10 Effective Ways to Describe Work Ethic in a Resume (Hint: Show, Don't Tell)

Co-authored by Amber Leima and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: March 23, 2022 References

When you talk about "work ethic," you're referring to your attitude toward your job. You know employers want you to have a strong work ethic, but how do you show this? In reality, a strong work ethic consists of a number of different traits. Your work ethic comes through in examples that demonstrate each of these traits. Here, we've gathered some options you can consider to describe and demonstrate your work ethic through your résumé to hopefully land the job of your dreams.

1

Consistency

Highlight repeated results and performance. Achievements you've repeated over the course of several months or years show consistency.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Amber Leima
Resumé Consultant
Expert Interview. 18 March 2022.} Stay away from using the word "consistently" to describe your experience—let the numbers speak for themselves.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you made the Dean's List every semester when you were in college, you could include, "Made Dean's List, 8 out of 8 semesters." That shows potential employers that your grades were consistent the entire time you were in school.
- You can also show consistency in a work environment. For example, you might include, "exceeded sales goals, 5 out of 6 quarters."

2

Goal orientation

Show how all of your experiences led toward a single goal. If employers see that everything you've done has led you incrementally closer to your ultimate career goal, they'll understand that they can depend on you. Choose your career goal or objective, then frame your experiences in a way that demonstrates progress toward that goal.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- For example, suppose you want a position in social media marketing. Your volunteer experience at an animal shelter might be relevant if you helped set up the social media profiles for that shelter because it gave you experience and some pages for your portfolio.
- Position each job you've had as a stepping stone toward your goal. For example, maybe you had increased responsibilities or more people reporting to you. Even if your position didn't change much, it would still be considered a step up if you moved to a larger company or worked with more high-profile clients.

3

Motivation

Mention times you motivated others or led a project.^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Amber Leima
Resumé Consultant
Expert Interview. 18 March 2022.} One of the best ways to show that you're a motivated employee is through the ways that you motivate others. If you led a project and helped motivate other co-workers to succeed or go above and beyond to get the job done, this effort belongs on your résumé and will help describe your work ethic.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- For example, you might write, "successfully motivated team to complete project 2 weeks ahead of schedule and 25% under budget."
- Extra-curricular and volunteer activities can be used to show motivation as well. For example, if you were team captain of your soccer team, you might write, "as captain, motivated team from bottom rank in conference to district champions."

4

Time Management

List multiple demands on your time to show this capability. An employee with a strong work ethic can balance competing demands to be productive at work and in life. Any time you've succeeded while having several different things on your plate, it demonstrates to an employer that you know how to manage your time well.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you were able to make good grades in college while also working part-time, volunteering 10 hours a week, and writing a blog, all of that shows that you're a productive person who excels at time management.
- If you have work experience in high school or college at a restaurant or café, include it on your résumé even if you're not looking for a job in food service. Servers and baristas always have to keep track of many different things at once, which really showcases your time management skills.

5

Initiative

Describe any projects that you started or came up with yourself. Part of having a strong work ethic is doing what needs to be done to fix a problem rather than waiting for someone else to suggest it or come up with it. Show your initiative on your résumé by pointing to ways you suggested a resolution to a problem or made a necessary change to improve efficiency.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- For example, you might write, "eliminated reporting redundancy that decreased production time by 15%."
- Extra-curricular activities in school are particularly valuable here because they're never required. Participating in these activities, especially at a high level, shows that you are willing to take the initiative to get the job done and aren't afraid of hard work.

6

Loyalty

Highlight a company where you worked for a long time. If you have the tendency to stay with an employer for several years, this shows potential employers that you're loyal. They know you'll stick around for the long haul rather than jumping at the next opportunity that presents itself.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- For example, suppose you worked at the same café through high school and college, for a total of 6 years. Even though you might be far removed from that job and looking for employment in a different industry, including that experience on your résumé shows your potential employers that you're loyal.
- Most work experience sections are written chronologically, but this isn't necessarily set in stone. If you worked for one company for 10 years and worked for 2 other companies for less than a year, put the one you worked for longest first, then add the others in descending order of your tenure there. This gives you another way to emphasize your loyalty.

7

Dedication

Provide examples of times when you went above and beyond. Employees with strong work ethic are dedicated employees who are willing to go the extra mile to see a project through to its completion—even if that means extra hours.^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Amber Leima
Resumé Consultant
Expert Interview. 18 March 2022.} When discussing your experience at a company, include information about instances in which you put in extra effort to make sure a project succeeded.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- For example, you might write, "volunteered to work nights and weekends to complete a project ahead of schedule."
- Use awards as well! For example, you might write, "received customer service award for attentive response to customer complaints."
- Try not to give the impression that you constantly put in extra time for no particular reason, though—this could make you sound inefficient.^{[11]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Amber Leima
  Resumé Consultant
  Expert Interview. 18 March 2022.}

8

Responsibility

Describe what you did rather than what you were expected to do. Your responsibility shines through your résumé when you include information about what you actually did at a particular job, rather than just parroting the job description. Include performance metrics where possible so potential employers can evaluate how well you did.^{[12]
X
Research source}^{[13]
X
Expert Source

Amber Leima
Resumé Consultant
Expert Interview. 18 March 2022.}
- For example, you might write, "exceeded sales goals by 25% for 6 consecutive quarters," or "brought in 10 new clients to increase sales by 15%."
- While it might seem like a keyword to use, avoid listing things you were "responsible for" as part of your job—that's job-description language. Instead, describe what that responsibility meant you did on a daily basis.
- Use measurable examples to illustrate the impact and value your work ethic brings to your current organization.^{[14]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Amber Leima
  Resumé Consultant
  Expert Interview. 18 March 2022.}

9

Cooperation

List instances in which you used teamwork or delegated tasks to others. An employee with a strong work ethic "plays well with others" and knows when to delegate tasks to get a project completed more efficiently. Use experiences that show you're a good team player to demonstrate your ability to cooperate.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- For example, you might write, "brought together reps from 4 departments to design marketing campaign that increased profits by 10%."
- Listing your participation in team sports or extra-curricular activities also shows that you excel at cooperation.

10

Discipline

Use achievements to show self-discipline in pursuit of a goal. If you've trained and worked hard to achieve something, no matter how small in the grand scheme of things, it belongs on your résumé! It shows potential employers that you have the self-discipline to go after something and do what it takes to get it.^{[16]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you participate in any kind of sport or martial arts, that shows discipline.
- Academic achievements, hobbies, and other extra-curricular activities also show discipline. For example, maybe you've taken dance classes for years or played in a chess tournament.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you say that you have a good work ethic?

Kent Lee
Career & Executive Coach
Kent Lee is a Career and Executive Coach and the Founder of the Perfect Resume, a career development services company based in Phoenix, Arizona. Kent specializes in creating customized resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters, and thank you letters. Kent has over 15 years of career coaching and consulting experience. Previously, he has worked as a Career Consultant for Yahoo and has worked with thousands of clients including Fortune 500 executives from around the world. His work and career advice have been featured in ABC, NBC, CBS, Yahoo, Career Builder, and Monster.com.

Kent Lee

Career & Executive Coach

Expert Answer

Use specific examples that show why you're a good fit for the job, rather than opinion-based phrases such as "Visionary thinker.”
Question

How do I decide what to put on my resume?

Amber Leima
Resumé Consultant
Amber Leima is a Resumé Consultant and the Founding Editor of Best Words Editing. She has two decades of experience helping people and companies express their unique value. Amber is a master at drawing out what matters from your personal story and promoting it to optimal effect, crafting beautifully clear resumés and on-point personal branding supported by thoughtfully-structured interview coaching. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in English Literature from the University of Sussex, England. Her clients have been hired by their employers of choice, including Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and PayPal.

Amber Leima

Resumé Consultant

Expert Answer

Always keep it relevant to the job you’re applying for, adding a list of “key proficiencies” you possess that directly echo that job. Including one or two unrelated hobbies may add interest and color if done carefully, but ensure not to include anything that can detract from your overall suitability for the job in question.

Warnings

Proofread your résumé carefully to make sure it's error-free. A typo on a résumé can make all the difference in landing that crucial interview.^{[19]
X
Research source}

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0