Context Beats Buzzwords
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Resumes aren’t job descriptions.
A client I worked with had a resume packed with phrases like “managed a program,” “led an initiative,” and “updated processes.” It all sounded busy, but it didn’t actually tell the reader what happened or how. Lines like “led technology transfer discussions” or “developed and managed project plans” looked fine at first, but they didn’t say anything about what that really involved.
The problem wasn’t effort...it was context.
Don’t just say what you were responsible for. Don’t just say that you did things...show the skills you used to do them. Recruiters want to see execution. That means giving more detail about how you did the work, what tools or people were involved, and what changed because of it.
For example, “coordinated cross-functional efforts across five teams to deliver on time and under budget” tells a reader a lot more than “managed a project.” It’s not about adding fluff or bragging. You want to demonstrate your experience using the necessary skills, not just talk about what you were responsible for in a generic, superficial way.
(That’s the problem with AI-assisted resumes. They take the job description and regurgitate it, without knowing what you actually did to accomplish those things. The actual work.)
Resumes aren’t a list of your job descriptions...they’re marketing documents to show the recruiter how you executed your job description.
It’s about making the work feel real.
Once you start explaining the “how,” every result you share has a greater impact because the reader already understands what went into it. It’s the difference between saying “increased efficiency” and showing the steps you took to make it happen. That context is what separates a resume full of responsibilities from one that actually demonstrates skill.
Need help turning your experience into something that actually shows your value?
