What is a good quote to put on a resume?

What’s the best career quote to include on a resume as a career motto?

To help you adopt the right career motto to quote on your resume, we asked working professionals, CEOs and business leaders this question for their best insights. There are several career quotes embodying various principles of success that would serve as a fitting career motto for your resume.

Here are six career quotes these leaders use and recommend as resume career mottos:

• It’s Not the Days in Your Life But the Life in Your Days That Counts
• Hustle in Silence
• Someday isn’t a Real Day Like Monday or Tuesday; it’s Just Another Word for Never
• Success is No Accident
• The Road to Success is Always Under Construction
• Every Action Gives You a Result

It’s Not the Days in Your Life But the Life in Your Days That Counts

A favorite notion among successful entrepreneurs is the belief that their accomplishments are a result of putting forth their best efforts continuously, and no other quote captures this idea quite as well or is as perfect for a resume as Brian White’s statement “It’s not the days in your life, but the life in your days that counts.” Many people put the time into a job, but see those hours as the accomplishment and not the results. 

White’s quote captures the essence of quality of quantity. The idea that your efforts and passion counts more than just your time will strike a chord with any successful entrepreneur. It is for this reason that White’s quote is the best one to place on a resume, as its conciseness and impact reinforces its words, and will capture the attention of a potential employer.

Hustle in Silence

“Hustle in silence.” This career motto shows hiring managers that you’re a hard worker who is humble yet powerful, someone who puts their head down and pushes forward without getting distracted. Your work experience can speak on your behalf to a certain extent, but using and explaining your career motto in your cover letter will let your personality and work ethic shine through. Next time you’re in the job search process, consider this tip for landing your dream job.

Someday isn’t a Real Day Like Monday or Tuesday; it’s Just Another Word for Never

“Someday’ isn’t a real day like Monday or Tuesday; it’s just another word for ‘never.”
? said Robert Herjavec. He is one of North America’s most recognizable business leaders. A first-generation immigrant, he came a long way from delivering newspapers and waiting on tables to launching a computer company from his basement. His experience is the classic “rags to riches” immigrant story. A fierce entrepreneur, Robert has built and sold several IT companies, including AT&T and Nokia. This quote is an excellent weapon for dealing with procrastination and putting things off. It also proves that you can achieve anything you want if you work hard. I would also pick it for personal reasons: as a hyperactive and energetic person for whom the glass is always half-full, I can’t sit still and love getting things done ASAP, so it would show my keen personality and professional approach.

Success is No Accident

It takes time and work to write a resume that is specific to each job you are applying for. Throughout the application process, you could want other motives in addition to the chance of receiving a job offer. Many people use motivational career quotes to inspire and encourage themselves when filling out job applications. Being bold and demonstrating to employers that you are a qualified and confident applicant are crucial when looking for jobs. In order to achieve big things and land your dream career, you must be determined. The ideal phrase for a career motto to put on a resume is, “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” — Pelé. Writing a resume that piques a hiring manager’s interest is challenging work that may result in an interview and a new position. This statement about working hard could motivate you to keep giving it your all while you hunt for employment.

The Road to Success is Always Under Construction

This quote is a perfect choice of a career motto to include on a resume, I believe. It suggests that you are an ambitious person with a growth-oriented mindset who values self-development and is willing to take on challenges. There is always room for improvement. Also, reaching one’s professional goals requires thinking ahead, taking action, and adjusting to different circumstances. With your road to success being “always in construction”, you are motivated to work hard, open to feedback, and flexible to change, which is crucial for most (potential) employers.

Every Action Gives You a Result

Every action gives you a result. If you don’t like the result, take a different approach and you will get a different result. I love this quote because it reframes failure as simply an output. Oftentimes we get caught up in our heads and apply undo meaning to something that didn’t work out. Reminding ourselves that if we want a different output we need a new input is simple yet actionable advice that cuts through the noise and gets us to take the next step when we need to most.