200+ words to describe yourself in work situations

The most asked questions in interviews are, “Tell me about yourself.” “What is the one word to describe yourself?” “In xxx words, describe your most recent position.”

“Describe yourself” is the ‘million-peso’ question, and the words you choose can make or break your career.

But shouldn’t your work be its own best-describing words? Yes and no, but your priority should always be about personal substance. It’s more than your skills or previous work experience. It’s about your value and how you see yourself as an individual and a future member of the organization.

If you’re thinking, “What are the words that describe me?” To begin with, use personality adjectives and good words to describe yourself, highlight your traits, and downplay others. 

These tools help you present yourself as you wish others to see you. If you don’t think about your self-description, it’s like posting an unedited, poorly lit selfie for your friends.

• Words To Describe Yourself In Resumes and Cover Letters
• Positive Words To Describe Yourself In Job Interviews
• Words To Describe Yourself In Performance Reviews
• Words To Describe Yourself In Networking
• Words To Describe Yourself In Social Media
• FAQs

The point is not to have many words to describe personality saying the same thing. It’s having more things to say because you have the right self-describing words.

Compare the 200+ descriptive words on these lists. You'll notice that they're related but highlight different things. The more specific you are, the more precise and more effective your answer. Decide what you want to convey, and then choose the most accurate words.

Consider the situation. Is it a job interview or an application letter? Is it an industry event in the Philippines where competitors and customers are present? Are you shortlisted for your dream project or doing a self-evaluation? Customize your description for each situation.

How do you describe a personality? Start with positive descriptive words that describe personality, leadership styles, and other abstract ideas. We all want to say we’re good leaders but also team players. 

We have pleasing personalities but also get things done. But those overused, bordering-on-generic words have all the impact of “nice weather.” Here are examples of 35 self-describing words to use instead.

Words to describe your personality

• Outgoing
• Analytical
• Creative
• Enthusiastic
• Detail-oriented
• Organized
• Reliable
• Charismatic
• Independent
• Flexible
• Friendly
• Optimistic
• Confident
• Compassionate
• Empathetic
• Patient
• Assertive
• Diplomatic
• Open-minded
• Curious
• Efficient
• Proactive
• Thorough
• Methodical
• Resourceful
• Collaborative
• Innovative
• Goal-oriented
• Self-motivated
• Adaptable
• Disciplined
• Dedicated
• Meticulous
• Decisive
• Detail-focused

Words to describe your work style

• Goal-driven
• Independent
• Strategic
• Results-oriented
• Analytical

Words to describe your skills and abilities

• Technical
• Strategic
• Critical thinking
• Project management
• Communication
• Time management
• Problem-solving
• Leadership
• Team management
• Creativity
• Analytical
• Innovative
• Resourceful
• Efficient
• Tech-savvy
• Multitasking
• Budget management
• Risk management
• Negotiation
• Adaptability

Words to describe your strengths

• Confident
• Resourceful
• Analytical
• Dependable
• Results-oriented
• Motivated
• Organized
• Communicative
• Positive
• Detail-oriented
• Creative
• Persuasive
• Proactive
• Reliable
• Ambitious
• Goal-driven
• Strategic
• Passionate
• Innovative
• Resilient

Words to describe your leadership style

• Visionary
• Authoritative
• Supportive
• Collaborative
• Goal-oriented
• Empathetic
• Charismatic
• Strategic
• Hands-on
• Results-driven
• Inspiring
• Trustworthy
• Clear communicator
• Decisive
• Delegator
• Accountable
• Mentor
• Servant leader
• Consensus-builder
• Innovative thinker

Words To Describe Yourself In Resumes and Cover Letters

Job applications, resumes, and cover letters are about one thing: to get the hiring manager's interest and reach the interview phase. Write your cover letter to stand out and be selected by the ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). These are various automated resume scanners used by Philippine companies.

ATS involves using keywords (see below). You start out competing with others of similar credentials from similar schools. You will all try to get past the ATS guarding the gate. Use smarter, more specific adjectives to describe a person to stand out.

Words to describe your work experience

• Diverse
• Relevant
• Extensive
• Successful
• Impactful
• Productive
• Challenging
• Rewarding
• Collaborative
• Leadership-oriented

Words to describe your career goals

• Ambitious
• Visionary
• Challenging
• Transformative
• Rewarding
• Growth-driven
• Purposeful
• Passionate
• Impactful
• Influential

Words to describe your motivation

• Visionary
• Authoritative
• Supportive
• Collaborative
• Hard-working
• Goal-oriented
• Empathetic
• Charismatic
• Strategic
• Hands-on
• Results-driven

Positive Words To Describe Yourself In Job Interviews

If you’ve made it to the job interview, congratulations!  But don’t take it for granted. Your skills and personality traits should be well-described on your resume. But a good hire is about communication and qualities too. 

These are what interviewers and hiring managers in the Philippines would look for in the right jobseeker during first impressions.

You know your interviewer or hiring manager will ask, "Tell me about yourself.” So don’t be shy and prepare ahead to make it easy for them with confidence, honesty, and your best qualities. 

Review the job description, read it, and plot your strengths and weaknesses before the interview. Choose personality adjectives that echo qualities in the job description. For example, “new grad” is a neutral fact— it’s your choice to describe it as either “inexperienced” or “ready to learn.”

Your interviewer knows you’re doing this. But it proves that you’re serious about the job. Unlike most, don’t rattle off every word here because some contradict each other. Prove that “you understood the assignment” with confidence. While at it, check out 8 words to avoid in your interview.

Here’s a tip: write several possible answers, then try our Interview Practice tool.

Even good speakers tend to repeat favorite words without meaning to. Prepare to cringe when you see yourself. Practice speaking no matter what. Don’t talk too fast or as if reading a memorized spiel. Be natural. 

You can recruit a trusted friend to play interviewer. Your friend can throw in some surprise questions. Then reverse the roles. It's a funny and honest way to learn from each other.

A few words to describe your strengths

• Confident
• Resourceful
• Analytical
• Dependable
• Results-oriented
• Motivated
• Organized
• Communicative
• Positive
• Detail-oriented

Words to describe your weaknesses

• Impatient
• Overly critical
• Indecisive
• Perfectionist
• Shy
• Poor listener
• Disorganized
• Inflexible
• Easily distracted
• Sensitive

Words to describe your accomplishments

• Innovative
• Successful
• Productive
• Efficient
• Award-winning
• Impactful
• Recognized
• Growth-driven
• Influential
• Transformational

Words to describe your leadership style

• Visionary
• Authoritative
• Supportive
• Collaborative
• Goal-oriented
• Empathetic
• Charismatic
• Strategic
• Hands-on
• Results-driven

Words to describe your problem-solving skills

• Creative
• Analytical
• Strategic
• Innovative
• Resourceful
• Pragmatic
• Efficient
• Collaborative
• Decisive
• Solution-oriented

Words to describe your teamwork skills

• Collaborative
• Supportive
• Communicative
• Empathetic
• Dependable
• Accountable
• Respectful
• Engaging
• Encouraging
• Cooperative

Words To Describe Yourself In Performance Reviews

You’re hired! But in six months, you may be in a familiar awkward position. You feel overworked and afraid. Yet when describing your accomplishments, you sound like you only do half of your work.

But it’s different now. By this time, you’re writing about proof, not potential. How have you met or exceeded the KPIs set when they hired you? Support your best words with numbers or metrics to strengthen your case.

For the choices below to be useful, you’ll need plenty of material and examples. Follow this helpful guide on how to prepare for your self-evaluation from day one.

Words to describe your contributions to the company

• Impactful
• Successful
• Innovative
• Resourceful
• Collaborative
• Goal-oriented
• Productive
• Efficient
• Recognized
• Transformational

Words to describe your ability to meet goals and deadlines

• Punctual
• Efficient
• Organized
• Reliable
• Proactive
• Focused
• Results-driven
• Productive
• Goal-oriented
• Committed

Words to describe your ability to work with others

• Collaborative
• Supportive
• Respectful
• Engaging
• Encouraging
• Cooperative
• Communicative
• Empathetic
• Dependable
• Accountable

Words to describe your communication skills

• Clear
• Artic
• Concise
• Persuasive
• Empathetic
• Active listener
• Responsive
• Assertive
• Diplomatic
• Open-minded
• Confident
• Respectful

Words To Describe Yourself In Networking

Let’s face it: in social, who-you-know Filipinocultures, you’re always networking.

So you should always be ready with versions of your short but solid personal elevator pitch. You need to make a memorable positive impression. 

But you must also avoid the dreaded “too much information” syndrome or talking more about yourself than is appropriate in a social setting, which would make you appear silly.

So write your pitch and browse the list below. Make your best-describing words count.

Best words to describe your professional image

• Polished
• Confident
• Trustworthy
• Reputable
• Professional
• Knowledgeable
• Experienced
• Respectful
• Positive
• Influential

Best words to describe your networking abilities

• Resourceful
• Engaging
• Collaborative
• Confident
• Professional
• Active
• Open-minded
• Creative
• Persuasive
• Strategic

Best words to describe your ability to collaborate

• Supportive
• Engaging
• Respectful
• Encouraging
• Cooperative
• Communicative
• Empathetic
• Dependable
• Accountable
• Open-minded

Words To Describe Yourself In Social Media

Like networking, social media is a fact of today’s career landscape. Your JobStreet profile and your internal employee networks are essential to your career. Unlike a resume profile or an interview, with social media, you don’t always know who’s looking.

Here are some examples of positive descriptive words to show your personality. Choose words that describe how you appear, relate to, and engage with other online profiles. As always, this is not your bingo card. 

It is a list of thought starters to help you paint a better idea of yourself and your strengths.

Descriptive words for your brand

• Unique
• Authentic
• Memorable
• Relevant
• Consistent
• Differentiated
• Professional
• Trustworthy
• Credible
• Influential

Words to describe your communication style

• Assertive
• Collaborative
• Persuasive
• Empathetic
• Engaging
• Respectful
• Clear
• Direct
• Confident
• Professional

⁠Words to describe your online presence

• Active
• Engaging
• Professional
• Authentic
• Consistent
• Innovative
• Relevant
• Influential
• Trustworthy
• Credible

Words to describe your ability to engage with your audience

• Engaging
• Authentic
• Empathetic
• Responsive
• Supportive
• Collaborative
• Persuasive
• Innovative
• Creative
• Memorable

Now that you’ve seen these, we hope you have new energy and ideas. Use the positive self-describing words on the list to describe yourself with self-assurance and in a smarter, more targeted way. It is the first step to get yourself a better job or improve the one you have.

Remember, consistent self-descriptions show you know who you are. It tells your interviewer why you’re perfect for the position. You have clear priorities for who you want to be and how you will get there.

Finally, most of us have opinions on what sells in our industry. Who’s doing it right or wrong, how could products be better, and how would we sell them?

Use those opinions on yourself. You are your first product; the self-descriptions are your job test.  You have all the product knowledge you need, and it’s one thing you can control–so think carefully, think ahead, and ace it.

Check out our Career Advice page for more job-and-career-related suggestions. You can also download Jobstreet’s app from the App Store and Google Play. It offers expert insights and advice. It also helps you choose the right, positive words to describe yourself and the future you want.

FAQs

1. What are common mistakes to avoid when using words that describe me in an interview?
   ⁠
   ⁠- Being generic. If you can't market yourself, why should they trust you with their product? Refer to the job description and adjust your answers to the interviewer's questions.
   ⁠
   - ⁠Rambling without a point. Choose your best words and respect your interviewer's time.
   ⁠
   - ⁠Repeating your resume. Add value to the interview. Make them glad they called you.
   ⁠
   - ⁠Being too casual or personal. This is common sense. An interview is not the time for personal chitchat. If asked what you do in your free time, name a hobby or two and bring the topic back to work. You want your interviewer to remember you for your substance, not your funny stories.
   ⁠
2. How can I tailor my self-description to a specific job posting?
   ⁠
   ⁠This is known as “mirroring”. Read the job description. The most-used words will likely be keywords for an ATS (Applicant Tracking System). Use those terms to anchor your self-description. Back them up with examples to prove your point.
   ⁠
   ⁠For instance, if the job ad mentions “Python” a lot, include it in your introduction (“... and Python programmer”, “experienced in key software such as Python”). Discuss a successful Python project in your work experience. 
   ⁠
   ⁠If your industry has technical terms that you can use, include them. (Don't overstuff your resume with common words. Everybody can tell, and nobody likes it.
   ⁠
3. What are some good resources to improve my self-description skills?
   ⁠
   ⁠Read books and professional articles on your industry.  See how your role models use positive words and high-impact language. Write different versions of your self-description with good words. See how it creates different images of a given job seeker.
   ⁠
   ⁠Download our free, fun JobStreet Career Development Planner if you like worksheets. This tool will springboard some new angles for your positive descriptions.
   ⁠
4. How can I use my self-describing words to stand out in a crowded job market?
   ⁠
   ⁠When your co-applicants share your education and qualifications, your self-description should go beyond that. But it should still be professional enough that an ATS or a human reader takes it seriously.
   ⁠
   ⁠Try highlighting transferable skills tied to the job description. If it's a tech job, mention your marketing savvy (or the reverse) from running your side business. 
   ⁠
   ⁠You may have developed team spirit as an athlete or fanatical discipline as a performer. Explain the connection straightforwardly and concisely.
   ⁠
5. How can I balance being authentic with portraying myself in a positive light?
   ⁠
   ⁠Focus on positioning your strengths. Admit your weaknesses, but have a plan to improve. Do not invent skills, accomplishments, or references.
   ⁠
   ⁠Human Resources practitioners in a given industry know each other, and a cross-check is a chat message away.