125 Positive Words and Adjectives To Describe Yourself

Updated July 31, 2023

Interviewers may ask you to describe yourself throughout the interview process to learn more about your life experience and personality traits. The words you use to describe yourself and your work experience during an interview can help human resources professionals decide if they want to move you forward in the hiring process. Choosing the right positive words to define yourself and your talents can help you make the best first impression with a hiring manager, recruiter or human resources professional.

In this article, we list words and adjectives you can use to describe yourself when communicating with a prospective employer and provide tips for using descriptive terms throughout the hiring process.

Why is it important to effectively describe yourself?

Making a strong first impression during an interview is an important step in your job search process. Describing yourself effectively in job applications or during an interview gives hiring managers a sense of who you are as a professional.

Using accurate and engaging word choices to define your key traits also helps prospective employers determine if you fit into the company culture and whether you can thrive in the new workplace. It's also important to use positive language as you share your strengths with hiring professionals.

Planning how to describe yourself for an interview also makes it easier to answer common questions like "tell me about yourself," or "use four words to describe yourself." Even if a recruiter or hiring manager doesn't directly ask you to describe yourself, it's a good idea to share strong adjectives and terms that help the interviewer understand more about your skills, professional attitude and personality.

Use descriptive words to share your most marketable traits, linking your skills to the prospective job. Take the opportunity to elaborate on each term as you describe yourself throughout the interview.

Words and adjectives to describe yourself professionally

The words you choose to define yourself and your abilities during an interview help create a lasting impression and give prospective employers the opportunity to assess your potential as an employee. Use positive terms to describe your best qualities, focusing on the most marketable professional words related to the job.

Choose words you think are closely related to important qualities and skills necessary for the open position. Below are lists of words from several categories that you can use to describe yourself to a potential employer during an interview:

30 words to describe your work ethic

How you approach your role in the workplace says a lot about who you are. Use these words during an interview to define how you complete your job tasks and responsibilities within an organization:

Dedicated
Curious
Persistent
Resilient
Disciplined
Practical
Ambitious
Tenacious
Resourceful
Organized
Bold
Open-minded
Respectful
Cooperative
Self-motivated
Adaptable
Reliable
Loyal
Inspiring
Hard-working
Proactive
Attentive
Thorough
Responsible
Insightful
Engaging
Committed
Focused
Punctual
Reflective

32 words to describe your attitude

Defining your professional attitude helps hiring managers learn how you interact with others in the workplace. Here is a long list of words to describe your work attitude as you speak with potential employers:

Confident
Kind
Empathetic
Patient
Considerate
Courageous
Genuine
Humble
Dynamic
Independent
Enthusiastic
Direct
Generous
Intelligent
Friendly
Witty
Passionate
Truthful
Straightforward
Sociable
Clever
Considerate
Joyful
Thoughtful
Easygoing
Sincere
Humorous
Tactful
Assertive
Self-reliant
Tolerant
Teachable

20 words to describe your professional abilities and experience

It's important to use descriptive words when discussing your past experience as a professional. Use any of the following words to talk about your expertise from previous jobs while interviewing:

Skilled
Professional
Experienced
Knowledgeable
Creative
Analytical
Detail-oriented
Adept
Communicative
Strategic
Entrepreneurial
Data-driven
Collaborative
Accomplished
Qualified
Precise
Proficient
Responsive
Technological
Visionary

43 words to describe your personality

Describing your personality lets prospective employers see beyond your work persona to get a glimpse of your intrinsic attitudes and how you relate to the world. Choose from the words below to give more details about your personal side during a job interview:

Adventurous
Happy
Pleasant
Introverted
Extroverted
Honest
Cheerful
Bright
Warmhearted
Intuitive
Optimistic
Helpful
Loving
Gentle
Energetic
Understanding
Vibrant
Artistic
Balanced
Imaginative
Approachable
Charismatic
Authentic
Wise
Fun
Original
Uplifting
Trustworthy
Outgoing
Upbeat
Inventive
Mature
Philosophical
Traditional
Studious
Pragmatic
Judicious
Meticulous
Meditative
Industrious
Goal-oriented
Fearless
Diplomatic

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Tips for describing yourself in a professional situation

Leave your interviewer with a positive impression of your traits and professional expertise by choosing the right way to express yourself. Pick the strongest words to convey your fit for a prospective job while you interview for a new position. Here are some tips to help you choose terms to effectively describe yourself to a potential employer:

Show confidence

Boldly share details about yourself and your accomplishments with pride. During an interview, keep eye contact with your interviewer and maintain a strong, clear vocal tone to appear more confident. Balance honesty with self-assurance to share your most marketable skills, proving to potential employers that you can meet and exceed their expectations.

Choose unique words

Selecting interesting and unique words to describe yourself can make an impression on employers and help your interview stand out from other candidates. Choose less common words and avoid general terms that don't clearly describe your particular skills and personality. Try to use synonyms for overused terms to keep your word choice original.

Provide clear examples

As you use descriptive words, give examples of how these qualities made a positive impact in your previous roles. Explain how your traits helped a former company or co-worker. Give insight into why your qualities made an impact on the success of the organization.

For example, if you describe yourself as resourceful, share a story about a time when you created a presentation for a client in an hour by piecing together information from a previous slideshow for another customer. If you can, link terms to concrete evidence like an increased sales percentage or numeric lead volume.

Match terms

Prepare for an interview by reviewing your resume and cover letter, paying attention to the descriptive words listed under your summary, skills and experience sections. Use some of the same words that appear in your resume and cover letter to remind your interviewer about your professional history.

An interview gives you the opportunity to share more details about your professional accomplishments to convince a potential employer you are the right candidate to fill the position. Successfully completing an interview takes a combination of preparation and quick thinking to connect with your interviewer and answer questions clearly.

Frequently asked questions

Why do employers ask you to describe yourself?

An employer may ask you to describe yourself during an interview or in your application. They may do this to learn more about you and the strengths you see in yourself.

What if I don't know how to describe myself?

If you find it difficult to describe yourself, consider asking your friends, family and colleagues to list the three words that most describe you. This may help you identify the most common and inspire you to generate more ideas for describing yourself.

What's the most professional way to describe myself?

When describing yourself professionally, consider focusing on the traits and skills that most apply to your role and industry. For example, you may be a great rugby player and very competitive on the field, but that may not be the best descriptor if you want a role as a nurse practitioner.