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I am filling out questions for a job application on-line. I am to list the top skills I used in my last position. The job I had was somewhat like editing, but for item records on a library circulation system. Mentioning my linguistics training doesn't exactly fit the bill. However it absolutely required a detail oriented eye. What say you?

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If you pride yourself on attention to detail, you might want to check your text here - "questions", "it asked to list", "skills as I used" are all flawed. (I'll take it you realise that "What say you?" is a quaint archaism! :) – FumbleFingers Mar 21 '12 at 23:45
Are you thinking of Meticulous? – Autoresponder Mar 22 '12 at 12:51
I am ashamed of the fact that I didn't proofread my own question before posting. But the quaint phrase stays, if only out of spite for your derisive remark. – Mrs. P Mar 22 '12 at 15:57

3 Answers

up vote 2 down vote

Having "an eye for detail" is a common term and is appropriate for job applications.

For example, it can be found in an example covering letter on The Guardian newspaper's careers advice site.

I am a fast and accurate writer, with a keen eye for detail and I should be very grateful for the opportunity to progress to market reporting.

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up vote 1 down vote

Why not detail-driven record editing?

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I like your phrasing and it actually helps me with another question, but this more describes the position rather than a skill. – Mrs. P Mar 21 '12 at 20:53
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I'm into alliteration, so how about minutiae-minded? – cornbread ninja 麵包忍者 Mar 21 '12 at 20:55
Why the downvote? :| – cornbread ninja 麵包忍者 Mar 22 '12 at 15:42
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Oh no, that was a slip of the wrist yesterday and I distinctly remember undoing it. There, we go. – Mrs. P Mar 22 '12 at 16:23
up vote 0 down vote

I think attention to detail might work. It's simple and well-understood – common, but not overused.

You might also want to emphasize how important it was to keep the records accurate, and how much data was involved. That would help set attention to detail into context, rather than leaving it alone and nebulous.

Job demanded 100% accuracy, with meticulous attention to detail for thousands of records.

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