Résumé Language

You’ve just graduated with a B.A. in communication and are on the hunt for an entry-level position in marketing. You know that your résumé is strong in terms of your degree, relevant coursework, and good grades, but you’re a bit worried that you may not have enough real-world experience. Since you had to work full time to pay college expenses, you couldn’t afford to take the kinds of unpaid internships that look so impressive on a résumé; you waited tables all through college instead and graduated in five years instead of four.

You discuss these concerns with a friend who suggests making some changes in the language of your résumé. First, she suggests changing your entry date for college to make it look like you finished the degree in four years. Second, she suggests you cast your restaurant experience as a type of marketing internship in which you developed “people skills” and “sales skills” that helped you “analyze and synthesize” consumers and products. Finally, she tells you to use your cover letter to describe yourself as “a team player” who is “attentive to detail” and has “proven creativity.”

You’re worried that some aspects of your résumé might not be impressive enough, but you’re not entirely sure that padding your résumé with vague language and empty jargon is the way to go. What will you do?