Résumé words · Traits and self-description
Another word for “Strong work ethic”
What it is trying to claim: That you work hard and take the work seriously.
Why it underperforms
It is the formal register version of "hard worker" and inherits every problem that phrase has, plus one of its own: the word ethic makes a moral claim about yourself, which is a slightly uncomfortable thing to assert and impossible for anyone else to verify. Employers are also increasingly wary of it as a euphemism for accepting unreasonable hours, which is not the association you want.
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 workload) | A volume figure over a stated period. |
| (show the standard) | Quality held while volume rose. |
| (show the duration) | Years doing something demanding without dropping it. |
| (show the extra) | Something beyond the role that you sustained. |
A real bullet, fixed
Before
Strong work ethic and committed to delivering high-quality work.
After
Carried a caseload of about 40 against a team average of 28 for a year, and my file-accuracy score stayed the highest on the team.
Volume above average with quality holding is the claim; the phrase asked the reader to assume both.
When “Strong work ethic” is the right word
Nowhere. Of everything in this group this is the phrase with the least upside, because the reader has already discounted it before finishing the line.
Common questions
- What can I say instead of "Strong work ethic" on a résumé?
- Replace the phrase with evidence rather than another adjective. Volume above average with quality holding is the claim; the phrase asked the reader to assume both.
- Is "Strong work ethic" bad on a résumé?
- It is the formal register version of "hard worker" and inherits every problem that phrase has, plus one of its own: the word ethic makes a moral claim about yourself, which is a slightly uncomfortable thing to assert and impossible for anyone else to verify. Employers are also increasingly wary of it as a euphemism for accepting unreasonable hours, which is not the association you want.
- When is it fine to use "Strong work ethic"?
- Nowhere. Of everything in this group this is the phrase with the least upside, because the reader has already discounted it before finishing the line.
Fix these next
- Hard workerThat you will put in effort.
- ReliableThat people can depend on you.
- Detail-orientedThat you are careful and catch mistakes.
- Results-orientedThat you focus on outcomes rather than activity.
- Proven track recordThat you have consistently delivered before.
- MeticulousThat you work with unusual care.
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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