Perfect Pitch

Good, concise English is key to getting your message quickly across to recruiters.

Using long words and business jargon is the way to impress employers, right? Wrong.

If anything, being simple and direct is the best way to write a resume, cover letter, or even fill in an application form.

It’s absolutely possible to be formal and professional without using fancy flourishes, and someone who has this kind of control over their writing is always going to impress employers with their skill in communication rather than those who use flowery jargon for the sake of it.

Simple but clear

Use simple English so that your audience can read, understand and act upon your message with just a single reading. You only get one chance to make your point because yours isn’t the only application in a recruiter’s inbox – so make it count.

The ultimate dos and don’ts

The average graduate recruiter has a limited amount of time, and there’s only so much you can put in an application form. So cut to the chase and get to the point.

Do

1. Use headers and bullet points

Format your resume in such a way that it’s more readable and direct.

E.g. Tasks as team leader included (but not limited to): • Leading a team of eight teammates • Overseeing two projects at the same time • Prioritising overlapping tasks • Reporting to the finance department 2. Keep it short

Write short sentences. A way to do so is to check if cutting out a word affects the logic of the sentence. If it doesn’t, cut it.

E.g. I am a team player with leadership capabilities. My experience as team leader allowed me to work alongside my teammates and hone my leadership skills.

Do not

1. Write long paragraphs and sentences

Refrain from cramming too much information into one long paragraph.

E.g. My tasks as a team leader included leading a team of eight teammates, overseeing two projects at the same time, prioritising overlapping tasks, reporting to the finance department and much more. 2. Be long-winded

Avoid overusing conjunctions such as “and”, “that”, “as”, “so”, etc. Also, take note to exclude unnecessary descriptions and adjectives.

E.g. I am a team player as well as a great leader and this is evident in my role as a team leader that allowed me to work alongside inspiring, hardworking and cooperative teammates.

3. Be active

Keep it simple by sticking to the active clause.

E.g. As a team leader, I managed many tasks. 4. Be direct

Replace unnecessarily long phrases and fancy flourishes with more direct words.

E.g.: • Within the workplace → at work • At this point in time → now • In addition to the aforementioned → also

3. Use a passive voice

Avoid writing sentences in passive form – you’ll come out sounding robotic rather than authoritative.

E.g. As a team leader, I faced many tasks that had to be managed. 4. Pad it out

Take out fancy phrases that can be replaced with single words.

Checklist

Before sending in your resume and cover letter, check the following points. Do they fulfil each and every one of them?

Is the layout clear and easy to follow? Do the headings stand out? Are your sentences concise? Does the content have a straightforward objective? Are your points clear-cut?

Have you used short, concrete and familiar words instead of long, complex words? Is the content free of spelling and grammatical errors? Are bulleted lists used where appropriate?

Is the tone suitable for addressing an employer?