Résumé words · Traits and self-description
Another word for “Motivated”
What it is trying to claim: That you want to do the work.
Why it underperforms
It claims the baseline. Turning up willing is the minimum condition of employment rather than a distinguishing quality, so stating it can read as though you consider it noteworthy. On graduate and entry-level résumés it is also the most common opening word, which means it is the phrase most likely to make an application look like the others in the pile.
What to write instead
This one is not fixed by a better adjective. Each of these replaces the claim with evidence.
| Instead | Use it when |
|---|---|
| (show the effort) | Something done outside required hours, with the duration. |
| (show the persistence) | A long commitment to one thing. |
| (show what you chose) | A harder path taken deliberately. |
| (delete it) | The application itself is the evidence of motivation. |
A real bullet, fixed
Before
A highly motivated individual seeking to contribute to a growing team.
After
Studied for the AWS associate certification across six months of evenings while working full time, and used it to take over our deployment pipeline.
Six months of evenings is motivation with a duration, and the second clause proves it was aimed at something.
When “Motivated” is the right word
Nowhere alone. "Motivated by" followed by something specific is a different construction and can work in a cover letter, where you have room to say what motivates you and why it matters here.
Common questions
- What can I say instead of "Motivated" on a résumé?
- Replace the phrase with evidence rather than another adjective. Six months of evenings is motivation with a duration, and the second clause proves it was aimed at something.
- Is "Motivated" bad on a résumé?
- It claims the baseline. Turning up willing is the minimum condition of employment rather than a distinguishing quality, so stating it can read as though you consider it noteworthy. On graduate and entry-level résumés it is also the most common opening word, which means it is the phrase most likely to make an application look like the others in the pile.
- When is it fine to use "Motivated"?
- Nowhere alone. "Motivated by" followed by something specific is a different construction and can work in a cover letter, where you have room to say what motivates you and why it matters here.
Fix these next
- PassionateThat you care about the field and are motivated by more than pay.
- Self-motivatedThat you work without supervision.
- Hard workerThat you will put in effort.
- Go-getterThat you act without being pushed.
- Fast learnerThat you pick things up quickly.
All 125 words are on the résumé words index. For the verbs grouped by what they claim, read résumé power verbs.
After the résumé
Fixing the words is the easy half. The applying is the slow half.
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