Vocabulary: Writing a Resume & CV

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on professional development! In this interactive vocabulary lesson, we will cover the essential words you need to build a powerful resume or CV.

We will explore the structural sections of a resume, strong action verbs to describe your experience, key professional skills, and idioms used in the hiring process. Read through the vocabulary, test your knowledge in the quizzes, and complete today's missions below.

CV Sections List:

Resume - A brief account of a person's education, qualifications, and previous experience.
Curriculum Vitae - A detailed document highlighting professional and academic history.
Objective - A short statement at the top of a resume outlining career goals.
Experience - Past jobs and roles held by the applicant.
Education - The schools, colleges, and degrees a person has completed.
Qualifications - Skills, qualities, or experiences that make you suitable for a job.
Skills - The ability to do something well, gained through training or experience.
References - People who can speak about your character and professional skills.
Summary - A brief overview of your professional background.
Contact Information - Details such as your phone number, email, and address.

Action Verbs List:

Manage - To be in charge of a team, project, or business.
Develop - To grow or cause to grow and become more advanced.
Implement - To put a decision, plan, or agreement into effect.
Create - To bring something into existence.
Lead - To show the way to a group or organization.
Coordinate - To organize the different elements of a complex activity.
Design - To plan and make something.
Analyze - To examine something methodically and in detail.
Improve - To make or become better.
Achieve - To successfully bring about or reach a goal.
Collaborate - To work jointly on an activity or project.
Train - To teach a particular skill or type of behavior.

Soft & Hard Skills List:

Proficient - Competent or skilled in doing or using something.
Bilingual - Speaking two languages fluently.
Proactive - Creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it.
Detail-oriented - Paying close attention to all of the small particulars.
Innovative - Featuring new methods; advanced and original.
Adaptable - Able to adjust to new conditions.
Reliable - Consistently good in quality or performance; able to be trusted.
Analytical - Relating to or using logical reasoning.
Punctual - Happening or doing something at the agreed or proper time.

Hiring Terms List:

Applicant - A person who applies for a job.
Cover letter - A letter sent with a resume to explain your interest in a job.
Interview - A formal meeting to evaluate a candidate for a job.
Portfolio - A collection of past work used to show your skills.
Team player - A person who plays or works well as a member of a team.
Track record - The past achievements or performance of a person.
Entry-level - At the lowest level in an employment hierarchy.
Stand out - To be very easy to see or notice; to be better than others.
Get a foot in the door - To achieve an initial stage in a desired career or organization.
Think outside the box - To think in an original or creative way.

Please enable JavaScript to view the interactive flashcards, take the quiz, and download the audio resources.

menu_book 1. Interactive Vocabulary

Filter the words below and click on any card to reveal its definition, audio pronunciation, and a sentence-building mini-game.

bolt 2. Knowledge Check

Test your understanding of the resume vocabulary and professional idioms.

visibility Definition Match

What section of a resume lists your past jobs?

forum Action Verbs

Which word sounds better and more professional on a resume?

warning IDIOM TRAP

If you want to "get a foot in the door", what does it mean?

psychology Skill Match

A person who speaks two languages fluently is...

workspace_premium

Quiz Complete!

target 3. Action Missions

Complete these real-world tasks to lock the vocabulary into your memory.

Write your Objective ✍️ Write a one-sentence "Objective" for your own resume describing what job you want.

List your Strengths 🧠 Pick three adjectives from the "Skills" list (e.g., Reliable, Detail-oriented) that describe you best.

cloud_download 4. Study Resources

Lesson Summary & Review

Let's review the key concepts covered in the interactive module above to ensure you are ready to write a professional resume.

Action Verbs Make the Difference

Never write "I did" or "I helped" on a resume. Always use strong, specific action verbs:

Instead of "I was the boss of a team", write: "I managed a team."
Instead of "I started a new program", write: "I implemented a new program."
Instead of "I made things better", write: "I improved operations."

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills

Hiring managers look for both types of skills:

Soft Skills: How you act and work with others. (e.g., being a team player, being proactive, being adaptable).
Hard Skills: Specific, measurable abilities. (e.g., being bilingual, or proficient in a software program).

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Vocabulary: Writing a Resume & CV

menu_book 1. Interactive Vocabulary

bolt 2. Knowledge Check

Quiz Complete!

target 3. Action Missions

cloud_download 4. Study Resources

Lesson Summary & Review

Action Verbs Make the Difference

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills

forum Ask a teacher

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