Similes

Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know which one you’re going to get.

Let’s use this example to understand what a simile is:

• A simile is a phrase that uses a comparison to describe. For example, “life” can be described as similar to “a box of chocolates.”
• You know you’ve spotted one when you see the words like or as in a comparison.
• Similes are like metaphors. But metaphors aren’t the same as similes.
• Similes are great for famous authors, public speakers, and folks who want to make their writing as exciting as a spontaneous show of fireworks.

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What is a Simile?

Here’s a tip: A simile (SIM-uh-lee) is a type of figurative language that describes something by comparing it to something else with the words like or as.

Even if you don’t know the definition like the back of your hand, you’ve probably seen plenty of similes. For example:

I know that definition like the back of my hand. Those two are as different as night and day. He stood out like a sore thumb. That answer is as clear as mud. Grandpa has a memory like a sieve. The mouse is as dead as a doornail.

Here’s a tip: Need a trick to remember? Simile sounds a lot like similar. Similes compare similar things, with help from the words like or as.

More Simile Examples

Similes can make writing more colorful and interesting. If you don’t believe us, ask these famous writers.

William Shakespeare

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear…”

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 5

As a side note, the word “Ethiop” isn’t exactly politically correct. But Shakespeare didn’t know that when he used it to evoke Juliet’s jeweliness.

William Woodsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o’er vales and hills.

“Daffodils”

That’s pretty lonely.

Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run?

“Harlem, 2”

Don’t defer your dreams, folks. You don’t know what could happen to them.

Similes in Writing

The above examples represent the height of poetic creation. But similes also boost everyday writing by painting a vivid image in just a few words. Compare these sentences:

Lois walked across the room with purpose. Lois moved across the room like a warship sailing into battle.

The first sentence is relatively bland. But the simile in the second sentence invites the reader to imagine an old-fashioned warship sailing to battle: stately, determined, proud, perhaps with a hint of danger. It characterizes Lois as an imposing figure and hints that she’s planning something big once she gets to the other side of the room.

Simile vs. Metaphor

Here’s a tip: Similes and metaphors are both used to make comparisons or elucidate concepts, but they aren’t the same.

While a simile makes comparisons with help from like or as, a metaphor states outright that one thing is another thing. It’s important to undersatnd the difference between a metaphor and simile.

To compare these forms of comparisons, here are some examples:

Life is like a box of chocolates. (Simile)

My life is an open book. (Metaphor)

That baby is as cute as a button! (Simile)

Baby, you’re a firework. (Metaphor)

Fun fact: Because they both make figurative comparisons, all similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes. For the most part, keep like and as in mind if you’re on the hunt for similes, and you’ll be set.

Test your knowledge of simile and metaphor with our quiz.

Similes and Exaggeration

Similes often make use of hyperbole, or exaggeration:

He runs as fast as lightning.

She’s as sweet as honey.

You sing like an angel.

Similes focus on a particular aspect of a comparison, so they keep hyperbolic statements from seeming over-the-top. Contrast these sentences:

Dirk’s a mean snake.

Dirk’s as mean as a snake.

The first version is a metaphor, but it’s so blunt that it risks seeming clumsy or childish. The second version, a simile, more clearly emphasizes the quality that Dirk shares with snakes: meanness.

Figurative language is an excellent way to add interest and imagery to your writing. So next time you’re struggling to find exactly the right words for a description, try to come up with a simile that’s as perfect as a flawless diamond.

Metaphor vs. Simile Quiz

Similes are often confused with metaphors because the serve similar functions. Take our short simile-metaphor quiz to check your understanding of these rhetorical tools.

The Do’s and Dont’s of Asking for a Promotion

You work hard. You’d like to see your efforts rewarded. In an ideal world, your superiors would recognize your talent and offer you a promotion. But advancing is rarely that easy. We’ve compiled the ultimate guide to asking for a promotion. Read on if climbing the career ladder is in your sights!

Positioning Yourself for a Promotion

• Do decide on a timeline. Asking for a promotion shouldn’t be an impulsive decision. Planning will allow you to make sure you’re at the peak of your performance and have your results well documented before you broach the topic.
• Don’t think a promotion will fix everything. Is a promotion really what you need in order to get where you want to be with your career? A promotion won’t make you happier if you’re not enjoying your current company and position.
• Do analyze your current performance Are you doing outstanding work? If you’re not meeting and regularly exceeding expectations, you’ll need to step it up in order to get on management’s radar. It also never hurts to volunteer for special projects.
• Don’t toot your own horn. Sure, you want to be noticed, but it’s important not to come across as arrogant. Do your best to show that you’re confident, not cocky.
• Do consider the timing. Is your company in a strong financial position? Is the climate generally positive? If not, it might not be the best time to jockey for a better position.
• Don’t disregard your manager’s goals. Before you ask for a promotion, you should know what your manager’s team objectives are and have a clear idea of how your contributions are helping to knock those goals out of the park.
• Do keep notes and gather statistics. In the months leading up to when you plan to ask for a promotion, make note of concrete accomplishments. If your job is one that uses analytics, compile statistics to show your successes—numbers talk!
• Don’t forget to do your homework. Know the skills the position you’re aiming for requires. Make sure you’re prepared to demonstrate how your skills and accomplishments are a good match for the job.
• Do plant a seed and get feedback.

Let your boss know that you’re interested in moving up in the future. Let them know where you’re at today, and how you see yourself evolving to fill a new role in the future. Have a concrete action plan and ask for feedback on it.

Asking for a Promotion

When you’ve positioned yourself and you’re ready to ascend the career ladder, ask your boss for a meeting to discuss your role. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Do plan the meeting. It’s a good idea to have your agenda outlined in advance so you can demonstrate that you’re a fit for the new position. Having everything laid out in advance allows you to focus on important points, which makes you appear more composed and confident.
• Don’t skimp on the presentation. If you have insights or data to share, get them down on paper so you can present them to your boss with flair.
• Do dress for success. Even if your company dress code is casual, take care with your appearance on the day of your meeting. You don’t have to wear a three-piece suit if your work attire is usually business casual, but make sure you’re looking clean and polished.
• Don’t make it all about you. Your boss likely doesn’t care that your rent went up, or that it’s been a couple of years since your last promotion. Remember, it’s not about what your company can do for you, but what you can do for the company.
• Do focus on the benefits. Your boss’s job is to look after the best interests of the company. He needs to see how promoting you will improve that bottom line.
• Don’t compare yourself to others. Resist the urge to focus on others, even if you work harder than a coworker who holds a higher position, or you know that someone on the same tier makes more money. Your meeting should focus on your own merit and accomplishments.
• Do think in terms of what you deserve, not what you need. You may well need more money, but unless you can prove that you also deserve it you won’t get far in your quest for a promotion. Be prepared to demonstrate why you’re the person for the job.
• Don’t assume you deserve a raise simply based on your length of employment. Many workers think that longevity should equal a promotion. That’s not the case in today’s workplace. You’ll need to show how your contributions create value.
• Do consider timing. It makes good sense to ask for a promotion just after you’ve achieved a significant milestone. If your biggest successes are months in the past, you’ll want to wait until some of your current projects have come to fruition.
• Don’t forget to rehearse before your meeting. At the very least, rehearse by yourself. If you can, ask a trusted friend to listen to your pitch. Consider these nine things you should never say when you’re asking for a promotion.

What to Do if You’re Turned Down for a Promotion

• Don’t give up. Don’t take rejection personally. If there are performance issues you need to address, own them. Otherwise, let go of factors that are outside your control. If you get a no, consider it a “not yet.”
• Do ask for a timeline and follow up. If you didn’t get the result you were after this time, set a timeline with your boss. Say, “I’d like to position myself for a promotion within the next X months. I’d be grateful for any feedback or suggestions you have on how I might get there.”
• Don’t complain. Whiners aren’t winners. If you hope to advance in your company, keep your attitude positive and goal-focused.
• Do take stock. If you’re convinced that your company is the best fit for you, revise your plan for advancing in your career and get down to work. If you’ve lost enthusiasm, weigh the pros and cons of moving on to another company.

Asking for a promotion is one of the most unnerving challenges any worker faces. But if you go into the process fully prepared and confident in your skills, you’ll increase the odds of successfully earning the career boost you deserve.

Here’s How to Know the Difference Between Miss, Mrs., and Ms.

Miss, Mrs., and Ms. are not interchangeable terms. Choosing the wrong title can cause offense, so it’s important to know the difference between the three titles. The guide below will describe how the titles Miss, Mrs., and Ms. have been used traditionally—but remember, if someone tells you they prefer a particular title, that’s the one you should use to address them.

What does “Miss” mean?

“Miss,” when attached to a name, is a title of respect for an unmarried woman. You can use it by itself as a term of address or combine it with a surname, a descriptor of a prominent characteristic, or something she represents.

Miss Penelope Edwards is the new nursery school teacher.

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is Miss Universe 2017.

Excuse me, Miss. You dropped your change purse.

Well, aren’t you little Miss Traveler?

How do you use “Miss?”

Typically, in a business setting, you would use “Miss” along with an unmarried female’s last name. Don’t worry if you don’t know the woman’s last name; pausing after Miss often prompts the woman to supply it to you. Usually, it’s polite to continue using the formal title until the addressee invites you to use her first name. Make sure to use “Miss” for unmarried women you don’t know well or who hold positions of authority, such as a teachers or supervisors.

Note: In some geographical regions, “Miss” appears with a first name. People use it as a sign of respect or affection for women. When used with young girls, a chastisement may accompany it.

Thanks for the invitation, Miss Janice. You are a great neighbor!

Miss Tamara Jasmine Hunter! Put that toy down and clean your room right now.

What does “Mrs.” mean?

“Mrs.” is a title of respect for a married or widowed woman. As in the case of Miss, it appears with names and characteristics. Sometimes the title includes her husband’s first and last name rather than her own, especially for written correspondence or when the wife’s name is unknown; this practices is becoming far less common than it was in the past, however.

Address the envelope to Mrs. Donald Belmont.

How do you use “Mrs.”?

At work, when addressing married women, and when speaking to women in a position of authority, use “Mrs.” along with the married female’s last name. Again, wait for an invitation to drop the formal title before using a woman’s first name.

Mrs. Jones is an amazing electrical engineer.

What does “Ms.” mean?

What if you don’t know whether someone is married or not? People began to use “Ms.” in the 1950s as a title of respect. Unlike “Miss” or “Mrs.”, it doesn’t indicate a woman’s marital status. The title became popular during the women’s movement of the 1970s because “Ms.” seemed a suitable equivalent of “Mister,” a title of respect for both unmarried and married men.

“Miss” or “Ms.”?

Both “Miss” and “Ms.” apply to women who are unmarried or whose marital status is unknown. Which you choose depends on the preference of the woman. Interestingly, some newspaper editors avoid the issue by omitting titles and instead referring to men and women by their full names. However, newspapers usually retain the titles if they appear in a quote.

Prince Harry has said he knew his bride-to-be Meghan Markle was “the one” from the moment they met, as the couple made their first public appearance since the announcement of their engagement.

The Telegraph

”There are simply not enough good things I can say about Mrs. Wendy Hassemer, ” said Cory Chavez, one of her former students at Pojoaque Valley High School, where she taught for 13 years and served as a drama club sponsor, school play director, and all-around mentor.

Santa Fe New Mexican

How to Use “Ms.”

Apply the same rules as you would for “Miss” and “Mrs.” However, there are differences in pronunciation.

How to Pronounce “Miss”, “Mrs.”, and “Ms.”

How you pronounce these titles depends on where you live. Let’s start with the easiest. “Miss” rhymes with “this” in all geographical regions.

However, “Mrs.” may sound like “mis-iz” or “mis-is” in the North or North Midland areas of the United States. On the other hand, Southerners may pronounce “Mrs.” as “miz-iz” or “miz.” “Miz” is also the pronunciation of “Ms.” Therefore, in the South, “Mrs.” and “Ms.” may sound identical.

British English vs. American English

In British English, you may see “Mrs.” spelled out as “missus” in print, though this is rare in American English. Another difference is punctuation—Brits don’t use a period after Mrs. Here are two examples from news sources:

Paul Brown, co-editor, Climate News Network: “. . .Never forget that after years of campaigning by Greenpeace in the Antarctic in the 1980s, it was the 5,000 individual letters from members of the Women’s Institutes protesting about the British government’s plans to mine there that changed MrsThatcher’s policy.”

Positive.News

Dennis Beaumont, 44, of east Hull, has been queuing since 7.30am, said: “I’ve been here since 7:30 am and I don’t think I’m going to get them. Put it this way, I would sell the Missus, the kids and the house to get a pair.”

Mirror

While most people use titles such as “Miss”, “Mrs.”, or “Ms.” to show respect, you can risk offense if you don’t use them correctly. Therefore, invest a few moments to become familiar with how these titles work. If you think before you speak, and defer to women’s preferences as to how you should address them, you will be able to build respectful relationships with the women in your life.

9 Workflow Strategies That Will Make You a Faster Writer

Whether writing is your livelihood or your side hustle, being able to produce content quickly is a skill you’ll never regret developing. And not only will a solid process help you write faster, it will ease editing frustrations by making your draft more organized from the start.

I write all day, every day, and although I’ll never be the fastest writer in the world, I’ve had to make some serious adjustments to my own process in order to get things done and meet my deadlines. Using the process of drafting this article as an example, I’ve laid out my strategies. May they have you writing with speed and clarity in no time flat!

Before You Begin

1Do some reconnaissance.

No matter how well you know your topic, odds are good you’d benefit from a little inspiration. When I set out to write this article, I knew that I’d talk about my own workflow. But I also wanted to have a look at how other writers have approached the topic.

I did a Google search on my topic, and then scanned some of the top resulting articles. As I scanned, I took notes. My recon reading often helps me remember things I want to talk about. It also gives me a good idea of how other writers have covered this angle. Can I bring something new to the conversation that will help my post stand out?

2Decide what you want to say.

As I read for inspiration, I begin to formulate a plan for my article in my head. I want what I offer to be unique somehow, and I want to add my own personal touch to whatever I write. That means I have to decide how I want to cover this topic.

With this article, I decided to present a few tips for solidifying an idea, writing about that idea, and editing a draft. I thought about my process and decided which of my writing habits were most conducive to writing quickly and easily. (Hint: Taking a break to look at cute animals on Instagram is not, as it turns out, very helpful. But still, aaawww!)

Keep your topic focus narrow. In this article, I focused on strategies for writing faster, honing in on a specific skill (fast writing) rather than a broad angle (writing in general.)

3Create a quick outline.

Say it with me: Outlines are our friends!

When I was a managing editor, one of the biggest problems my writers had was organization. They tended to write as the ideas flowed into their heads, and often that made for a disjointed, rambling article.

If you’ve ever grown impatient while listening to someone tell a story, wanting them to just get to the point, then you know what it’s like to read an article that lacks organization. My dear content creators, no one wants to try to fish a few salient points out of your stream of consciousness. Let the stream flow as you outline so you can organize your article and create SEO-friendly headings.

And the bonus? Your article will be easier to write because you’ve gathered and organized your thoughts in advance.

When You’re Writing

4Write when you’re groggy.

When I stumble out of bed, pre-coffee, writing is the last thing on my mind. And yet, once I’ve got my good friend joe (as in cuppa) by my side, I dig in. And my writing always flows a lot better than I think it will. I’m regularly surprised by this fact, but science tells me I shouldn’t be.

According to Research Digest:

Insight-based problem-solving requires a broad, unfocused approach. You’re more likely to achieve that Aha! revelatory moment when your inhibitory brain processes are at their weakest and your thoughts are meandering.

5Get it down first.

Once you’ve got your outline created, you’re ready to put meat on the bones. Now is the time to get out of your own way and just write. Don’t retrace your steps, don’t edit as you go, and don’t stop for research.

If you’ve done some reconnaissance reading, you likely have enough information to start writing. I like to fill in my research blanks after my article is finished. Simply write everything off the cuff, and leave a placeholder where you want to add some research later. Journalists use the letters TK, which is journo lingo for “to come.” But I tend to just type “RESEARCH” and keep rolling.

6Write in chunks.

I find that certain parts of my story spring to mind earlier than others. I may have something I want to say immediately about a certain topic, so I’ll get that down first, lest I lose the momentum. It’s perfectly okay to skip to different segments of your article as you’re inspired to write about them. In fact, as I’m writing this paragraph, my intro paragraph is still unwritten. I’ll get back to it.

When You’re Editing

7Fill in your research holes and link to relevant posts.

Now that you’ve finished writing your draft, it’s time to connect the dots with research and add links. You may still have a little writing left to do to flesh out the research you’ve done, but it shouldn’t take much time since you’ll be working from reference material. Don’t forget to add links to relevant posts from your own site whenever you can.

I added the research from Research Digest and the Editorial Freelancers Association (below) to this article after I finished the draft. All I had to do was add the links and flesh out some text explaining the research. (Oh, and I also added this paragraph to explain the process.)

Here’s a tip: Organization tools like Evernote are great for jotting down quick research references. See our list of apps for writers for more suggestions.

8Do a developmental edit.

According to the Editorial Freelancers Association, “a developmental editor helps an author develop ideas—or develop a manuscript if it already exists—into a coherent, readable work.”

Congratulations! You’ve just become your own developmental editor. Now’s when you’re going to ensure that your article is indeed well organized (your outline should’ve helped with that.) Make sure you edit for clarity, and don’t forget to clean up any wordiness.

Here’s a tip: I recommend reading your article aloud. Run-on sentences and other syntax problems become glaringly obvious when you read them out loud, helping you identify what needs fixing.

9Proofread, proofread, proofread.

And finally, proofread. You’ve put all this effort into your article, so make sure you give it a thorough going-over to check for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If you need a little help, there’s an app for that.

Do you have some handy tips for speed writing? Share them in the comments below.

Verb Conjugation–Grammar Rules

Verb conjugation refers to how a verb changes to show a different person, tense, number or mood.

Person:

In English, we have six different persons: first person singular (I), second person singular (you), third person singular (he/she/it/one), first person plural (we), second person plural (you), and third person plural (they). We must conjugate a verb for each person. The verb to be is a particularly notable verb for conjugation because it’s irregular.

Conjugation of the Irregular Verb to Be:

First Person Singular	Second Person Singular	Third Person Singular
I am	you are	he/she/it is
First Person Plural	Second Person Plural	Third Person Plural
we are	you are	they are

Tense:

Verbs are also conjugated according to their tenses. Verb tense indicates when the action in a sentence is happening (e.g., in the present, future, or past). Regular verbs follow a standard pattern when conjugated according to tense. Look at the examples below: Conjugation of the Regular Verb to Live (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
live	lived	will live
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am living	was living	will be living
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have lived	had lived	will have lived
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been living	had been living	will have been living

Conjugation of the Regular Verb to Work (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
work	worked	will work
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am working	was working	will be working
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have worked	had worked	will have worked
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been working	had been working	will have been working

Irregular verbs do not follow a standard pattern when conjugated according to verb tense. The following examples illustrate this point: Conjugation of the Irregular Verb to Eat (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
eat	ate	will eat
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am eating	was eating	will be eating
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have eaten	had eaten	will have eaten
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been eating	had been eating	will have been eating

Conjugation of the Irregular Verb to Drink (based on tense):

Simple Present	Simple Past	Simple Future
drink	drank	will drink
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	Future Continuous
am drinking	was drinking	will be drinking
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	Future Perfect
have drunk	had drunk	will have drunk
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	Future Perfect Continuous
have been drinking	had been drinking	will have been drinking

26 Words and Phrases to Never Use in a Resume

Resumes are tricky things. The tried-and-true resume tropes of old no longer make the cut in today’s competitive market.

Odds are good that your resume will go through an applicant tracking system scan to determine whether it contains the right keywords before it even hits a hiring manager’s desk. But let’s assume you’ve passed that test and your resume is awaiting review. The difference between getting an interview and getting a thanks-but-no-thanks email (or no acknowledgement at all) could come down to the words or phrases you used in your resume. Here are twenty-six of them to eradicate.

Avoid cliches like the plague.

Google’s dictionary defines a cliche as “a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.” The last thing you want to display on a document meant to dazzle an employer is a lack of original thought. Here are a few offenders to watch for.

1Best-of-breed

If you’re a prize standard poodle and you’ve recently scored a prestigious win at Crufts, then by all means use this term. Otherwise, thirty-eight percent of employers who responded to a CareerBuilder survey think you should slash it from your resume immediately.

2Think outside the box

There’s a certain irony in using a played-out expression to say that you’re a creative, original thinker. This one’s almost certain to make a hiring manager groan, or at least roll her eyes.

3Go-to person

You want to show that your colleagues rely on you for answers. Unfortunately, this trite phrase is more likely to make it seem like they rely on you as a source of antiquated tropes.

4Track record

Yeah, we get it, Seabiscuit—you’re always charging over that finish line, proving that you’re the fastest and the brightest. But the fastest and the brightest could find a better way to express that than “track record,” don’t you think?

5Win-win

No-no. This term has had its day. Let it fade from existence gracefully.

Buzzwords are beastly.

Office jargon—we love to hate it, don’t we? You probably wouldn’t have to think very long to come up with five stock words or phrases from office culture that make you cringe (at least inwardly) every time you hear them. Unfortunately, these words and phrases are pervasive. It’s all too easy to find yourself throwing them into your resume without a second thought. Time to send these beastly buzzwords out to pasture.

6Synergy

We bet you can’t find even one person who’ll defend the use of the term “synergy” in business culture, but you’re welcome to try. Go ahead. We’ll wait. Twenty-two percent of CareerBuilder survey respondents rated this one a deal breaker.

7Action (used as a verb)

You didn’t “action” that major project. Although verbs describe action, the word action itself is a noun. Please use it that way.

8Dynamic

Don’t get us wrong, dynamic is a solid word. It refers to a force that stimulates change or progress, or a system or process characterized by constant change and progress. All good things! But this word is so good that it’s become played out. These days, it’s a red flag signifying that you can’t think of a better way to express yourself.

9Going forward

You may want to show that you single-handedly led a project in a more positive direction, but if you say that the changes your team implemented “going forward” were successful, you may find hiring managers twitching rather than applauding.

10Thought leadership

Of course hiring managers are looking for people whose ideas are authoritative and influential. But if you use a tired phrase like “thought leader” to describe yourself, you’re likely to come across as lacking vision rather than having it.

Filler is useless.

Every word counts when you’re trying to keep your resume lean. Many people include stock filler words and phrases simply because they seem like part of a time-honored tradition. But your resume is a place to stand out from the pack, not merge with it.

11Responsible for

Boooo-ring. Use active verbs to describe your responsibilities. “Responsible for leading a committee” should become “Led a committee.”

12Salary negotiable

Yes, yes, the recruiter knows that you’ll negotiate your salary. But you have to be offered a position first. With this phrase on your resume, your odds of that are decidedly slimmer.

13References upon request

It’s assumed that if you’re asked to provide references you’ll give them. This phrase just takes up space.

14Phone and/or Email

Of course you should put your phone number and email address on your resume. But no, you don’t have to identify them as such with the words Phone and Email.

And twelve more words to eliminate . . .

The words and phrases above are some of the biggest resume offenders. Here are twelve more words and phrases you can also obliterate with impunity.

• Go-getter
• Value add
• Results-driven
• Team player
• Ambitious
• Proactive
• Hard worker
• Seasoned
• Strategic thinker
• Self-motivated
• Problem-solver
• Detail-oriented

“Show, don’t tell” is the golden rule.

When you’re creating or updating your resume, remember that showing is more powerful than telling. Instead of saying that you “think outside the box” say that you “envisioned and designed an innovative social media strategy that increased engagement by eighty-nine percent in three months.”

Remember to give concrete examples of your skills and successes—while avoiding cliches, buzzwords and filler—and your resume will shine like a beacon to recruiters and hiring managers everywhere.

We Studied 750 Top LinkedIn Profiles. Here’s How to Write Yours Better.

Your LinkedIn profile is likely among the top—and thus most clicked—results if someone happens to Google you. And a well-curated LinkedIn summary can offer them a wealth of information about your professional background. So whether you’re just quietly cruising through options or firing off applications like it’s your other job, you want your profile to shine.

Maybe you’ve already done the obvious, making hundreds of connections and racking up tons of endorsements. But there are still all these boxes where your writing is supposed to go, and you’re never quite sure what to say. What words would a radiant master of LinkedIn put here, you wonder. We have an answer for you.

We’ve been studying this question by analyzing the language on hundreds of top-tier LinkedIn profiles. We looked for patterns and trends to better inform what works—what can enhance your reputation and advance your career. In the end, we culled data from 750 profiles of employees at Fortune 500 companies, including entry-level workers, managers, and directors. From this, we distilled four key findings.

1Employees—especially entry-level workers—could often say more about themselves up top.

Filling out your profile summary matters, but only 42 percent of the entry-level employees we analyzed seemed to bother. Managers and directors both did so a bit more often—closer to half in our study.

We suspect people overlook the profile summary because they’re often busy describing their work experience further down their profile—or waiting until they’re actually looking for a new job to make a proper introduction atop their page. In fact, regardless of their experience level, people proved more likely to fill out the work experience section. Especially among managers, 65 percent did so, cranking out a robust 192 words on average for each job they described. (More on word counts further down.)

The top of your LinkedIn profile is an opportunity to summarize what you’re about—to make an impression beyond the array of jobs you’ve held. You might try thinking of it as an opportunity to answer the question, What makes me an outstanding candidate for my next career move?

Communicating as much may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be an epic undertaking; the folks who filled out their profile summary in our analysis averaged between 70 and 100 words.

Also, as LinkedIn itself notes, while this field allows up to 2,000 characters, it will only display the first two lines before readers have to click to see more. This isn’t the place to save the best for last, so be sure to showcase your strongest attributes and achievements in the first sentence or two.

(An intriguing side note: Directors had appreciably more misspelled words in their profile summaries than entry-level workers—a ratio of six to two, by our count. What accounts for this seemingly lackadaisical approach to orthography among directors is a mystery.)

2Speak the language: Directors used more business terms.

Every profession has its own unique shorthand that insiders use to communicate conveniently. (Are you a leader in innovative solutions that impact return on investment? Or more hot on high-level abstraction? …You get the idea.)

While we’ve noted before that this can cause trouble when you’re trying to reach a broader audience that’s not on the same wavelength, it’s a practical inevitability among a group of people all working in the same field. On LinkedIn, using these words might just signal to peers, Hey friends, I’m one of you.

Comparing against a list of 100 of the most common such terms, we found that directors used more than three times as much industry parlance as entry-level workers. Managers, perhaps fittingly, were in the middle.

The single most-used example, which led across all three levels of experience, was the word “leader.” If you’re curious, tab over to your profile now and see if you spot any from our overall top five: leader, strategic, solution, innovative, ROI.

Notably, entry-level employees also often sought to portray themselves as proactive in their profile summaries, while the word dynamic was a standout word among managers in our study. Directors, perhaps tasked with the most budgetary responsibility, particularly emphasized ROI.

“These kinds of terms help recruiters easily search and find qualified candidates on LinkedIn,” says Angela Ritter, a recruiter for Grammarly who reviews upwards of 200 resumes each week. “Having common business language on your profile is important, but you have to be prepared to talk about your expertise with those terms. ”

3Is your LinkedIn profile saying too much, or just enough?

Our analysis found that the higher up you go in a company, the longer your job title tends to become. Where the typical entry-level worker we studied has around three words in their job title, managers had four and directors had six.

This pattern held true across the hundreds of profile summaries we analyzed. While entry-level employees who filled in this field offered an average of 70 words in their profile summary, managers put down 80 and directors piled on 97.

But that trend was not the case further down the page, where managers led with a striking 192 words on each entry for work experience. Directors were in roughly the same ballpark with 169, but entry-level workers lagged markedly, totaling a mere 106 on average.

What accounts for this discrepancy isn’t certain, but the takeaway for neophytes is evident: There’s likely room to talk a bit more about what you’ve done.

For her part, Ritter urges recent graduates to talk about their accomplishments: “If you’re a recent graduate, keep your relevant internship and college leadership roles on your LinkedIn page,” she says. Such credentials are worth hanging onto until you’re at least two jobs into your career.

“When you’re fresh out of school, detailing your collegiate accomplishments can play a factor in landing a position. It further demonstrates your work ethic and ability to multitask to a hiring manager who is getting to know you.”

One other thing to note as you tab over to your LinkedIn account and consider your profile title: does it look a little short, or perhaps overlong? We found the typical profile title is around six words—or seven, if you’re a director.

4Entry-level employees don’t use LinkedIn for recommendations as much as they could.

Here, the trend is stark: people with entry-level jobs received scant recommendations on LinkedIn, and they gave even fewer.

While entry-level employees in our study received some 61 recommendations in total, managers outpaced them fourfold, with 277. Directors nearly doubled that figure again, with 519 recommendations received.

The pattern was even more prominent when it came to giving recommendations. While the newcomers we looked at gave just 24, managers tallied more than ten times as many, with 267. Among directors, the disparity was more than twenty-fold; they gave a total of 532 recommendations.

It’s worth noting here that across experience levels, the more recommendations a LinkedIn user gives, the more they tend to receive. If you’re looking to up your count, there are worse strategies than to simply mash out a few recommendations of your own for deserving colleagues, then see who returns the favor.

Alternatively, you could also just reach out and ask a couple of people. If you go that route, try a polite email instead of a request sent through LinkedIn, so it’s harder to miss.

Put your best self forward.

Skimming job listings isn’t most people’s idea of a picnic. Between drafting a cover letter, waiting for a response, and the often nerve-racking process of interviewing, landing a dream job isn’t easy. Even updating your LinkedIn profile can be a disquieting chore if you’ve neglected it for a month or six. (It happens.)

What it takes to make a solid impression with a recruiter or potential future colleague shouldn’t be a mystery. Grammarly is here to help you look sharp as you make your way forward.