Resume Grammar
How to Write a Resume using Common Resume Grammar Rules
Disclaimer: I have a hard time using the word “rule” in relation to modern resumes and resume writing. While there is a multitude of advice out there, there are very few hard and fast rules when it comes to resume writing that would apply to every single job seeker, including grammar.
The name of the game with resumes is “fast and easy.” Your reader needs to find the information they are looking for swiftly and painlessly. The last thing you need is to scare potential employers away with your resume. There are all sorts of formatting and design tricks and techniques to help you guide your reader’s eye to the information you want them to see, but for now, we’re going to focus on how you can use resume grammar to your advantage.
By definition, “grammar” is a set of rules. Resumes use a unique type of language that breaks all sorts of grammar rules. That being said, resumes do have a few unique guiding principles that are nearly exclusively used in the context of a resume:
Implied First Person
There is no reason to start every sentence in your resume with the pronoun “I.” Potential employers will know whose resume it is because of the name at the top of the page. Leave off the pronoun and start each line with an impressive action word.
Pronouns, Articles, & Determiners
Pronouns, articles, and determiners are used sparingly in resumes, aside from informing readers of your preferred gender pronouns. Words that fit into this category include words like “my, your, our, their, his, hers, a/an,” and “the.”
Sentence Fragments
If you use Grammarly to check your resume grammar, you are likely to get numerous notifications about sentence fragments. In the context of resumes, that’s ok! You can ignore these notifications. Sentence fragments are encouraged in resumes because they are written in implied first person, and there are minimal pronouns, articles, and determiners.
Numerals
A common grammar rule is to spell out numbers from zero to one hundred. However, in resumes, you specifically want to draw attention to your quantifiable accomplishments. It is far more impactful to use numerals for all quantities in your resume.
Simpler is Better
Cut out the fluff and avoid using jargon. Don’t use flowery phrases or too many filler words and focus on words and terminology that the general public is likely to know. Only use acronyms if you identify what they stand for the first time they appear in your document.
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