Interviewers want candidates who are certain about their skills and are confident enough to convince them that they’re the perfect fit for the job.

They also want someone who knows what they want from the job and is curious enough to ask questions after or during the interview.

4. Sounding boastful

Unless you can prove that you’re a leading voice in the industry, don’t use the word “authority” to describe yourself in an interview. Chances are, you’ll come across as unskilled for the level of expertise you say you have. Give a modest assessment of your competencies, and prove it instead of saying it.

On a related note, be open to not knowing something. Not being the authority of a subject or field opens you up to the possibility of growth. It also gives birth to the possibility of having a niche or specialization that prospective employers can chalk up as a value add.

5. Negative self-talk

Being negative about yourself is completely different from self-criticism. Don’t lead your answers with things you can’t do or tasks that will challenge you. Think of a way to rephrase these answers to show that you can create positives from these potential negatives.

And when you’re asked to talk about the biggest challenge you’ve faced at work, emphasize how you overcame it, and what you learned from it. Keep the story you tell relevant to the job, or at least, how you solved the challenge. Use the STAR method to keep your thoughts organized and sound credible.

Now, what if you need a little help putting your interview together? As you can recall from the start of the article, there’s a recommendation for one-on-one coaching.

Personalized interview coaching

For Erik Hernal, the one-on-one coaching he received through Acadium Plus helped him retain his education and training better than traditional schooling.

Both his resume and job interview skills were polished by on-demand coaching from an industry expert. He also didn’t lack experience, as he took courses taught by industry professionals and gained hands-on knowledge by matching with a business in digital marketing.

In the end, Erik quickly landed work at Cleverly Agency as its new VP of Marketing.

“After the program, I felt more career-ready. I knew that first and foremost my resumé was excellent because I had a pro actually review and walk me through it.”

Your interviews can be a walk in the park if you know how to prepare for them. One thing you shouldn’t forget in your preparation is that you’re upselling yourself in interviews.

That means you need to put your accomplishments in a positive light. But be careful not to overdo to the point where you’re overselling your skills or outright lying. You must subsequently ride the crest of energy that your confidence creates to keep the interview going.

Don’t lose this confidence or energy if your interviewer appears inscrutable and you can’t gauge their reactions. Just keep going, answer questions with thought, and show the interviewer that you should pass this interview and get the job, or go to the next stage of the hiring process.

Lastly, you can’t always guess company values, but you can always look at their website and tailor your answers to reflect what you see there.

Preparations will help your interviews go smoothly. Keep this post open when you do your prep to keep yourself on the right track.

«How would you describe yourself» is one of the most common questions asked in a job interview. You’re pressed to come up with unique and suitable words to describe yourself and paint yourself in the best light in a matter of seconds. 

What is the best way to describe yourself as a job applicant? 

The best way to describe yourself during a job interview is the way that give concrete examples of what you have done in the last roles or bring your accomplishments to the table. The words you use to describe yourself needs to allow you to show your personal traits and thus sets you apart from other candidates. 

Actually, before you are interviewed for a job, you likely have already worked on how to describe yourself. When you write your resume, you carefully select words on it to describe yourself to attract the HR’s attention.

Describing yourself, or self-introduction, is never an easy task. To do it well when you’re applying for a job, whether it is to describe yourself to the interviewer or to come up with the best words to describe yourself on a resume, is even harder. You may accidentally choose adjectives or phrases that are not positive or professional or talk too much when you’re asked to describe yourself in just a few words.   

But, worry no more — we’ve got you covered.

💡 #1: Know your audience.

To determine what words to use to describe yourself, whether on a resume or during a social gathering, consider where you’re are and who you’re talking with. Are you describing yourself to get a job or are you introducing yourself on your socials?  Each scenario features a specific audience and therefore different words should be used while you describe yourself. 

To describe yourself on resumes or in cover letters, pick descriptive words that emphasize your skills and achievement. 

How about describing yourself in a job interview? You might be asked to tell the interviewer about yourself. Or, sometimes, you might be asked to describe yourself in a word, three words or five words. In an interview, you are allowed to elaborate on your answers.

First, pay attention to the question and answer exactly what is asked. Before you start speaking, think of what is the most desired skill or trait for this role. Pick a word or start a short sentence that showcases that you have that skill.

Lastly, if you’re writing a professional bio on your social media to attract recruiters. The words you choose can be more casual but still best define yourself and the career path you’re taking. Tailor the words in the description about yourself to demonstrate professionalism and abilities by thinking about the general skills and personal traits that are deemed necessary for your career.

💡 #2: Know how you want to present yourself.

Next, once you have a clear audience in mind, decide how you’d like yourself to appear to them and attract them effectively. 

For example, if you are being interviewed for an engineering role for which debugging is important, you can choose words that put emphasis on your analytical or problem-solving skills to describe yourself. Then provide a real-life example to elaborate.

Or, if you want to demonstrate your leadership skills effectually in a job interview. Thus, you can choose words to describe yourself like, encouraging, mentoring, and strategic thinking, to directly answer the describe yourself question. 

If you expect the audience to be impressed by your communication skills, give them an answer that contains such adjectives as: confident, approachable, and persuasive. 

To present yourself as a creative thinker, try to include these phrases in your answer for describing yourself: 

• Open-minded to other people’s ideas
• Keep eyes on the latest industry trends 
• See things from diverse perspectives

💡 #3: Beware that different words can give off various impressions.

Be careful when choosing adjectives to describe yourself because many words can have the same meaning but create different impressions. For example, “ambitious” and “aggressive” can both be used to describe someone who wants to achieve a lot. But the word “aggressive” can sometimes give off a wrong impression in certain situations. 

Thus, it’s particularly important to focus more on the impression that the word creates, not just the meaning. Also, if possible, do research on the company you’re applying to or interviewing at to know their company culture and decide what words are safe to use when you describe yourself—-either on a resume or in an interview. 

Just like “doing the right thing at the right time and in the right way”, you need to choose the best way to describe yourself in a particular situation. 

Check out the list of words to describe yourself for the 4 different scenarios, as shown below. 

✨ Words to describe yourself for job interviews

Adaptable	Adventurous
Ambitious	Courageous
Disciplined	Dynamic
Energetic	Enthusiastic
Friendly	Humble
Independent	Meticulous
Motivated	Open-minded
Passionate	Patient
Reliable	Resourceful
Sincere	Sociable

✨ Words to describe yourself for resumes

Accomplished	Attention to detail
Compassionate	Creative thinker
Dedicated	Determined
Diligent	Experienced
Excel	Goal-driven
Intuitive	Leader
Problem-solver	Proficient
Results-oriented	Self-confident
Self-motivated	Self-taught
Skillful	Sympathetic

✨ Words to describe yourself for college applications

Active listening	Adaptive
Cheerful	Cooperative
Creativity	Critical thinking
Determined	Dutiful
Eager	Enthusiastic
Fast learner	Go-getter
Hard-working	Organized
Patient	Pro-active
Team player	Responsive
Skillful	Well-planned

✨ Words to describe yourself for networking events

Approachable	Calm
Caring	Collaborative
Confident	Considerate
Diplomatic	Easy-going
Encouraging	Entrepreneurial
Extroverted	Flexible
Good listener	Humorous
Multilingual	Open-minded
People-person	Personable
Sociable	Storyteller

While writing your resume, carefully choose words to describe yourself. The words used on a resume to describe you should be effective and shouldn’t take up much space as the space on a resume is limited and the recruiter generally doesn’t linger too long on a single resume.

Simple adjectives would suffice. The other best words you can describe yourself on a resume are actually statistics. Numbers speak volumes, and they can help the recruiter measure your ability and accomplishment.  

Although the whole resume is technically a document that describe you professionally, there are sections that where you can fit in one or two words that help you stand out among a group of candidates. These sections are:

• Resume profile
• Resume summary or objective
• Work experience 
• Skills

A resume profile is a short bio. You can describe yourself with words that demonstrate the most wanted personal traits in your resume profile, for example, analytical data analyst or passionate leadership. 

The Resume summary, or objective, presents you professionally in a couple of sentences, in which a few descriptive words can give the recruiter a clear picture of your ability and accomplishments. You can, for instance, include words like «proven track record» in it and explain the level and scope of your professional achievement. 

The work experience is an excellent place to squeeze words to describe yourself to make your resume more appealing as you can detail your work achievement with sentences in it. For example, while describing your success, you can add words like «undertake thorough reviews» or «wisely manage».

In the skills section on your resume, words to describe yourself should allow the recruiter to measure your skills. Simply listing down various skills can be insignificant if you don’t describe how well you perform the skill. In this case, words like «advanced programming» can be helpful.

If you’re going to have a job interview, be prepared for self-introduction and personal trait questions. Below are the 4 sample answers for the describe yourself question that will help you nail your job interview. 

Q1: Describe yourself in one word.

Answer: I would say I’m a great team player. I feel very comfortable working with people and always bring positive energy to the team. I also understand the dynamics of working in a group well to ensure productivity. As a digital marketing specialist, I frequently collaborate with people on both cross-team and inter-team projects. I believe that I have always been able to perform well and connect with every person in my team. 

💭 Tip: When asked to define yourself in one word, you shouldn’t just say that word without giving reasons. Instead, make sure you demonstrate that characteristic through a clear explanation or specific examples.  

Q2: What are three words that describe you?

Answer: The first word I would use to describe myself is curious. I love exploring the world out there and researching new things, especially technology. That’s why I decide to pursue a career in IT. I’m also quite flexible. I can multitask with ease and go with the flow even when a situation is out of my control. Lastly, I am very determined and don’t give up easily. 

💭 Tip: Keep in mind not to describe yourself in 3 words that contradict each other. For instance, it doesn’t make sense if you define yourself as an introvert and an extrovert. What’s more, choose three attributes that are most suitable for the job you’re applying for. 

Q3: Describe yourself in 5 words.

Answer: If I have to describe myself in 5 words, I would say I am detail-oriented, enthusiastic, self-motivated, creative, and reliable. I love fashion and beauty since I was a kid. So, I never mind putting in some extra effort and even money to make sure the makeup works by me turn out flawless, unique, and deliver a seamless customer experience. 

💭 Tip: In this case, it’s not necessary to explain all things that describe yourself since it may take a lot of time. However, interviewers would expect to hear words that best embody your personal brand.

Q4: Describe yourself in one sentence.

Answer: I would say I am innovative, adaptable to change, and goal-driven — someone who is willing to take on difficult challenges and can be relied upon to help an organization achieve its goals. 

💭 Tip: If the interviewer asks you this, it means he/she doesn’t have a lot of time for this question. Hence, keep your answer for describing yourself as concise and impressive as possible. It’s also fine if you mention either only one or a variety of qualities.

Q3: How would you describe yourself?

Answer: I would describe myself as a persistent person. I don’t give up easily when I am faced with challenges. Quite the contrary, I love challenges as I see them as puzzles and solving puzzles is what I am passionate about. 

💭 Tip: If asked this question, you can either choose a single word to describ

Using wrong phrases and inappropriate ways to describe yourself can hurt your chances of getting the job. Read on to learn about the sets of words you will need to avoid when talking about yourself.

❌ General traits

The following words are commonly picked by most candidates: 

1. Calm
2. Careful
3. Ethical 
4. Hard-working
5. Honest
6. Intelligent
7. Loyal
8. Patient
9. Punctual
10. Serious

You can derive lots of benefits from having such traits in daily life, not just at work. They are good adjectives to describe yourself but not a suitable answer for questions like “describing yourself” in the interview.

These traits are basic and general. They cannot help you provide unique character traits that will resonate with the interviewer and thus stand out from the competition.

❌ Negative things that describe yourself

It’s always great to be honest and stay true to yourself. That being said, some of the words don’t have a negative connotation but may give off a wrong impression during a job interview. 

Check out the list of words to describe yourself that the audience may not want to hear: 

1. Aggressive
2. Easy-going
3. Introverted
4. Fast
5. Imaginative
6. Outspoken
7. Perfectionist
8. Risk-taker
9. Straightforward
10. Stubborn

❌ Words to avoid in a professional setting

As a job seeker, you need to select professional words to describe yourself so that hiring managers can see whether you will perform well and be a cultural fit in the workplace. 

Below are some words that are not suitable for job applications and interviews: 

1. Athletic
2. Brave
3. Chilled
4. Couch potato
5. Day-dreamer
6. Family-oriented
7. Funny
8. Generous
9. Religious
10. Speedy

— Originally written by May Luong —

One skill everyone should have, whether you’re applying to college or for a job, is how to describe yourself in a way that’s both accurate and unique. In other words, what are some interesting, eye-catching words to describe yourself with?

We list more than 250 describing words and give you tips for figuring out how to pick words that best suit you and your personality. But first, what are some situations in which you’d need to know describing words?

Why Might You Need to Describe Yourself?

Before we dive into our list of words to describe yourself, let’s answer an important question: why would you actually need to know any of these words? Put differently, in what situations would you need the following words to describe someone or yourself?

Here are some key instances you’ll want to use these words to describe yourself:

• Cover letter: A cover letter is required for most job applications; it emphasizes the best and most impressive aspects of yourself as a job candidate. As a result, you’ll need to pick words that really make you stand out in a positive light.
• Job interview: It’s common for an interviewer to ask you to describe yourself in a number of words; therefore, it’s important that you know some unique words you can use if you end up getting asked this basic interview question.
• College application/personal essay: Most college applications require applicants to submit a personal statement (though not all do!). Your essay will stand out if you have some original and interesting words to describe yourself.
• Online profile: Spice up your personal online profile, such as a dating profile or social media profile, by sprinkling in a few eye-catching adjectives.

Furthermore, if English is not your native language, this list of words to describe yourself can be a really great study resource you can use to learn some new vocabulary words!

Most of these words are adjectives, but you’ll also come across some nouns, too. We’ve divided up our list of words to describe someone in the following categories:

• Cover Letter/Job Interview
• College Application
• Online Profile

All words are listed in alphabetical order.

Words to Describe Yourself in a Cover Letter/Job Interview

You can use these professional words to describe yourself on a cover letter or in a job interview.

Interviewers often ask candidates to describe themselves in one to three words, so familiarizing yourself with some particularly interesting (and, of course, truthful!) words you can use to describe yourself should give you a leg up in the interview process.

We’ll also give you a list of words you should not use to describe yourself on a cover letter and in a job interview.

• Accomplished
• Accountable
• Adaptable
• Adept [at something]
• Ambitious
• Analytical
• Articulate
• Assertive
• Attentive
• Authentic
• Balanced
• Bilingual
• Brave
• Calm
• Candid
• Capable
• Careful
• Cheerful
• Collaborative
• Committed
• Communicative
• Community-minded
• Compassionate
• Confident
• Conscientious
• Consistent
• Constructive
• Cooperative
• Courageous
• Creative
• Cultured
• Curious
• Customer-focused
• Daring
• Decisive
• Dedicated
• Dependable
• Detail-oriented
• Determined
• Diligent
• Diplomatic
• Direct
• Discerning
• Driven
• Dynamic
• Easygoing
• Efficient
• Encouraging
• Energetic
• Enterprising
• Entrepreneurial
• Ethical
• Experienced
• Extroverted
• Fair
• Fast
• Fearless
• Flexible
• Friendly
• Genuine
• Goal-oriented
• Hardworking
• High-achieving
• Honest
• Imaginative
• Impartial
• Independent
• Innovative
• Integrity
• International
• Introverted
• Inventive
• Judicious
• Knowledgeable
• Leader
• Level-headed
• Loyal
• Mature
• Mediator
• Methodical
• Meticulous
• Mindful
• Motivated
• Multilingual
• Objective
• Observant
• Open-minded
• Optimistic
• Organized
• Outgoing
• Particular
• Passionate
• Patient
• Perceptive
• Perfectionist
• Perseverant
• Persistent
• Personable
• Persuasive
• Positive
• Practical
• Pragmatic
• Precise
• Proactive
• Problem solver
• Productive
• Professional
• Punctual
• Quick
• Rational
• Receptive [to criticism]
• Reflective
• Reliable
• Resolute
• Resourceful
• Respectful
• Responsible
• Results-driven
• Revenue-focused
• Self-disciplined
• Self-reliant
• Self-starter
• Sensible
• Serious
• Skilled
• Strategic
• Successful
• Tactful
• Team player
• Tech-savvy
• Tenacious
• Thorough
• Tidy
• Tolerant
• Trustworthy
• Understanding
• Unique
• Upbeat
• Versatile
• Visionary
• Worldly

Words to NOT Use to Describe Yourself in a Job Interview

All the words above are fair game for a cover letter and/or job interview, just as long as they’re true about you and you use them in a way that doesn’t make it come across like bragging.

Now, here are some words you should avoid using in a professional situation, as they can make you sound self-centered, pretentious, or simply unoriginal:

• Experienced
• Flawless
• Humble
• Intelligent
• Likable
• Perfect
• Popular
• Powerful
• Smart
• Wise

In addition to these words, you should avoid any words with a clearly negative connotation, such as «lazy,» «loud,» «moody,» and so on.

Words to Describe Yourself on a College Application

College applications are all about showcasing your biggest strengths, how you’ll fit with the school, and your authentic self.

Unlike job interviews and cover letters, you’re typically allowed (and encouraged) to get a little more personal on college applications, especially with the personal essay, which highlights your positive qualities and who you are as a person.

Here are some words to describe yourself on a college application. (Note that many of these words overlap with those on the list above.) Afterward, we’ll give you some examples of words you should avoid in your college application.

• Accomplished
• Adaptable
• Adept [at something]
• Advocate
• Ambitious
• Artistic
• Athletic
• Brave
• Bubbly
• Capable
• Careful
• Caring
• Cautious
• Collaborative
• Compassionate
• Conscientious
• Cooperative
• Courageous
• Creative
• Curious
• Daring
• Dedicated
• Determined
• Diligent
• Down-to-earth
• Driven
• Empathetic
• Enthusiastic
• Extroverted
• Fearless
• Friendly
• Fun
• Funny
• Generous
• Gentle
• Goal-oriented
• Hardworking
• High-achieving
• Honest
• Humorous
• Imaginative
• Independent
• Integrity
• International
• Introverted
• Leader
• Loyal
• Meticulous
• Modest
• Motivated
• Musical
• Open-minded
• Optimistic
• Organized
• Outdoorsy
• Outgoing
• Passionate
• Perfectionist
• Perseverant
• Polite
• Proactive
• Problem solver
• Productive
• Professional
• Reliable
• Resilient
• Responsible
• Scholarly
• Scientific
• Self-disciplined
• Self-reliant
• Sincere
• Skilled
• Social butterfly
• Strong
• Strong-willed
• Studious
• Supportive
• Talented
• Tenacious
• Thoughtful
• Understanding
• Unique

Words to NOT Use to Describe Yourself on a College Application

You really want to avoid seeming pretentious or entitled in your college essay. As such, I advise against using any of these words to describe yourself:

• Amazing
• Deserving [of something]
• Flawless
• Genius
• Intelligent
• Likable
• Perfect
• Popular
• Prodigy
• Rich
• Smart
• Wise

In addition, do not use any clearly negative describing words; here are some examples:

• Careless
• Lazy
• Noncommittal
• Oblivious
• Selfish
• Unmotivated
• Xenophobic

Words to Describe Yourself in an Online Profile

This last set of words to describe yourself can be used in more casual, relaxed spaces, such as an online dating profile or a social media account.

You could also use these words to describe someone else, such as a character in a work of fiction you’re writing.

• Active
• Adventurous
• Affectionate
• Alternative
• Amiable
• Approachable
• Articulate
• Artistic
• Assertive
• Athletic
• Awkward
• Brave
• Bubbly
• Calm
• Candid
• Carefree
• Clever
• Clumsy
• Competitive
• Confident
• Conservative
• Considerate
• Controversial
• Courteous
• Crazy
• Creative
• Dedicated
• Devoted
• Down-to-earth
• Easygoing
• Eccentric
• Eclectic
• Educated
• Emotional
• Empathetic
• Energetic
• Enthusiastic
• Exuberant
• Family-oriented
• Fearless
• Fierce
• Fit
• Forgiving
• Friendly
• Fun
• Funny
• Generous
• Genuine
• Good listener
• Goofy
• Gregarious
• Happy
• Hardworking
• Health nut
• Helpful
• Honest
• Humble
• Humorous
• Idealistic
• Independent
• Insightful
• Instinctive
• Intelligent
• Intense
• Interesting
• Intuitive
• Kind
• Kindhearted
• Laid-back
• Loving
• Meditative
• Meticulous
• Modest
• Motivated
• Musical
• [Noun] lover
• Open-minded
• Original
• Outspoken
• Passionate
• Peaceful
• Perceptive
• Perfectionist
• Philosophical
• Playful
• Progressive
• Protective
• Proud
• Quiet
• Quirky
• Random
• Rational
• Rebellious
• Reflective
• Religious
• Respectful
• Risk taker
• Romantic
• Self-assured
• Selfless
• Sensible
• Sensitive
• Sensuous
• Serious
• Sexy
• Shrewd
• Shy
• Silly
• Sincere
• Social butterfly
• Soft-spoken
• Sophisticated
• Spiritual
• Spontaneous
• Sporty
• Stable
• Strong
• Strong-willed
• Studious
• Successful
• Sweet
• Tenacious
• Thoughtful
• Tough
• Traditional
• Trustworthy
• Unconventional
• Unique
• Unusual
• Upbeat
• Vibrant
• Warm
• Warmhearted
• Wise
• Witty

Words to NOT Use to Describe Yourself in an Online Profile

How you talk about yourself in an online profile is really up to you and can be pretty casual, too (as long as it’s not a professional LinkedIn profile). You’ll want to stick to predominantly positive words, but sometimes words that describe your funny or entertaining flaws could be worth including.

That said, here are some words you should never put down in a profile as they can make you come across as highly self-centered, rude, and frankly unapproachable!

• Amazing
• Apathetic
• Arrogant
• Careless
• Dumb
• Genius
• Inconsiderate
• Incredible
• Lazy
• Mean
• Perfect
• Rude
• Selfish
• Superior
• Thoughtless
• Unmotivated
• Wonderful

How to Describe Yourself: 4 Tips for Finding the Right Words

It’s not easy choosing the right words to describe yourself—but knowing exactly what you want to highlight about yourself can help you figure out the best describing words to use, whether they’re for a cover letter, personal essay, or online dating profile.

Here are four tips to help you brainstorm and find the right words to describe yourself with.

#1: Consider Your Audience

One of the most important things you’ll need to consider before writing down tons of adjectives to describe yourself is your audience, or the person/people who will be hearing or reading the words you choose to use.

Your audience will play a fairly significant role in the words you ultimately choose, as you’ll need to make sure you’re coming across to them the way you want to.

For example, if your audience is a potential employer, you should use describing words that make you sound like an ideal fit at the company and that help you stand apart from other candidates (if you’re not memorable, you likely won’t get the job!).

Here are the general types of describing words different audiences will want to hear when it comes to describing yourself:

• For job interviews/cover letters: Positive describing words that emphasize your (relevant) skills, experience, professional interests, and company fit
• For college applications: Positive words that express your authentic personality, academic accomplishments/skills, ambitions, and overall school fit
• For online profiles: Positive words (though it might be worth throwing in some «flaws» for humorous effect or to stand out from others!) that stress your individual personality traits, skills, and interests—keep it casual, too!

Once you’ve got your audience down, it’s time to start thinking about your biggest strengths and most prominent personality traits.

#2: Think About Your Biggest Strengths

Whenever you’re describing yourself, you should always emphasize your biggest strengths, that is, your very best qualities!

These can be any describing words that you personally see as strengths (even if others don’t think the same—it’s OK to try to change their minds). More importantly, these should be words that you feel best encapsulate who you are.

For example, I was once asked to describe myself in three words during a job interview. One of the words I used was «introverted» because I’ve always felt a strong connection to this word.

Though the word tends to have a slightly negative connotation, I took a bit of time to explain to my interviewers exactly why I saw introversion as a strength and how this trait would actually help me effectively perform my job.

So what’s the lesson? Don’t be afraid to be yourself—use words that reflect what you value in life and what you like most about yourself.

#3: Ask Others How They Would Describe You

If you’re struggling to figure out how to describe yourself, it’s a great idea to ask others close to you how they would describe you if asked by somebody else. Doing this can give you a clearer, more objective view of your strengths (and weaknesses) and help you figure out what types of words are most applicable to you.

If possible, ask a range of people to describe you, from family and friends to former coworkers.

For example, if you’re applying to college, it’ll help to get describing words about you from those connected to the college application process, such as your teachers and recommendation letter writers.

Simply ask them to write down a few words (adjectives or nouns) that best describe you and your academic or personal strengths, based on what they know about you.

#4: Be Careful Not to Exaggerate

Finally, take care to avoid any describing words that exaggerate your strengths or make you seem different from who you really are.

Remember that the point of describing yourself is to paint an authentic, positive portrait of yourself to your audience, whoever they are. If you lie or exaggerate something about yourself, then you’re not accurately revealing who you are, which could confuse, anger, or disappoint your audience.

For instance, you probably wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) use the word «artistic» to describe yourself if you only ever painted a few pictures for an art class years ago and didn’t enjoy the process.

Think of your interests and any personality traits or skills that come with these; this could help narrow down specific traits that are more relevant to you.

What’s Next?

Applying to college? Then you’ll need to know what a personal statement is. Once you’ve got the gist of it, check out our guide to how to write a great college essay and look at our compilation of 100+ college essay examples.

Got an interview coming up for a job or for college? It’s important to be prepared. Aside from being asked to describe yourself, you might get asked any of these 14 questions.

Need to write a cover letter? You’ll definitely want to read our expert guides on how to write one for a job and how to write one for graduate school.

Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article!

Good Words to Describe Yourself (+ Example Answers)

• Diligent / Loyal / Reliable. I am always the first person my friends call because they know I am always there for them. …
• Creative / Innovative / Visionary. …
• Motivated / Ambitious / Leader. …
• Honest / Ethical / Conscientious. …
• Friendly / Personable / Extrovert.

Secondly, How do you write 5 sentences about yourself?

Some statements you should be able to include:

1. I am proud of myself.
2. I am making a difference.
3. I am happy and grateful.
4. I am making my time count.
5. I am honest with myself.
6. I am good to those I care about.

Also What are 3 words to describe yourself? Words you can use to describe yourself

• Adventurous.
• Ambitious.
• Analytical.
• Attentive.
• Balanced.
• Communicative.
• Creative.
• Curious.

In fact How do you tell someone about yourself?

A. Do’s

1. Give a Short Personal Description About Yourself. It’s true that interviewers want to find someone who fits the job requirements. …
2. Talk About Your Achievements So Far. …
3. Talk about your work experience and skills. …
4. Talk About The Biggest Challenges You Faced and Overcame. …
5. Sell Your Skills Relevant For The Job.

How do you introduce yourself in 100 words?

You can add some of your basic biodate for your point in your introduction in 100 words. For example, your name, your age, the date of birth, your favorite color etc. So, in yhat way you can introduce yourself in 100 words. Highlight only those events that impacted your life.

What are 5 sentences?

5 sentences:

• My mom taught me to finish everything on my plate at dinner.
• The only problem with a pencil, is that they do not stay sharp long enough.
• Our school building is made of bricks.
• Every night I get woken up by the sound of a barking dog across the street.
• Salad is for rabbits.

How do you write 10 lines about yourself?

Ten Lines on Myself

1. My name is Aditya Ranade, and I am 8 years old.
2. I study in BAV Public School in the fourth standard.
3. My father’s name is Mr. …
4. I have one younger sister who studies in the first standard in the same school.
5. I like watching cartoons, and my favourite cartoon character is Doraemon.

How can I introduce myself in English?

Here are some examples:

1. Morning! I don’t think we’ve met before, I’m Aryan.
2. Hey there! I’m Surya. I’m new—I just moved to the building a couple of days ago. …
3. Hi Amy. I heard it’s your first day so I thought I could reach out and introduce myself. We haven’t officially met but I’ll be working with you on this project.

How would you describe yourself in one sentence?

Sample answers:

I am a hard-working and driven individual who isn’t afraid to face a challenge. I’m passionate about my work and I know how to get the job done. I would describe myself as an open and honest person who doesn’t believe in misleading other people and tries to be fair in everything I do.

How do I write about myself for a job?

You can follow these steps to write about yourself:

1. Introduce yourself.
2. Include the most relevant professional experience.
3. Mention significant personal achievements or awards.
4. Introduce personal details.
5. Use a casual and friendly tone.

How can you describe yourself in one word?

To describe myself in one word, I’m a very ambitious person. I take up all learning opportunities that enhance my skills and know-how to cope up with failures. I like challenging myself to find creative solutions as quickly as possible and resolve any issues at hand.

Can you tell a little about yourself?

The basic principle of a good “Tell me a little about yourself” response is to cover as much territory as you can in as small a space as possible; you don’t know what’s going to pique the interviewer’s interest, so you want to include as many things as possible that might get the conversation going, with a focus on …

Whats an interesting fact about myself?

List of 51 Examples of Fun Facts about Yourself to Tell Others

• “One of my favorite things to do is…. …
• “Right now, I’m reading about….” …
• “If I could have any superpower, it would be….” …
• “One thing I know I do well (or better than most) is….” …
• “I look up to….” …
• “One thing I cannot live without is….”

What are your strengths?

Some examples of strengths you might mention include: Enthusiasm. Trustworthiness. Creativity.

How can I describe myself in one word?

To describe myself in one word, I’m a very ambitious person. I take up all learning opportunities that enhance my skills and know-how to cope up with failures. I like challenging myself to find creative solutions as quickly as possible and resolve any issues at hand.

How do you write 5 sentences?

The classic five sentence paragraph uses the following format:

1. Tell them what you are going to tell them.
2. Tell them.
3. Tell them.
4. Tell them.
5. Tell them what you told them.

What is English sentence?

A sentence is the basic unit of language which expresses a complete thought. It does this by following the grammatical basic rules of syntax. For example:”Ali is walking”. A complete sentence has at least a subject and a main verb to state (declare) a complete thought.

What are the 7 types of sentences?

The other way is based on a sentence’s structure (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).

• Statements/Declarative Sentences. These are the most common type of sentence. …
• Questions/Interrogative Sentences. …
• Exclamations/Exclamatory Sentences. …
• Commands/Imperative Sentences.

How can I introduce myself in 10 lines in English?

Here’s how you introduce yourself in English in 10 lines. You will learn this in 2 to 3 minutes.
…
10) I enjoy listening to music.

1. I enjoy listening to music.
2. I enjoy eating.
3. I enjoy watching television.
4. I enjoy learning languages.
5. I enjoy exercising.
6. I enjoy reading.

What is the my self?

language note: Myself is the first person singular reflexive pronoun. A speaker or writer uses myself to refer to himself or herself. Myself is used as the object of a verb or preposition when the subject refers to the same person. I asked myself what I would have done in such a situation.

How do you write 20 lines about yourself?

These 20 Lines on Myself are for class 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.

1. My name is Kartik Solanki.
2. I am eleven years old boy.
3. My birthday is on 6 ^th March.
4. I study in class 5 in Central School.
5. I live in a joint family with my grandparents, parents and sister.
6. I love my family very much and enjoy spending time with them.

How should I introduce myself as a fresher?

Talk about yourself, your name and where you come from. Ensure good body language and communication. For fresher job interviews, you must talk about your educational qualifications and achievements.

How can I introduce myself in interview in English?

So, here’s a self-introduction sample that you can use to introduce yourself to people other than your interviewer. “Hello, My name is (your name). I have an interview appointment with Mr. X (name of the person) at 12 pm for the position of (mention the role).”

What should we write in self-introduction?

Follow these steps when writing a self-introduction email to your team:

1. Write a friendly subject line. …
2. Choose your tone based on the company culture. …
3. Explain why you’re writing. …
4. Describe your background and new role. …
5. Show your enthusiasm. …
6. Send follow-up messages.

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