Recruiting season is thoroughly underway for most sophomores, and upperclassmen are searching for post-grad j*bs. During their four years here, every Harvard student has learned how to build a resume that reflects not only who they are, but what they’ve done. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no outright lying on a resume. Just a lot of creative vocabulary. Between career fairs, LinkedIn stalking, and comparing resumes with friends, the document slowly turns from a record of experience into a performance. You have Education, Experience, Activities, and then… the Skills section — the most flexible section of the resume. This is where students confidently list Python, communication, and organization, just in case recruiters weren’t sure if we could open our mouths and meet a deadline. However, there tends to be a very blurry line between what it means to write a skill and actually have that skill. At some point, it may even become more aspirational.

Here is a short translation guide into the true meaning of some of the most common resume skills used:

1. “Strong coding background” —> You are really good at using ChatGPT. You might even be paying $200 a month for full access to ChatGPT Premium.

2. “Attention to detail” —> You noticed the typo after sending the email, but managed to hit undo in time. A classic example: catching “Have a lonely weekend” before sending it to your professor in an email meant to say “Have a lovely weekend.”

3. “Time Management” —> You procrastinate every assignment and have mastered the art of combining several online answers into something that feels somewhat like yours.

4. “Public Speaking” —> You are able to put words together and present without audibly shaking or saying “sorry” first.

5. “Communication” —> You can sound confident in writing even when you have no clue what’s going on.

At Harvard, confidence often matters more than accuracy. If you can say something convincingly enough, chances are no one will question it.

So go ahead — open up your resume, add the skill, and say it with confidence. Low chance anyone questions you!