The beginning of summer means the end of school for many young adults around the world, and the focus shifts from preparing for examinations to preparing to enter the workforce. The skills that these students used to get top grades in their classes will also help them once they’ve started working at their new job, but there’s that important first step to get through: finding a job.

Are you one of those soon-to-be-former students, working hard at getting a good curriculum vitae together that will set you apart from the other applicants? If so, we’re sure you’re aware of the power that each word in this document can have, and the importance of choosing exactly the right ones to present yourself and your skills in the best manner possible. Obviously, the better your vocabulary is, the easier it will be to compose an effective and persuasive document to sell yourself to your prospective employer.

The term curriculum vitae might not be familiar to some people in the United States, or to those not interested in a career in academics or an advanced degree. In general, a curriculum vitae (the Latin phrase translates as “the course of [your] life”) is more detailed than a resumé, though the terms are often used interchangeably. For example, in a curriculum vitae (often abbreviated CV), it’s standard practice to include all of your educational and professional background, including any articles you have had published, presentations you’ve given, and honors you have been awarded. Detailed CVs are often required for jobs in higher education, the legal field, or medicine.

For the most part, a resumé is all most employers will ask for in the United States, although requirements may be different in other countries. A standard resumé shows the dates and locations of previous employment you’ve had, a summary of your responsibilities and accomplishments at those jobs, and a brief overview of your academic degrees and any special training. Because this document and the accompanying cover letter required by most employers need to be short and to the point (cover letters no more than one page long, resumés no longer than two pages), you’ll find that you need to choose descriptive and pertinent vocabulary to be able to fit in all the information you want to communicate into those few pages.

If you’re getting ready to look for your first job, or polishing up your resumé or CV to find a new one, take some time first to think about the words you want to use. Investing some time in vocabulary review will pay off in the future.