how to avoid using i in an essay about yourself

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30+ Ways to Avoid Repetition of “I” in First-Person Writing

First-person narrative engages readers, who experience the world from your narrator’s perspective — including intimate thoughts and feelings. However, it’s easy to overplay constructions such as I did this and I thought that and I wanted something else.

Many people claim the I, I, I approach is permissible because I is an invisible word like said .

Don’t believe them.

Prose or poetry with an overabundance of the same words or structures will seem off. Readers might not be able to tell you what’s wrong, but they know they’re unsettled by something .

Consider the Following Two Story Snippets

I answered the irresistible beckoning of the backyard. I watched brightly colored birds there frolicking in the breeze as they fluttered toward the creek. I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of the sun . I smelled the fragrance of the clover underneath my feet, a fragrance so sweet I could almost taste it. I heard fledgling robins twittering in a nearby tree.

I thought to myself , This is the life. I knew I never wanted to leave this place.

I decided to phone the real estate agent and tell her to take the FOR SALE sign off my lawn. She acted as though she had expected my call.

I told her in a firm voice that my mind was made up, and yes, I understood she would still receive her full commission.

I realized I didn’t care about the money.

The backyard beckoned with its irresistible sights and sounds. Frolicking in the breeze, brightly colored birds fluttered toward the creek. The sun warmed my closed eyelids, and my nostrils were flooded by the sweet fragrance of clover underneath my feet, a fragrance so sweet it almost sugared the taste buds. In a nearby tree, fledgling robins twittered.

This is the life. Who in their right mind would ever leave this place?

The real estate agent acted as though she had expected my call when asked to take the FOR SALE sign off the lawn.

My voice was firm. “Yes, my mind is made up. … Understood. … You’ll still receive your full commission.”

Hah! Who cares about the money?

Beware Verbosity

Rewrites could result in bloat, and the wrong words could make you seem pretentious or long-winded.

The second snippet reduces, rather than increases, word count.

The first example would be even shorter with the removal of to myself. Who else would you think to? Your editor? Your cat? Or maybe your dictation software?

Did You Notice the Changes?

Almost every sentence in the first example begins with I.

In the rewrite, note the removal of several filtering phrases:

I watched I … felt I smelled I could … taste I heard I thought I knew I decided I told I understood I realized

Whenever you filter thoughts and senses through your narrator’s eyes, you distance readers from your story — like a selfie of a selfie. Use the direct approach instead.

Passive voice appeared once to vary sentence structure. “I smelled the fragrance of the clover underneath my feet ” became “my nostrils were flooded by the sweet fragrance of clover underneath my feet.”

A so-called rule of writing is not to use passive voice. However, you’ll find times such as this when it’s warranted.

The phrase could also have been written as “my nostrils flooded with the sweet fragrance of clover underneath my feet.”

Reread the examples. Compare again. You’ll notice subtle changes that make the text flow smoother.

A Partial List of Filter Words

Watch for these or their equivalents. They all have the potential to weaken your writing:

A to W assume, be able to, believe, can, decide, experience, feel (or feel like) , hear, know, look, note, notice, realize, remember, see, seem, sound (or sound like), taste, think, touch, watch, wonder

Change the Focus

Just because you’re writing in first person doesn’t mean you, the storyteller, should be the most important character in the piece.

If you concentrate on the activities of other characters, readers will feel as though they are you. They still know you’re the narrator, but you become invisible.

Try These I Alternatives

I agree: We are in agreement

I am convinced that: In my opinion

I am sure that: Correct me if my opinion is wrong

I believe: The experts say (or, in Dothraki , “It is known”)

I decided: It was my intention

I disagree: You are wrong

I dislike that: That’s not for me

I don’t know: That’s an excellent question

I feel: In light of the evidence

I have experience in: My experience includes

I interpret the results: The results indicate

I like: It’s one of my favorites

I was nearly hit by a car: A car nearly hit me

I’ll show you: The report will show you

I’m hungry: My stomach is growling

Beware the Me-My Snare

In an attempt to remove instances of I, you might introduce excessive repetition of me and my .

For instance, “I felt an irresistible urge to buy the shoes” could become “An irresistible urge to buy the shoes came over me .”

“I saw three chickadees sitting on the fence” could end up as “Three chickadees sitting on the fence came into my view.”

As shown by the strikeout, you can often omit my .

Rely on Your Ears

They’re excellent critics.

Read your text out loud or harness your computer’s text-to-speech capabilities and listen to your writing . Repetitions that hide from notice during a silent read often become obvious and irritating when processed by the ears .

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28 thoughts on “ 30+ Ways to Avoid Repetition of “I” in First-Person Writing ”

how can we replace i in this sentence i had a dream to spend a beautiful day at an island

Sleep, peaceful sleep, filled the night, interrupted only by the dream of an idyllic day on a tiny island.

Hello Kathy,

Me again. Since reading your article, I have made a greater conscious effort in avoiding the use of “I” in my first-person stories. However, in doing so, I’m noticing I am starting to use “-ing” words to begin sentences more often, and I understand that’s something to use sparingly in fiction writing.

I may be over-analysing my works (that’s a bad habit of mine), but if using “I” in a sentence, whether it’s beginning a sentence or in the middle of it, creates a clearer structured sentence when compared to using a “-ing” word, would you say it’s okay to use “I”, or to try and figure out another way of structuring the sentence to avoid either?

On a side note, sometimes when I do avoid both, the sentence gets written in passive voice, as that seems to be the only way to structure it, while keeping it clear and precise. For example, a sentence within a story of mine read: “Rather than wasting time on breakfast, I can use it for more important things, such as training.” After re-editing it, it became: “Rather than wasting time on breakfast, it can be used for more important things, such as training.”

I’m really just trying to determine out of “I”, “-ing”, or passive voice, which is the best to use. Apologies if this is unclear. Sometimes that’s my thought process for you. There’s logic in there, but you’ve gotta dig past all the dribble to find it.

Kind regards, Footrot Flats

Phrases such as the following can help eliminate some instances of “I”:

– experience has shown – statistics indicate – events suggest – circumstances often require

Regarding your sentence: “Rather than wasting time on breakfast, it can be used for more important things, such as training.”

Try something like: “[Whatever ‘it’ is] can focus on activities, such as training, which are more important than breakfast.”

Remember: The goal is not to eliminate words but to eliminate their overuse.

Thank you for the response, Kathy!

I’ll keep those phrases in mind and see if they can be used anywhere that fits. Thank you for the suggestion as well.

I understand it’s okay to use “I”, just not too often, which is what I’m trying to do, but also figuring out how often “I” is fine to use. Finding that ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is my next challenge. If it’s used once every few paragraphs, it doesn’t stick out at me, but if I see two (or more) I’s in the same field of view, that’s when I tend to change it.

I may or may not pop up again sometime in the future. If I don’t, your article and advise has helped me immensely, so thank you for the time and effort you have put in. It’s much appreciated.

All the best, and stay safe too! Footrot Flats

When writing stories, I’ve always tried avoiding the usage of I’s (same goes for adverbs). 95% of the time, there’s an alternative way of describing a scene, whether it’s action, thoughts or dialogue, but something, every now and then, there just doesn’t seem to be a way to avoid using I (or an adverb).

Like adverbs, would you say it’s okay to use ‘I’ sparingly?

In some cases, the word ‘I’ gets replaced with an adverb, and then I enter a never-ending cycle.

Your approach is astute, FF.

Words exist for a reason, including adverbs and I . The goal is not to eliminate them but to reduce their frequency and make them “invisible” to readers. That turns them into useful tools.

Good luck with your writing, and please stay safe! (Exclamation points, em dashes, and parentheses are more useful tools — when used sparingly. 🙂 )

Thank you for the reply Kathy.

I agree that making them “invisible” rather than eliminating them completely is the better approach. Everything would provide a greater impact when used sparingly.

All the best, and stay safe too. Footrot Flats

Hello Kathy, the article above really helped me but i am still just a little confused. . . . would it be alright if you could un-I-ify my story. i haven’t written much and i probably wont be using it, but just to get a rough idea on how i could do it.

I was sitting on the train minding my own business and reading a book, when I casually looked out the window. It was pretty dark and rainy, but I could still see the blurry silhouette of the woods turning into a dim lighted village. As I was about to turn away, I started to sweat and felt a pounding in my head. My heart felt as if I had just run a marathon 3 times and I could hear my blood rushing through my ears. My hands shook and my breathing turned uneven. My vision went all blurry. I had to get away. I did not want to be on a train while having a panic attack. I stood up and hit my knee on the table but I ignored the pain. I grabbed my book and backpack and yelled for assistance. An assistant quickly rushed over and asked if I needed anything. I told her to stop the train. “But ma’am, we don’t have a station here, we can’t stop here-” “Just stop the train. NOW! Please!” I cut her off. “Ma’am, are you feeling ok? You should probably sit down.” She offers. “STOP THE TRAIN! NOW!” I shout. She nodded to me and swiveled around and quickly rushed to the front of the train. My mouth started to feel dry and I could feel tears coming starting to form at the corners of my eyes. By this time I was shaking. I turned to the nearest compartment and grabbed the glass of water on the table. I took one big sip and looked up at the young bloke who was sitting there. My mouth felt a bit better knowing it was hydrated and I could say my words without them sounding raspy. “I am so sorry. I really needed that drink.” I grabbed my backpack and took out £2 and put it down on the table. “I’m really sorry about the drink, I know you paid for that so here’s the money. I know it was 3 pound but this is all I can find right now.” I blurted out. I could feel the train slowing down and felt nauseous. I sat down in the young blokes compartment seat and looked down. I could feel the guy’s eyes staring at the top of my head which made me feel uncomfortable.

sorry if thats too much. thank you 🙂

Thanks for stopping by, Astoria.

I’ve retired from editing, but you can join online critique groups free of charge.

Scribophile and Critique Circle are two popular sites.

Good luck with your writing, and stay safe!

Undertaking a short story/flash fiction assignment for Open University. Word count is up to 800 words. The premise is in hand, and I’ve done a plan.

Really want to do it in First POV, though I know third is easy to fall back on. Your advice is brilliant, I am just so nervous of the structure and grammar. I don’t envision that creative writing is for me, as the strain of English Lit etc scares me.

You can do this, Louise. I hope you’ll be able to use some of the advice in this post.

Good luck, and stay safe!

This is so frustrating, As I edit my work I can’t think of anything to replace my ‘I’ overuse!!!

Think less of how you control the action and more about how the action happens, period. The suggestions in this article will help.

Thanks for stopping by, Max!

Great article. Chuck Palahnuik is an expert at submerging the ‘I’, and I’m constantly perplexed about how to avoid the pitfalls you mentioned when following his advice. This has helped a great deal.

Thanks, Tom. May your muse be ever with you — and stay safe.

I get it, I just don’t know how to repair the problem. Online English class?

There’s no magic one-size-fits-all approach. You have to examine each occurrence to determine a suitable remedy. This requires time and effort; but as you edit, you become more proficient at creating solutions.

Thanks for stopping by!

Can you please give me some examples of books written in first person, without the overuse of ‘I’? My 13 year old daughter is in an Academic Excellence class and has had her eyes opened and mind blown buy how removing the ‘I’s, it makes you live the story. She has Aspergers and dyslexia and has always loved writing, it is her get away. We would be truly grateful for some guidance.

Warmest wishes Michelle Australia

Hi, Michelle. Thanks for stopping by.

The books that stand out in my mind are To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, all The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins, and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. They should keep your daughter busy for a while.

Thank you very much Kathy. I am truly grateful.

May you too keep safe.

Warmest wishes Michelle

Thank you so much. I always put I’s in my stories and it bothered me because ‘I’ use it repeatedly. That’s when ‘I’ started to notice it also want to thank you for the alternatives to making my story look as if a professional wrote it. Well I’m no professional but hopefully one day. 4 years later and came across this website. Thank you btw. (PS I was embarrassed now because I used my I’s a lot in this comment lolz so I had to fix it to make it right ) Anyways I’m forever grateful and have a good year in 2020!

Thanks for stopping by, Nora. Yes, those Is can be slippery little creatures. You’ve made the most important step by recognizing the problem.

You have a great 2020 too, and may the muses favor your writing!

Excellent, as per usual. 🙂

Thanks, Jenn!

Another excellent post, Kathy. This is exactly what I was looking for. As an added bonus, I now know what filter words are. Time for another edit on my latest WIP. (Heck – I’ve just noticed two I’s in the above comment. Oh no, there’s another two!)

Thanks, Tom. I laughed out loud as I was reading your reply. Next week I’ll be posting an open letter to book pirates. Arrgh! Three I ‘s.

Let’s see …

As my eyes scrutinized your reply, a humongous LOL burst from my lips. Next week’s blog post will feature an open letter to book pirates.

Doesn’t have the same snap, does it?

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How to Avoid Using Personal Language in Writing

Last Updated: February 23, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Tristen Bonacci . Tristen Bonacci is a Licensed English Teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Tristen has taught in both the United States and overseas. She specializes in teaching in a secondary education environment and sharing wisdom with others, no matter the environment. Tristen holds a BA in English Literature from The University of Colorado and an MEd from The University of Phoenix. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 133,614 times.

Learning how to write without using personal language can be tough. It’s especially tricky to find alternatives to clauses such as “I think” or “I will argue,” but don't worry if you're stuck. There are lots of ways to make your point without using personal pronouns. Additionally, you might use slang and other informal expressions without even realizing it. Check your work, and replace casual, subjective words with objective language. With a little practice, you’ll know the rules of formal academic writing like the back of your hand.

Following General Rules

• For example, replace “I think the most important part of your day is having a good breakfast,” with “A nutritious breakfast is an important part of a healthy diet.”

• Slang words and colloquialisms are casual expressions shared by a region or social group, like “photobomb,” “kick the bucket,” or “Bob’s your uncle.” Instead of, "He kicked the bucket in a doozy of a wreck," write, "He was killed in a serious car accident."
• Clichés are overused expressions that have become meaningless or boring, such as “only time will tell” or “cream of the crop.” Alternatives for these phrases could be "remains to be seen" and "the best."
• Examples of contractions include “don’t,” “wouldn’t,” hasn’t,” and “it’s.” Instead of using them, spell out the words in full.

• Additionally, avoid casual estimates, such as “a couple of studies,” “a lot of time,” or “a bunch of research.” Instead, use specific numbers, such as “The team spent 17 days collecting samples.”

• For instance, “An expert witness debunked the defense’s argument” is stronger than “The witness made an extremely convincing testimony that made the defendant look absolutely guilty.”
• Replace "to be" verbs like is", "am", "are", "were", "was", and "will be", with stronger verbs. For example, instead of saying, "The defense's argument was wrong because it was based on speculation" say, "The argument failed because it relied on speculative evidence."

Finding Alternatives to Personal Pronouns

• Compare the examples, “I think the nations’ economic relationship prevented war,” and “The nations’ economic relationship prevented war.” The second example is objective and sounds authoritative.
• Even if the other side presents a strong argument, keep an authoritative tone throughout. While you should acknowledge the other side, avoid using personal pronouns, as this could weaken your stance.

• Consider the sentence, “I strongly disagree with the defense’s attempt to blame the accident on a vehicle defect.” Stronger phrasing could be, “According to expert testimony from the manufacturer, the defense’s claims regarding a vehicle defect had no basis in reality.”

• For the example, “I will argue that market volatility led to the industry’s collapse,” just cut “I will argue that.”
• Tweak the phrasing for the sentence, “I will examine letters and journal entries to show how Charles Baudelaire’s life in Paris influenced his views of modernity.” You could start the sentence with “Examining letters and journal entries will show," and leave out “I will.”

• In passive voice, an action was done by someone or something: "This was done by them." Because of this construction, passive voice tends to be wordy. Active voice is crisper and emphasizes the doer: "They did this."
• Keep in mind that you should write in the active voice whenever possible. Write “Charles Baudelaire described modernity” instead of “Modernity was described by Charles Baudelaire. [11] X Research source

• Instead of “The painting overwhelms you with texture and color,” write “The painting overwhelms viewers with texture and color.”
• You can also just replace generalizations with tighter wording. Replace “You can see that the claim is false,” with “The claim is false,” or reword it as “The evidence disproves the claim.”
• Include formal generalizations in moderation. Using “one can see” or “one would think” too often will make your writing feel awkward.

Avoiding Informal Expressions

• For example, “The efficiency audit determined that streamlining the application process will generate interest,” refers to a reliable source and states a fact. “The application process is terrible and confusing,” expresses an opinion.
• If you're trying to make an emotional appeal to your audience, it is acceptable to use more emotional language, although you should still avoid using the first person.

• For example, “That guy was a real hater, so his boss gave him the third-degree,” features slang. “The manager reprimanded the cashier for insubordinate behavior,” is more specific and objective.

• Examples of common expressions include “easier said than done,” “sooner or later,” "at the end of the day", and “reached a happy medium.” Alternatives for these expressions could be “more difficult in practice,” “inevitable,” "ultimately", and “compromised.”

• Additionally, ensure your sentences are always complete and unabbreviated. For example, “The performer gave an excellent performance. Not a dry eye in the theater,” is grammatically incorrect and inappropriate for academic writing. [16] X Research source
• For resume writing, terse, incomplete sentences are actually preferred. Instead of “I reduced purchasing costs by 10%,” write, “Reduced purchasing costs by 10%.”

Expert Q&A

• Every discipline has its own writing standards. For specific advice about writing standards, check your field’s style guide, such as Chicago, MLA , or APA . Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Tristen Bonacci. Licensed English Teacher. Expert Interview. 21 December 2021.
• ↑ https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/ua/media/21/learningguide-objectivelanguage.pdf
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/specificity-in-writing/
• ↑ https://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/writing_clearly.html
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/academicwriting
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/using-evidence.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/should-i-use-i/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/passive-voice/
• ↑ https://www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/etc/writing-bugs.html
• ↑ https://facultyweb.ivcc.edu/rrambo/tip_formal_writing_voice.htm
• ↑ https://www.nus.edu.sg/celc/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/chapter03.pdf
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/sentence_fragments.html
• ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/types-of-english-formal-informal-etc/formal-and-informal-language

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15 Tips for Writing a College Essay About Yourself

What’s covered:.

• What is the Purpose of the College Essay?
• How to Stand Out Without Showing Off
• 15 Tips for Writing an Essay About Yourself
• Where to Get Free Feedback on Your Essay

Most students who apply to top-tier colleges have exceptional grades, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities. How do admissions officers decide which applicants to choose among all these stellar students? One way is on the strength of their college essay .

This personal statement, along with other qualitative factors like teacher recommendations, helps the admissions committee see who you really are—the person behind the transcript. So, it’s obviously important to write a great one.

What Is the Purpose of the College Essay? 

Your college essay helps you stand out in a pool of qualified candidates. If effective, it will also show the admissions committee more of your personality and allow them to get a sense of how you’ll fit in with and contribute to the student body and institution. Additionally, it will show the school that you can express yourself persuasively and clearly in writing, which is an important part of most careers, no matter where you end up. 

Typically, students must submit a personal statement (usually the Common App essay ) along with school-specific supplements. Some students are surprised to learn that essays typically count for around 25% of your entire application at the top 250 schools. That’s an enormous chunk, especially considering that, unlike your transcript and extracurriculars, it isn’t an assessment of your entire high school career.  

The purpose of the college essay is to paint a complete picture of yourself, showing admissions committees the person behind the grades and test scores. A strong college essay shows your unique experiences, personality, perspective, interests, and values—ultimately, what makes you unique. After all, people attend college, not their grades or test scores. The college essay also provides students with a considerable amount of agency in their application, empowering them to share their own stories.

How to Stand Out Without Showing Off 

It’s important to strike a balance between exploring your achievements and demonstrating humility. Your aim should be to focus on the meaning behind the experience and how it changed your outlook, not the accomplishment itself. 

Confidence without cockiness is the key here. Don’t simply catalog your achievements, there are other areas on your application to share them. Rather, mention your achievements when they’re critical to the story you’re telling. It’s helpful to think of achievements as compliments, not highlights, of your college essay.  

Take this essay excerpt , for example:

My parents’ separation allowed me the space to explore my own strengths and interests as each of them became individually busier. As early as middle school, I was riding the light rail train by myself, reading maps to get myself home, and applying to special academic programs without urging from my parents. Even as I took more initiatives on my own, my parents both continued to see me as somewhat immature. All of that changed three years ago, when I applied and was accepted to the SNYI-L summer exchange program in Morocco. I would be studying Arabic and learning my way around the city of Marrakesh. Although I think my parents were a little surprised when I told them my news, the addition of a fully-funded scholarship convinced them to let me go. 

Instead of saying “ I received this scholarship and participated in this prestigious program, ” the author tells a story, demonstrating their growth and initiative through specific actions (riding the train alone, applying academic programs on her own, etc.)—effectively showing rather than telling.

15 Tips for Writing an Essay About Yourself 

1. start early .

Leave yourself plenty of time to write your college essay—it’s stressful enough to compose a compelling essay without putting yourself under a deadline. Starting early on your essay also leaves you time to edit and refine your work, have others read your work (for example, your parents or a teacher), and carefully proofread.

2. Choose a topic that’s meaningful to you 

The foundation of a great essay is selecting a topic that has real meaning for you. If you’re passionate about the subject, the reader will feel it. Alternatively, choosing a topic you think the admissions committee is looking for, but isn’t all that important to you, won’t make for a compelling essay; it will be obvious that you’re not very invested in it.

3. Show your personality 

One of the main points of your college essay is to convey your personality. Admissions officers will see your transcript and read about the awards you’ve won, but the essay will help them get to know you as a person. Make sure your personality is evident in each part—if you are a jokester, incorporate some humor. Your friends should be able to pick your essay from an anonymous pile, read it, and recognize it as yours. In that same vein, someone who doesn’t know you at all should feel like they understand your personality after reading your essay. 

4. Write in your own voice 

In order to bring authenticity to your essay, you’ll need to write in your own voice. Don’t be overly formal (but don’t be too casual, either). Remember: you want the reader to get to know the real you, not a version of you that comes across as overly stiff or stilted. You should feel free to use contractions, incorporate dialogue, and employ vocabulary that comes naturally to you. 

5. Use specific examples 

Real, concrete stories and examples will help your essay come to life. They’ll add color to your narrative and make it more compelling for the reader. The goal, after all, is to engage your audience—the admissions committee. 

For example, instead of stating that you care about animals, you should tell us a story about how you took care of an injured stray cat. 

Consider this side-by-side comparison:

Example 1: I care deeply about animals and even once rescued a stray cat. The cat had an injured leg, and I helped nurse it back to health.

Example 2: I lost many nights of sleep trying to nurse the stray cat back to health. Its leg infection was extremely painful, and it meowed in distress up until the wee hours of the morning. I didn’t mind it though; what mattered was that the cat regained its strength. So, I stayed awake to administer its medicine and soothe it with loving ear rubs.

The second example helps us visualize this situation and is more illustrative of the writer’s personality. Because she stayed awake to care for the cat, we can infer that she is a compassionate person who cares about animals. We don’t get the same depth with the first example. 

6. Don’t be afraid to show off… 

You should always put your best foot forward—the whole point of your essay is to market yourself to colleges. This isn’t the time to be shy about your accomplishments, skills, or qualities. 

7. …While also maintaining humility 

But don’t brag. Demonstrate humility when discussing your achievements. In the example above, for instance, the author discusses her accomplishments while noting that her parents thought of her as immature. This is a great way to show humility while still highlighting that she was able to prove her parents wrong.

8. Be vulnerable 

Vulnerability goes hand in hand with humility and authenticity. Don’t shy away from exploring how your experience affected you and the feelings you experienced. This, too, will help your story come to life. 

Here’s an excerpt from a Common App essay that demonstrates vulnerability and allows us to connect with the writer:  

“You ruined my life!” After months of quiet anger, my brother finally confronted me. To my shame, I had been appallingly ignorant of his pain. 

Despite being twins, Max and I are profoundly different. Having intellectual interests from a young age that, well, interested very few of my peers, I often felt out of step in comparison with my highly-social brother. Everything appeared to come effortlessly for Max and, while we share an extremely tight bond, his frequent time away with friends left me feeling more and more alone as we grew older.

In this essay, the writer isn’t afraid to share his insecurities and feelings with us. He states that he had been “ appallingly ignorant ” of his brother’s pain, that he “ often felt out of step ” compared to his brother, and that he had felt “ more and more alone ” over time. These are all emotions that you may not necessarily share with someone you just met, but it’s exactly this vulnerability that makes the essay more raw and relatable. 

9. Don’t lie or hyperbolize 

This essay is about the authentic you. Lying or hyperbolizing to make yourself sound better will not only make your essay—and entire application—less genuine, but it will also weaken it. More than likely, it will be obvious that you’re exaggerating. Plus, if colleges later find out that you haven’t been truthful in any part of your application, it’s grounds for revoking your acceptance or even expulsion if you’ve already matriculated. 

10. Avoid cliches 

How the COVID-19 pandemic changed your life. A sports victory as a metaphor for your journey. How a pet death altered your entire outlook. Admissions officers have seen more essays on these topics than they can possibly count. Unless you have a truly unique angle, then it’s in your best interest to avoid them. Learn which topics are cliche and how to fix them . 

11. Proofread 

This is a critical step. Even a small error can break your essay, however amazing it is otherwise. Make sure you read it over carefully, and get another set of eyes (or two or three other sets of eyes), just in case.

12. Abstain from using AI

There are a handful of good reasons to avoid using artificial intelligence (AI) to write your college essay. Most importantly, it’s dishonest and likely to be not very good; AI-generated essays are generally formulaic, generic, and boring—everything you’re trying to avoid being.   The purpose of the college essay is to share what makes you unique and highlight your personal experiences and perspectives, something that AI can’t capture.

13. Use parents as advisors, not editors

The voice of an adult is different from that of a high schooler and admissions committees are experts at spotting the writing of parents. Parents can play a valuable role in creating your college essay—advising, proofreading, and providing encouragement during those stressful moments. However, they should not write or edit your college essay with their words.

14. Have a hook

Admissions committees have a lot of essays to read and getting their attention is essential for standing out among a crowded field of applicants. A great hook captures your reader’s imagination and encourages them to keep reading your essay. Start strong, first impressions are everything!

15. Give them something to remember

The ending of your college essay is just as important as the beginning. Give your reader something to remember by composing an engaging and punchy paragraph or line—called a kicker in journalism—that ties everything you’ve written above together.

Where to Get Free Feedback on Your College Essay 

Before you send off your application, make sure you get feedback from a trusted source on your essay. CollegeVine’s free peer essay review will give you the support you need to ensure you’ve effectively presented your personality and accomplishments. Our expert essay review pairs you with an advisor to help you refine your writing, submit your best work, and boost your chances of getting into your dream school. Find the right advisor for you and get started on honing a winning essay.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Using “I” in Academic Writing

Traditionally, some fields have frowned on the use of the first-person singular in an academic essay and others have encouraged that use, and both the frowning and the encouraging persist today—and there are good reasons for both positions (see “Should I”).

I recommend that you not look on the question of using “I” in an academic paper as a matter of a rule to follow, as part of a political agenda (see webb), or even as the need to create a strategy to avoid falling into Scylla-or-Charybdis error. Let the first-person singular be, instead, a tool that you take out when you think it’s needed and that you leave in the toolbox when you think it’s not.

Examples of When “I” May Be Needed

• You are narrating how you made a discovery, and the process of your discovering is important or at the very least entertaining.
• You are describing how you teach something and how your students have responded or respond.
• You disagree with another scholar and want to stress that you are not waving the banner of absolute truth.
• You need “I” for rhetorical effect, to be clear, simple, or direct.

Examples of When “I” Should Be Given a Rest

• It’s off-putting to readers, generally, when “I” appears too often. You may not feel one bit modest, but remember the advice of Benjamin Franklin, still excellent, on the wisdom of preserving the semblance of modesty when your purpose is to convince others.
• You are the author of your paper, so if an opinion is expressed in it, it is usually clear that this opinion is yours. You don’t have to add a phrase like, “I believe” or “it seems to me.”

Works Cited

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . Project Gutenberg , 28 Dec. 2006, www.gutenberg.org/app/uploads/sites/3/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm#I.

“Should I Use “I”?” The Writing Center at UNC—Chapel Hill , writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/should-i-use-i/.

webb, Christine. “The Use of the First Person in Academic Writing: Objectivity, Language, and Gatekeeping.” ResearchGate , July 1992, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01974.x.

J.S.Beniwal 05 August 2017 AT 09:08 AM

I have borrowed MLA only yesterday, did my MAEnglish in May 2017.MLA is of immense help for scholars.An overview of the book really enlightened​ me.I should have read it at bachelor's degree level.

Your e-mail address will not be published

Dr. Raymond Harter 25 September 2017 AT 02:09 PM

I discourage the use of "I" in essays for undergraduates to reinforce a conversational tone and to "self-recognize" the writer as an authority or at least a thorough researcher. Writing a play is different than an essay with a purpose.

Osayimwense Osa 22 March 2023 AT 05:03 PM

When a student or writer is strongly and passionately interested in his or her stance and argument to persuade his or her audience, the use of personal pronoun srenghtens his or her passion for the subject. This passion should be clear in his/her expression. However, I encourage the use of the first-person, I, sparingly -- only when and where absolutely necessary.

Eleanor 25 March 2023 AT 04:03 PM

I once had a student use the word "eye" when writing about how to use pronouns. Her peers did not catch it. I made comments, but I think she never understood what eye was saying!

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• Tips & Guides

How To Avoid Using “We,” “You,” And “I” in an Essay

• Posted on October 27, 2022 October 27, 2022

Maintaining a formal voice while writing academic essays and papers is essential to sound objective. 

One of the main rules of academic or formal writing is to avoid first-person pronouns like “we,” “you,” and “I.” These words pull focus away from the topic and shift it to the speaker – the opposite of your goal.

While it may seem difficult at first, some tricks can help you avoid personal language and keep a professional tone.

Let’s learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

What Is a Personal Pronoun?

Pronouns are words used to refer to a noun indirectly. Examples include “he,” “his,” “her,” and “hers.” Any time you refer to a noun – whether a person, object, or animal – without using its name, you use a pronoun.

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun. A personal pronoun is a pronoun you use whenever you directly refer to the subject of the sentence. 

Take the following short paragraph as an example:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. Mr. Smith also said that Mr. Smith lost Mr. Smith’s laptop in the lunchroom.”

The above sentence contains no pronouns at all. There are three places where you would insert a pronoun, but only two where you would put a personal pronoun. See the revised sentence below:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. He also said that he lost his laptop in the lunchroom.”

“He” is a personal pronoun because we are talking directly about Mr. Smith. “His” is not a personal pronoun (it’s a possessive pronoun) because we are not speaking directly about Mr. Smith. Rather, we are talking about Mr. Smith’s laptop.

If later on you talk about Mr. Smith’s laptop, you may say:

“Mr. Smith found it in his car, not the lunchroom!” 

In this case, “it” is a personal pronoun because in this point of view we are making a reference to the laptop directly and not as something owned by Mr. Smith.

Why Avoid Personal Pronouns in Essay Writing

We’re teaching you how to avoid using “I” in writing, but why is this necessary? Academic writing aims to focus on a clear topic, sound objective, and paint the writer as a source of authority. Word choice can significantly impact your success in achieving these goals.

Writing that uses personal pronouns can unintentionally shift the reader’s focus onto the writer, pulling their focus away from the topic at hand.

Personal pronouns may also make your work seem less objective. 

One of the most challenging parts of essay writing is learning which words to avoid and how to avoid them. Fortunately, following a few simple tricks, you can master the English Language and write like a pro in no time.

Alternatives To Using Personal Pronouns

How to not use “I” in a paper? What are the alternatives? There are many ways to avoid the use of personal pronouns in academic writing. By shifting your word choice and sentence structure, you can keep the overall meaning of your sentences while re-shaping your tone.

Utilize Passive Voice

In conventional writing, students are taught to avoid the passive voice as much as possible, but it can be an excellent way to avoid first-person pronouns in academic writing.

You can use the passive voice to avoid using pronouns. Take this sentence, for example:

“ We used 150 ml of HCl for the experiment.”

Instead of using “we” and the active voice, you can use a passive voice without a pronoun. The sentence above becomes:

“150 ml of HCl were used for the experiment.” 

Using the passive voice removes your team from the experiment and makes your work sound more objective.

Take a Third-Person Perspective

Another answer to “how to avoid using ‘we’ in an essay?” is the use of a third-person perspective. Changing the perspective is a good way to take first-person pronouns out of a sentence. A third-person point of view will not use any first-person pronouns because the information is not given from the speaker’s perspective.

A third-person sentence is spoken entirely about the subject where the speaker is outside of the sentence.

Take a look at the sentence below:

“In this article you will learn about formal writing.”

The perspective in that sentence is second person, and it uses the personal pronoun “you.” You can change this sentence to sound more objective by using third-person pronouns:

“In this article the reader will learn about formal writing.”

The use of a third-person point of view makes the second sentence sound more academic and confident. Second-person pronouns, like those used in the first sentence, sound less formal and objective.

Be Specific With Word Choice

You can avoid first-personal pronouns by choosing your words carefully. Often, you may find that you are inserting unnecessary nouns into your work. 

Take the following sentence as an example:

“ My research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

In this case, the first-person pronoun ‘my’ can be entirely cut out from the sentence. It then becomes:

“Research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

The second sentence is more succinct and sounds more authoritative without changing the sentence structure.

You should also make sure to watch out for the improper use of adverbs and nouns. Being careful with your word choice regarding nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives can help mitigate your use of personal pronouns. 

“They bravely started the French revolution in 1789.” 

While this sentence might be fine in a story about the revolution, an essay or academic piece should only focus on the facts. The world ‘bravely’ is a good indicator that you are inserting unnecessary personal pronouns into your work.

We can revise this sentence into:

“The French revolution started in 1789.” 

Avoid adverbs (adjectives that describe verbs), and you will find that you avoid personal pronouns by default.

Closing Thoughts

In academic writing, It is crucial to sound objective and focus on the topic. Using personal pronouns pulls the focus away from the subject and makes writing sound subjective.

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

When working on any formal writing assignment, avoid personal pronouns and informal language as much as possible.

While getting the hang of academic writing, you will likely make some mistakes, so revising is vital. Always double-check for personal pronouns, plagiarism , spelling mistakes, and correctly cited pieces. 

 You can prevent and correct mistakes using a plagiarism checker at any time, completely for free.

Quetext is a platform that helps you with all those tasks. Check out all resources that are available to you today.

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Writing Mechanics: Avoiding the “I” Trap and Other Irritants

In today’s post  editor Linda Clare continues our look at Fatal Flaw #12: Flawed Writing Mechanics. We’ve taken a look at scene structure , and now we’ll cover some of the smaller bits that jam up the gears of writing mechanics.

This week we’re discussing how poor writing mechanics can lead to dull writing. Let’s examine how repetitive pronoun/proper name use and other small mistakes can weaken fiction and what we can do to strengthen our work.

Get Out of the “I” Trap

In the Julia Roberts/Brad Pitt movie The Mexican , Roberts leans out a window, hurling all Pitt’s possessions on him. He protests, “But I . . . I . . . ”

She yells back. “I, I, I, I, I. It’s always about you, Jerry.” She then throws something else onto his head.

When writers overuse pronouns in their fiction, I think of this scene. Every writer faces the same challenge: how to communicate the story without boring readers by repeating pronouns at the beginning of sentences.

If you look at a scene you’ve drafted and see (or hear) nothing but I,I,I, the passage might read better if you rearrange or revise. Many people have an aversion to hearing “I” repetitively (or “he” or “she” or “it”). My solution is to draft the sentences any way they come, but later revise or rearrange at least half of them.

I pressed my knuckles against my mouth after the teacher reprimanded me. I couldn’t believe he’d dress me down in front of the whole class! I hadn’t done anything wrong, unless you count that lit firecracker on his chair. I was determined to get revenge, even if it took all semester. I smiled at the real culprits—Tommy and Jack, those evil twins. I was always getting in trouble thanks to those two apes. I’d find a way to get even.

In the Before example, every sentence begins with “I.” It does seem egocentric and, frankly, boring. Let’s see how the paragraph can be reworked.

After the teacher reprimanded me, I pressed my knuckles against my mouth. He’d dressed me down in front of the whole class! I hadn’t done anything wrong, unless you count that lit firecracker on his chair. Even if it took all semester, I’d get revenge. I smiled at the real culprits—Tommy and Jack, those evil twins. Thanks to those two apes, I was always getting in trouble. Getting even became my goal.  

To avoid beginning every sentence with “I,” I rearranged a few words, putting the end phrase at the beginning. More importantly, the new arrangements put the important part of the sentence where it has the most impact—at the beginning or the end. If you allow the important part of a sentence to languish in the middle, it tends to get lost.

Emphasize the important stuff where it will have a greater impact—beginning or end—as that’s what readers tend to remember most easily. Plus, you solve the “I” problem.

No Fun with Dick & Jane

Another way names in fiction become troublesome is when characters keep naming the person they’re addressing. In real life, we hardly ever say the name of the person we’re speaking to. And unless it’s a character’s mother yelling her child’s entire name when he’s gotten into trouble, refrain from letting characters repeat proper names. Doing so in fiction results in stilted or artificial dialog.

“I say, Jane, dear. Would you mind passing the salt?”

“I’d be delighted, Richard.”

“Call me Dick.”

“I can’t do that, Richard Patrick Smith.”

“Jane, is it really necessary to call me by my given name?”

“Yes, Richard, I’m afraid it is.”

Well, then, Jane Harriet Jones, you can go jump in the lake.”

The exchange is obviously silly, but it illustrates the point. Repeating proper names distracts and irritates readers. Name your characters only in the attribution, such as “Jane said,” or a in a beat of action the first time they’re introduced. That way your dialog isn’t overburdened and you can give a complete scenic experience.

Dick leaned across the table. “I say, dear. Would you mind passing the salt?”

Jane looked up. “I’d be delighted, sir. Aren’t you Richard?” She hoped he didn’t recognize her as the upstairs maid.

“I can’t do that, sir.” Jane bit her lip. Would he expose her?

He peered at her. “Is it really necessary to call me by my given name?”

“Yes, I’m afraid it is. Sir.” She should have stayed upstairs.

He frowned. “Well, then, whoever you are—go jump in the lake.”

There! It! Is!

Writers who begin sentences with “there” or “it” can almost always strengthen those lines by revising. There was or there were indicates passive construction that would be better if replaced by an active verb.

Example: There was an old brick building at the end of the dirt road.   Better: An old brick building sat at the end of the dirt road . Not only do you eliminate there and was —two words that can mean many things—you also put the important words at the sentence’s beginning.

In much the same way, “it” buys a writer relatively little in terms of communicating. Plus, the word it tends to refer to the last noun written.  Example: It was the neighbor’s dog, prowling around under the window. It growled, then ran off yelping.

To remedy the unfortunate growling window, you could write: Under the window, the neighbor’s dog prowled around. It growled, then ran off yelping.  

Lay, Biddy, Lay

No discussion of writing mechanics is complete without mentioning the correct usage of the verbs lay and lie . To lie and to lay are irregular verbs that have a bunch of meanings, but writers most often confuse these two verbs when referring to putting an object or a person down. In everyday speech, the word lay has invaded incorrectly, but when you write, get it right. Here are the correct ways to use lay and lie :

The word lay is easy in present tense. I walk in and lay my keys on the table. Lay needs an object, a “what” that’s being laid. Some people keep it straight by saying, “Hens lay (eggs). People lie (down).

The word lie is trickier when you mean reclining. Have you ever told your dog to “go lay down?” If you’d said, “Go lie down,” Fido might obey better—and you’d be grammatically correct.

Right now I lie in bed, but last night I lay in bed. I had lain awake the night before. In fact all week long I was lying around with insomnia.

Writing skills begin with mechanics.  Learn how to vary the pronoun opening; handle proper names effectively; and use strong, specific words. Understand lay vs. lie . Master these and other areas of writing mechanics to help rework so-so fiction to unforgettable fiction.

What is your most troublesome mechanics area, and how do you deal with it in writing? Has this post helped you recognize your “I” problem? What are some ways that help you avoid repetitive or vague pronouns that cause confusion?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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It’s currently the #1 best seller on Amazon for reference guides-editing!

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Don’t just give  any book as a gift this holiday season. Give  the book that will help the writers in your life become better writers! They’ll thank you!

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One of my biggest problems with mechanics is when to use “who” or “that.” Example: She was the one who came last. I want to write that. I repeatedly catch myself with this one.

The basic rule is “who” is for people and “that” is for things. However, in fantasy sometimes, or even other genres like children’s books, animals can be “whos” as well. It can be a matter of taste (maybe a robot can be a who too).

Lovely insights for fiction. But how does one overcome this challenge while writing non-fiction, about, say, a personal experience?

I’m not sure what you’re asking. But if you mean trying not to say “I” too much, in first person or in a memoir, you are going to be saying/thinking “I” a lot. But you wouldn’t want to start most of your sentences with that pronoun. Varying the style of sentences and how they begin, as well as putting in dialog and external action and description can help balance that. Is that what you’re thinking?

Good stuff! For a novelist, here’s a way to solve the “I” problem: you can go full-on Jay McInerney (_Bright Lights, Big City_) and write your novel in second person. Your sentences will begin with, for example, “You started out on the Upper East Side with champagne and unlimited prospects ….”

Other successful novels using this technique? None come to mind, probably because second person fiction tends to be jarring — it’s almost impossible to sustain at novel length without your readers’ feeling as though they’ve driven a hard road on bad springs. McInerney made it work, and I’ve seen a good short story or two written this way. Can you think of any other readable novels written using second-person POV?

I settled on first person for my own just-finished novel because it provided the strongest amplification of my POV character’s voice and gave me the smallest psychic distance from him. But this choice does come with pitfalls, one of which you’ve ably discussed here. Thanks for the good post.

Bruce, I agree that second person is pretty tricky to do well. My advice is go ahead and try it, but you’ll need a lot of skill to do it well. Thanks for visiting and let me know how your work is going. Keep Writing! ~Linda

Linda, thanks for the reply! I’m not so much a fan of McInerney’s subsequent work, but have to hand it to him for his skillful use of the second person POV in that first book.

I’d probably only use second person for fun, at no more than short story length. Readers do often find it annoying, and I have a standing policy to annoy the reader as little as possible. All the best in your work as well. –Bruce

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How to Write an Essay Without Using I

Kimberley mcgee, 27 jun 2018.

Although it's all about you, it really isn’t if you want to get your point across with good effect. Keeping clear of using the first-person point of view in an important composition, such as an essay, cover letter or thesis can feel like a daunting endeavor. However, there are a few ways to write around the first-person conundrum that can send fledgling essayists over the edge.

Explore this article

• Cardinal Rules
• When to Use the Second Person

1 Cardinal Rules

Why is it such a no-no to interject an “I” or two into your work? If you pepper your paper with first-person references, you make the work appear less objective. The reader is turned off by your constant reference to yourself because it can make you sound biased. Stand on the facts and let them fly while presenting them in the second person. Rely on the names of authors, institutions you’ve worked for and titles of major works to present your case.

In some cases, you may find yourself absolutely stuck with referring to yourself. In that case, you can refer to yourself in the third person, such as “In this writer’s opinion” or “This author concludes” to avoid using the lowly “I” that tears the reader’s attention away from the point. Dump the passive voice for stronger sentence structure. For example, “I gathered the results” is changed to “The results were gathered.”

Often, you can turn the perspective around to avoid using the first person. If you find yourself discussing yourself, return the reader to the subject at hand by saying, “This thesis will reveal” rather than “I will describe in this thesis.”

Be direct in your statements and avoid interjecting your opinion. The information should be strong enough to stand on its own without your opinion supporting it into fact.

2 When to Use the Second Person

It’s not ideal, but there are a few instances in which using second-person references can work to your advantage. Be careful, though, as using the second person “you” gives a more conversational connotation to your piece. This can be welcome in some instances, but it can also throw the reader off your subject and downplay the strength of your work. Alternatives to “you” can be “people,” “one” or “the reader.” This is best used for academic works where the second person “you” may lessen the impact of your work.

Take your time and go through your finished piece to find all references to the first person, including “I,” “me” and “mine.” Rework the sentence with the suggestions above and you'll have a stronger piece overall. Remember to emphasize the experience, event, article or business before interjecting yourself.

• 1 Essay Homework Help: When and How to Write an Essay About Yourself Without Using I
• 2 The Writing Center: Should I use "I"?

About the Author

Kimberley McGee is an award-winning journalist with 20+ years of experience writing about education, jobs, business and more for The New York Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Today’s Parent and other publications. She graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from UNLV. Her full bio and clips can be seen at www.vegaswriter.com.

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What Can I Write Instead of I?

By: Author Kallen Anluan

Posted on Published: August 19, 2020

Writing from the first-person point of view is often the easiest and least formal perspective from which to write. But many times, you’ll find that nearly all of your sentences begin with the letter I, which can make things sound repetitive and even dull.  

Replacements for I included myself, me, the writer, the author, the viewer, and the speaker. There are a few other ways to avoid overusing I, including adding an introductory phrase or clause, changing the focus or the subject of your sentence, and combining your sentences.

Keep reading to learn more about point of view and how to avoid overusing I. 

Understanding Point of View  

Before we discuss different ways to avoid too many instances of personal pronouns such as “I” in an essay, we first need to review the various perspectives from which we can write, and how to use them correctly.  

In English, there are three different points of view (POVs): First Person, Second Person, and Third Person. 

At times, you may need to write from a particular perspective, such as the first person in an opinion piece or narrative essay.

There will also be situations where one perspective is more appropriate than another, such as the third person in a more formal academic, informative, or expository essay.

No matter which perspective you choose, the most important rule is to be consistent ( source ). Once you select a point of view from which to write, you will need to stick with that same point of view throughout. 

You cannot switch back and forth from the first person to the third person, or first to second, etc. Doing so will create confusion for your reader, so think about your essay’s purpose before you begin writing, and then stay consistent.

Below we’ll take a quick look at each point of view and the corresponding pronouns.  

If you recall, pronouns are words that replace a noun or noun phrase and refer to a person, place, or thing that you’ve already mentioned ( source ).

As you can see, “I” is part of the first-person point of view and corresponds with the pronouns “we” and “us,” as well as the possessive pronouns “our” and “ours.”  

Remember that possessive pronouns show ownership — to learn more about how to use the possessive form correctly, take a look at “ Families or Family’s: When to Use Possessive Form. ”

Below are a few sample sentences for each POV:

• 1 st Person POV: I am very interested in learning more about space exploration, so we should head over to the library.
• 2 nd Person POV: If you’d like to learn more about space exploration, you should check out some books from your library. 
• 3 rd Person POV: Neil deGrasse Tyson is a well-known astrophysicist, and he has written many influential books.  

Notice that each sentence is consistent in the use of pronouns that match the point of view from which we are writing. Next, we’ll take a look at a sentence that uses two different points of view, and see why it can be unclear or confusing.

• As we walked by our friend’s house, you could see the new car in the driveway.

Above, there are two different points of view in the same sentence, both first and second person – “I” (first person) and “you” (second person). This is confusing because we don’t know who “you” refers to.  

Instead, we want to be consistent, like this:

• As we walked by our friend’s house, we could see the new car in the driveway.

By changing “you” to “we,” the reader will understand that the people who can see the car are those who are walking by.  

Now that we understand each different point of view, let’s focus on 1st person POV and discuss different ways to avoid the common mistake of overusing “I” in our writing. 

How to Avoid Overusing “I” in Your Writing  

It can be challenging trying to determine what to write instead of “I,” especially if you are writing a personal narrative — a story about yourself — or something in which you are stating what you believe about a topic or issue. 

While you can’t avoid it all of the time, there are things you can do instead. It is important to vary your sentences to avoid repetitiveness in your writing. Let’s look at an example of a paragraph where too many sentences begin with “I.”

I immigrated to America from Honduras as a child. I was only four years old when my family moved here. I lived in a small, blue house on a quiet street. I had very friendly neighbors who welcomed my family. I learned how to speak English very quickly. I have lived in the United States for nearly 20 years.

There is not necessarily anything wrong, grammatically, with the paragraph above, but nearly every sentence begins with the letter “I.”

Strategy One: Add a Phrase, First

One strategy is to avoid starting your sentence with “I.” You can easily add an introductory clause or phrase to avoid beginning each sentence in the same way.  

Remember that a clause or phrase cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence.  Instead, it provides background or context for what is to follow ( source ).

Let’s look at an example using the first sentence above to see how we can add a phrase.  

• Before: I immigrated to America from Honduras as a child.
• After:  As a child, I immigrated to America from Honduras.

As you can see, I still used “I” in my sentence, but I changed the order to add an introductory phrase, telling the reader when the writer immigrated to America. 

Even though I still used “I,” the sentence sounds different and is varied from the others in the paragraph. 

Here is another example:

• Before: I have lived in the United States for nearly 20 years.
• After: For nearly 20 years, I have lived in the United States.  

This time, I used a prepositional phrase at the beginning of my sentence. A prepositional phrase is a modifying phrase that tells more about time and space.  Here, “for nearly 20 years,” tells the reader more about how long the writer has lived in America.  

With this strategy, you are simply avoiding a repetitive pattern in your writing by moving the “I” from the beginning of the sentence to the middle, adding an introductory phrase or clause, first. 

Strategy Two: Begin your Sentence with a Noun, Instead

Another strategy is to avoid the use of “I” as the subject of your sentence.  

Remember that complete sentences have two parts:

• A subject — who or what the sentence is about, containing the noun
• A predicate — what the subject is doing, containing the verb or linking verb.   

What we want to do with this strategy is to create sentences that use nouns — not pronouns, such as “I” — as the subject of the sentence. It seems a bit confusing, but let’s take a look at another example:

• Before: I lived in a small, blue house on a quiet street.

In the sentence above, “I” is the subject of the sentence, and everything that follows is the predicate. We want to change the focus from “I” to the small, blue house. Let’s take a look at how: 

• A small, blue house on a quiet street became our home. 

Now, the subject of the sentence is no longer “I,” but rather the small, blue house.  

Here’s another example:

• Before: I had very friendly neighbors who welcomed my family.

If we remove “I” as the subject and change the focus to something else — another noun in the sentence — we can avoid using “I” entirely.  Let’s take a look:

• After : Very friendly neighbors welcomed my family.

We changed the focus of the sentence from “I” to the friendly neighbors, now the subject of the sentence.  

Remember, when writing an essay or personal statement about yourself, your reader already knows that it is about you. With that in mind, you can simply take yourself out of the subject of some of your sentences to keep them varied.  

Strategy Three: Combine Your Sentences

Often, new writers write a lot of short, simple sentences rather than longer, complex ones. While this is not inherently bad, it makes falling into the trap of too many pronouns pretty easy.

With this third strategy, if you notice that too many of your sentences are short, sound the same, and begin with “I,” you can try combining a couple of them.

Think of it this way — if every day you order the same sandwich from your local deli, you will likely get bored with it pretty quickly. But if each time you order your sandwich you add a few more ingredients, your old, boring sandwich becomes new again. 

It may sound like a simplistic analogy, but consider your sentences in the same light.

The same short, simple sentence structure used repeatedly is a lot like eating the same sandwich for lunch day after day.  

To avoid that, we can add a few more layers to our sentences, combining them so that a simple sentence becomes complex. Let’s take a look using the example above:

• Before : I immigrated to America from Honduras as a child. I was only four years old when my family moved here.
• After : As a four-year-old child, I immigrated to America from Honduras.
• Before: I lived in a small, blue house on a quiet street. I had very friendly neighbors who welcomed my family.
• After : I lived in a small, blue house on a quiet street with friendly neighbors who welcomed my family.

As you can see, none of the information changed. I simply combined my sentences to add more detail and avoid the use of “I” a second time.

Wrapping it Up

Before we conclude, let’s compare the initial paragraph with too many uses of “I” to what it looks like using some of the strategies above.

I immigrated to America from Honduras as a child. I was four years old when my family moved here. I lived in a small, blue house on a quiet street. I had very friendly neighbors who welcomed my family. I learned how to speak English very quickly. I have lived in the United States for nearly 20 years.  

As a four-year-old child, I immigrated to America from Honduras. A small blue house on a quiet street became our home. With friendly neighbors who welcomed my family, I learned how to speak English very quickly. Having lived in the United States for nearly 20 years, it is now my home.

You can see that the second paragraph sounds much more varied with fewer uses of “I.”

Final Thoughts  

There’s no doubt about it, it’s tough avoiding the use of “I” all of the time, especially when you are writing about yourself. Still, there are ways to do so and, at the same time, make your writing more enjoyable to read.  

Try some of the tips above. Begin with a phrase and move “I” to the middle of your sentence, change the subject of your sentences, or combine your sentences to create more complex ones.    

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• How to avoid repetition and redundancy

How to Avoid Repetition and Redundancy in Academic Writing

Published on March 15, 2019 by Kristin Wieben . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Repetition and redundancy can cause problems at the level of either the entire paper or individual sentences. However, repetition is not always a problem as, when used properly, it can help your reader follow along. This article shows how to streamline your writing.

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Table of contents

Avoiding repetition at the paper level, avoiding repetition at the sentence level, when is repetition not a problem, other interesting articles.

On the most basic level, avoid copy-and-pasting entire sentences or paragraphs into multiple sections of the paper. Readers generally don’t enjoy repetition of this type.

Don’t restate points you’ve already made

It’s important to strike an appropriate balance between restating main ideas to help readers follow along and avoiding unnecessary repetition that might distract or bore readers.

For example, if you’ve already covered your methods in a dedicated methodology chapter , you likely won’t need to summarize them a second time in the results chapter .

If you’re concerned about readers needing additional reminders, you can add short asides pointing readers to the relevant section of the paper (e.g. “For more details, see Chapter 4”).

Don’t use the same heading more than once

It’s important for each section to have its own heading so that readers skimming the text can easily identify what information it contains. If you have two conclusion sections, try making the heading more descriptive – for instance, “Conclusion of X.”

Are all sections relevant to the main goal of the paper?

Try to avoid providing redundant information. Every section, example and argument should serve the main goal of your paper and should relate to your thesis statement or research question .

If the link between a particular piece of information and your broader purpose is unclear, then you should more explicitly draw the connection or otherwise remove that information from your paper.

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Keep an eye out for lengthy introductory clauses that restate the main point of the previous sentence. This sort of sentence structure can bury the new point you’re trying to make. Try to keep introductory clauses relatively short so that readers are still focused by the time they encounter the main point of the sentence.

In addition to paying attention to these introductory clauses, you might want to read your paper aloud to catch excessive repetition. Below we listed some tips for avoiding the most common forms of repetition.

• Use a variety of different transition words
• Vary the structure and length of your sentences
• Don’t use the same pronoun to reference more than one antecedent (e.g. “ They asked whether they were ready for them”)
• Avoid repetition of particular sounds or words (e.g. “ Several shelves sheltered similar sets of shells ”)
• Avoid redundancies (e.g “ In the year 2019 ” instead of “ in 2019 ”)
• Don’t state the obvious (e.g. “The conclusion chapter contains the paper’s conclusions”)

It’s important to stress that repetition isn’t always problematic. Repetition can help your readers follow along. However, before adding repetitive elements to your paper, be sure to ask yourself if they are truly necessary.

Restating key points

Repeating key points from time to time can help readers follow along, especially in papers that address highly complex subjects. Here are some good examples of when repetition is not a problem:

Restating the research question in the conclusion This will remind readers of exactly what your paper set out to accomplish and help to demonstrate that you’ve indeed achieved your goal.

Referring to your key variables or themes Rather than use varied language to refer to these key elements of the paper, it’s best to use a standard set of terminology throughout the paper, as this can help your readers follow along.

Underlining main points

When used sparingly, repetitive sentence and paragraph structures can add rhetorical flourish and help to underline your main points. Here are a few famous examples:

“ Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” – John F. Kennedy, inaugural address

“…and that government of the people , by the people , for the people shall not perish from the earth.” – Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Academic Skills: Writing: Reusing Your Work and Citing Yourself

As you progress in your Walden program, you may find that you research and write about a topic more than once. This is typical as you engage with key concepts and specialize in your field of study. See the information and best practices on this page to ensure you follow APA citation guidelines and Walden policy if you plan to reuse past written work.

Your Published Writing

If you have published your writing outside of the Walden classroom—in a journal or even in a local newsletter or blog—and would like to reuse portions of it or refer to the findings or ideas in that work, you will need to cite yourself.

Follow APA’s guidelines for citing and referencing published works.

Your Previous Coursework

If you are considering reusing your previously submitted Walden coursework in a new course or term, review the following best practice and policy sections.

Best Practices for Reusing Work

• During your studies at Walden, you may write on the same topic for a second, third, or fourth time; regardless, your writing should reflect new approaches and insights into that topic to demonstrate intellectual growth.
• Your writing submitted for previous Walden courses will show up in the Turnitin Similarity Report when reused. Contact your faculty if you plan to reuse your work to avoid concerns about possible plagiarism. Additionally, you could cite your unpublished writing (see How to Cite Your Unpublished Work below).
• Your faculty for your current course can guide you about whether reusing your previous writing seems appropriate for a particular assignment or writing task.

Walden University’s Policy on Reusing Work

The following comes from the Walden Student Code of Conduct :

Walden Students’ Use of Their Own Scholarly Work

• Students may reuse their work without an expectation that previously awarded grades or credit will attach to the new assignment. Any work previously published by the student must be appropriately cited if reused. 
• Field Experience Exception: Any assignments or documentation submitted related to field experience (work, hours, client or patient logs, etc) must be new, current, accurate, and relate to clients or patients seen during the term and in direct reference to the assignment.

How to Cite Your Unpublished Work

Although not required in the policy above, in rare instances, you may need to or want to cite your unpublished Walden coursework.

If you cite or quote your previous work, treat yourself as the author and your own written document as the source. For example, if Marie Briggs wanted to cite a paper she wrote at Walden in 2022, her citation might look like this:

Briggs (2022) asserted that previous literature on the psychology of tightrope walkers was faulty in that it "presumed that risk-taking behaviors align neatly with certain personality traits or disorders" (p. 4).

And in the reference list:

Briggs, M. (2022). An analysis of personality theory [Unpublished manuscript]. Walden University.

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• To Cite Yourself or Not Cite Yourself (blog post)

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How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in an Interview (Plus Examples!)

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By Stav Ziv

“Tell me about yourself” might seem like an easy win of an  interview question —after all, you know all about yourself! And good thing, too, because it’s often the very first thing an interviewer will ask you to do—whether you’re having a preliminary phone screen, speaking to your prospective boss, or sitting down with the CEO during the final round.”

Read the full article on The Muse: https://www.themuse.com/advice/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question-answer-examples

Social Security

Protect yourself from scams ( en español ).

Be on the lookout for fake calls, texts, emails, websites, messages on social media, or letters in the mail

Report a Social Security-related scam

This is brought to you by the Social Security Administration and its Office of the Inspector General.

March 28, 2024 Don’t hand off cash to “agents.” This new scam trend introduces an element of physical danger to scams that never existed before. Read more .

FTC Video: Hang Up on Social Security Scam Calls

See All Social Security-related Scam Alerts

What Are Social Security-Related Scams?

Criminals continue to impersonate SSA and other government agencies in an attempt to obtain personal information or money.

Scammers might call, email, text, write, or message you on social media claiming to be from the Social Security Administration or the Office of the Inspector General. They might use the name of a person who really works there and might send a picture or attachment as “proof.”

Social Security employees do contact the public by telephone for business purposes. Ordinarily, the agency calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, are already receiving payments and require an update to their record, or have requested a phone call from the agency. If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, Social Security will typically mail a letter.

Four Basic Signs of a Scam

Recognizing the signs of a scam gives you the power to ignore criminals and report the scam.

Scams come in many varieties, but they all work the same way:

• Scammers pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust.
• Scammers say there is a problem or a prize.
• Scammers pressure you to act immediately.
• Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way.

Known Tactics Scammers Use

Scammers frequently change their approach with new tactics and messages to trick people. We encourage you to stay up to date on the latest news and advisories by following SSA OIG on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook or subscribing to receive email alerts.

These are red flags; you can trust that Social Security will never

• Suspend your Social Security number.
• Claim to need personal information or payment to activate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or other benefit increase.
• Pressure you to take immediate action, including sharing personal information.
• Ask you to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or by mailing cash.
• Threaten to seize your bank account.
• Offer to move your money to a “protected” bank account.
• Demand secrecy.
• Direct message you on social media.

Be skeptical and look for red flags. If you receive a suspicious call, text message, email, letter, or message on social media, the caller or sender may not be who they say they are. Scammers have also been known to:

• Use legitimate names of Office of Inspector General or Social Security Administration employees.
• “Spoof” official government phone numbers, or even numbers for local police departments.
• Send official-looking documents by U.S. mail or attachments through email, text, or social media message.

Fraudsters create imposter social media pages and accounts using Social Security-related images and jargon. This helps them appear as if they’re associated with or endorsed by Social Security. The imposter pages could be for the agency or Social Security and OIG officials. The user is asked to send their financial information, Social Security number, or other sensitive information. Social Security will never ask for sensitive information through social media as these channels are not secure.

Here are some ways to spot an imposter page:

• Number of followers.
• Incorrect punctuation or spelling.
• Links to pages not on ssa.gov.
• Advertisements for forms or other SSA documents.
• Incorrect social media handle. To view the list of Social Security’s official social media channels, we encourage you to visit www.ssa.gov/socialmedia

It is illegal to reproduce federal employee credentials and federal law enforcement badges. Federal law enforcement will never send photographs of credentials or badges to demand any kind of payment, and neither will federal government employees.

Report the scam.

How to Avoid a Scam

Protect yourself, friends, and family — If you receive a suspicious call, text, email, social media message, or letter from someone claiming to be from Social Security:

• Remain calm . If you receive a communication that causes a strong emotional response, take a deep breath. Talk to someone you trust.
• Hang up or ignore the message . Do not click on links or attachments.
• Protect your money . Scammers will insist that you pay with a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, money transfer, or by mailing cash. Scammers use these forms of payment because they are hard to trace.
• Protect your personal information . Be cautious of any contact claiming to be from a government agency or law enforcement telling you about a problem you don’t recognize, even if the caller has some of your personal information.
• Spread the word to protect your community from scammers.
• Report the scam to the Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report .

How to Report

When you report a scam, you are providing us with powerful data that we use to inform others, identify trends, refine strategies, and take legal action against the criminals behind these scam activities.

Report a scam

If you are unsure about the type of scam, but want to report it, visit USA.gov’s Where To Report a Scam . The tool will help you to find the right place to report a scam.

What to Do if You Were Scammed

Recovering from a scam can be a long and difficult process. Here are some reminders:

• Do not blame yourself. Criminal behavior is not your fault.
• Stop contact with the scammer. Do not talk to them or respond to their messages.
• Notify the three major credit bureaus: Equifax , Experian , and TransUnion to add a fraud alert to your credit report.
• Protect your Social Security Number .
• Request a replacement SSN card or new SSN , if necessary.

The Federal Trade Commission’s “What To Do if You Were Scammed” article has information about what to do if you paid someone you think is a scammer or gave a scammer your personal information or access to your computer or phone.

Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission provides assistance in multiple languages. The Federal Trade Commission’s “New Help for Spotting, Avoiding, and Reporting Scams in Multiple Language” and “Consumer Education in Multiple Languages” has information about reporting and avoiding scams in your preferred language.

Help Us “Slam the Scam”!

Please visit our Resources page for more information on how you can help us “Slam the Scam”.

About the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General

The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General has independent oversight of SSA’s programs and operations. SSA OIG is responsible for conducting audits, evaluations, and investigations and reporting on and providing recommendations for programs, operations, and management improvements.

Artificial Intelligence

How ai manipulates you daily (and how to defend yourself), protect your most important “currency” from those who seek to take it from you..

Posted April 11, 2024 | Reviewed by Ray Parker

• Almost any internet content you can click on aims to influence or manipulate you.
• Those who are trying to influence you include both other people and the AI they employ.
• Adopt a mindset and practices that minimize your chances of being influenced in ways that don’t benefit you.

Like most Psychology Today readers, you are probably an intelligent and thoughtful person. And you also understand that the role of power and influence in human interactions and society is extremely important and can’t be overstated. You pay attention to your own words and actions, taking care to say and do what’s effective and not what feels gratifying at the moment. You likely also pay attention to the political dynamics of any organizations that you’re a part of and try to look for opportunities to influence and persuade others while, at the same time, trying to protect yourself from being manipulated by others in common ways.

Even for someone like you, however, it can be easy to forget everything you’ve learned about influence during one very simple act that we all do every single day: go on the internet. Given how much of our lives we live online, this presents a problem for anyone who wants to take greater control of who they permit to influence them and in what ways. In my last post, I wrote about interpersonal skills and how, by definition, they are the one area that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot beat you at. But it’s possible to excel at interpersonal skills and still let AI “beat” you, and it usually happens when you’re on social media . So let’s talk about how to protect yourself.

How AI Has Power and Influence Over You

If you think about it, almost anything you can possibly click on over the internet wants to influence you in some way. Even if it’s not explicitly an advertisement and the goal isn’t literally to sell you a product or service, it wants to influence you somehow, whether it’s getting you to think something, feel something, or do something (and, quite often, buy something).

Take this post, for example. Through it, I am encouraging you to internalize the ideas I present and then apply them in your own life in what I hope is a beneficial way. You could say this is a positive kind of influence. (Remember that one of the key ideas behind this post is that influence can be used for good .) As the writer, at least I’d like to think so. But it is an influence nevertheless. The point is that if you don’t recognize when people are trying to influence you, then you become susceptible to the bad kind of influence.

But if I want to influence you, and I’m a human being, what does this have to do with AI? Behind every blogger, YouTube personality , and social media influencer, there are the companies that own the platforms these bloggers and influencers use: YouTube, Meta, TikTok, Instagram, and the rest. Generally speaking, the goal of these platforms is to keep users on them as often as possible for as long as possible insofar as this increases the likelihood of those users clicking on targeted ads, which is what the sites' monetization models rely on. Where AI comes in is that it powers the algorithms designed to keep users on for as long and often as possible, using the users’ data to serve the content most likely to elicit their emotions and keep them engaged.

Obviously, AI itself has no emotions. It doesn’t “want” to influence you or to have power over you, but it does simply because, in the context of the internet, that’s what it’s been programmed to do. Even the people who wield AI as their tools don’t have some explicit wish to cause you harm actively; they’re simply trying to accomplish the goal of any company, which is to be as profitable. It just so happens that within the dominant business model of social media and online content, the kind of content that’s effective at keeping people engaged often happens to be emotionally charged : sensational, controversial, polarizing, triggering, or misinformative. Unfortunately, due to its massive computing power, AI is very good at understanding your psychology (often better than you do) and, therefore, utilizing content that is most likely to “push your buttons.”

How to Protect Yourself From AI-Powered Algorithms

In a previous post, I wrote about being data literate. Well, the first step towards protecting yourself against AI’s influence is to become social-media literate. This means being conscious of the fact that we live in an attention economy in which much of the business occurs between companies that want your attention and the content platforms that provide it to them. This means you are the product. Unless you enjoy being a product, here are some basic steps to resist being bought and sold.

1. Stop giving away your “money” for free. Think of your attention as a form of currency or “money” that you are constantly giving to others. Sometimes, you give it in exchange for something of value, but other times you don’t. Of course, it’s not just your attentional “money” that companies want; many of them want your actual money as well. To prevent too much of your attention or money from being given away, however, you have first to become aware of 1. that it happens, 2. how often it happens (i.e., most all of the time), and 3. why it happens. This means that just by reading this post, you are already taking the first step. Congratulations.

2. Be skeptical or suspicious about everything online. Cultivate a healthy level of skepticism or suspicion towards just about everything you see on the internet, especially on social media. Remember, much of what you’re seeing is being custom-served to you by AI based on the extensive data it has about you with the goal of keeping you clicking.

3. Consider who’s trying to influence you and why. Even though AI is definitely influencing you via customized content, behind the curtain there are people trying to influence you as well, both individuals and organizations. A useful exercise you can, therefore, do while browsing the internet or social media is to take note of the platforms you’re on and remember that nearly all of them want to keep you clicking—again, not necessarily out of maliciousness but because that’s how their business models work. This doesn’t mean the sources you’re using are necessarily untrustworthy; it’s just useful to remember that your intellectual growth is not at all their priority.

Next, for anything you click on, note who posted it. If it’s an ad from a company, you know right away that they’re trying to sell you something. This doesn’t mean don’t click the ad or don’t buy the product, just be aware that you’re being influenced by marketing professionals who know what they’re doing.

Even if it’s an article, whoever posted it is still trying to “sell” you something—a certain viewpoint, let’s say, or the idea of engaging in a certain action. What do you know about this person? If it's nothing, what can you find out by reading their bio? Are you comfortable with what you’ve learned from their bio? At the very least, let this inform how you receive their content.

4. Remember the limits to social media literacy. Being internet or social media literate doesn’t make you immune to being influenced. It’s like I wrote about critical thinking : it’s certainly preferable to be social media literate than illiterate, but if you view yourself as literate, that in itself can make you vulnerable to viewpoints that confirm the biases and internal narratives we are all subject to. Because of this, you just have to accept that any time you browse the internet or social media, you’re probably going to be influenced in some way.

5. Try taking an occasional break. For the precise reason that there’s no way to avoid being influenced on the internet completely, you might want to take breaks now and then. Most of us rely on the internet for work to some degree, so it may be impossible to get off it completely. However, even just taking breaks from social media would vastly reduce how much you’re being influenced in undesirable ways. In fact, this is one of the reasons why computer scientist Jaron Lanier argues for deleting your social media accounts entirely because it’s the only guaranteed solution.

Lanier has a point, but you don’t need to do anything that drastic. Remember: We’re not necessarily trying to prevent ourselves from being influenced at all, which is arguably impossible. We’re just trying to make it less likely to be influenced in ways that don’t benefit us, especially without being aware of it. Adopting a discerning mindset and practicing the steps discussed can go a long way toward making your time online much more productive and efficient.

Craig Barkacs, MBA, JD, is a professor of business law at the University of San Diego School of Business and a trial lawyer with three decades of experience as an attorney in high-profile cases.

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Answering ‘How Would You Describe Yourself?’ 5 Tips and Examples.

It’s a common question that’s more complex than you might think. Here’s what experts have to say about it.

One of the hardest parts of the job interview process is answering the seemingly simple question: How would you describe yourself? 

This question is vague for a reason, according to Ashley Watkins, a career consultant and former recruiter. Prospective employers are teeing up job candidates to see how well they can show their strengths for a role.

Knowing how to describe yourself is important because there’s a good chance you’ll be asked a variation of this question during a job interview.

Why Interviewers Ask This Question

Interviewers might ask you to describe yourself for a very practical reason: It saves them time from guessing what makes you tick.

“I think the reason this question is so popular is that sometimes the interviewer really hasn’t had the time to read your resume,” Rachel Amos, director of career services and employer relations at Carnegie Mellon University, told Built In. “Maybe they’re interviewing 15 people a day and reading hundreds of resumes. So, you’re doing a little of their job for them.”

Decoding this question further, prospective employers ask this question to see what you can offer their company and whether your work experience, accomplishments, knowledge, skills and personality match the qualities they seek.

The question also tests your communication and listening skills , said Jenny Logullo, communications consultant and career coach.  She added the interviewer is certainly paying attention and evaluating what you say, so it’s important not to get distracted and ramble on.

Some hiring managers, however, don’t ask job candidates to describe themselves.

“I don’t ask that question because it’s not precise enough,” Philippe Clavel, senior director of engineering at Roblox, said. “I don’t think it’s set up for success to know what you want to know as an interviewer.”

Instead, Clavel said he’ll ask job candidates about their careers and what impact they’ve had, as well as their passions both in and outside of work.

More on Career Development How Interpersonal Skills Help You Be a Stronger Tech Player

5 Variations of the ‘How Would You Describe Yourself’ Question

There are a few different ways interviewers might ask this question, but the nuances that employers are seeking in your response differ. In order to get it right, job applicants should be asking themselves what the interviewer is trying to learn .  

Tell Me About Yourself

You may think “ tell me about yourself ” and “how would you describe yourself” are the same question at first glance, but to employers, it might not be, Amos said.

“Tell me about yourself is a different way of saying, ‘tell me about your professional and educational background,’” Amos added. “How would you describe yourself is more of a trait-based question and not a background-based one.”

Traits are based on your personality, such as, you really enjoy challenges and thrive on situations that call for lots of flexibility.

How Would Your Coworkers Describe You?

Employers ask this question to get better insight into your work style , work ethic and what your personality is like in a work situation.

Amos advises pulling the requested skills in the job description and trying to match at least three of those that fit with your own list of skills. 

“If the company wants people who enjoy solving complex problems and you have those skills, I would say, ‘I think my former boss would say I’m a person who enjoys solving complex problems, and here’s a couple of ways I’ve done that,” Amos said. 

This question may also seek to uncover whether you are a team player or how well you work in a team environment. It could be trying to find out if you share the workload equally or if you can build relationships with others, according to Dana McCormick, chief human resources officer at Simeio. 

What Are Three Words That Describe You?

“When they give you a number, that right there should be a cue to keep it concise,” Santina Pitcher, associate director of counseling and programs at the University of California at Berkeley’s Career Center, said. “Don’t just say three adjectives and be done with it. You need to give it a little context but you also don’t want to have a five-minute answer.”

One of the best steps to take to be prepared for a brief but impactful response is to prepare ahead of time for such a question and practice a response.

What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

Questions about your strengths and weaknesses are designed to help employers get a sense of how much of a learning curve you may face and consider what other types of training and development opportunities may be appropriate for you, McCormick said.

Our egos may take a beating when we list our weaknesses , but avoid wimping out when responding to the interview question about your weaknesses, career experts advise.

“When asked about your greatest weakness, people may say, ‘I work too much,’ or ‘I don’t know when to say ‘no.’ Don’t say what you think they want to hear. They really want to know what makes you, you,” Pitcher said.

When asked about your greatest failure, employers are measuring whether you have ever faced adversity and did you display grit or resiliency after the failure.

What Do You Like to Do Outside of Work?

“Tech companies in particular love what I’m going to call passion projections,” Amos said.

It tells them what areas you’re excited about and gives them a better sense of whether the current job that is available would be a good fit — and, if not, keep you in mind for future jobs that fit your passion.

“If you didn’t plan for that question, you may say, ‘I enjoy reading.’ That’s not super helpful in a job interview,” Amos said. “But if you said I taught myself Java one summer because I really wanted to create this app and I needed to learn Java to do it, so I watched YouTube videos to learn it. That would be a great example.” 

That said, some recruiters like when candidates draw connections between their hobbies and what they enjoy about their work. Think: “I enjoy rock climbing because, similar to coding, I need to solve problems methodically through a series of precise steps.”

Other variations of this question range from “what do you do for fun,” “what makes you tick,” “what are you passionate about,” she added.

Ways to Describe Yourself in an Interview (With Examples)

“i’m a team player” .

Team players give companies a major boost. They are the ones who go the extra mile, taking on extra tasks their managers assign to them while offering to help coworkers with other projects. Managers covet these kinds of employees who leave their egos at the door and are willing to perform responsibilities outside of their job descriptions. 

“I’m a team player who’s willing to do what it takes to help the team succeed. In my last role, I offered to help members of the product team finish designing a specific feature, despite being assigned to the UX team for that particular project. The product team had fallen behind schedule, but I helped them speed up the design process. As a result, I helped the team meet our two-week deadline, even after the product team was three days behind schedule.”  

“I’m Resilient” 

Resilient employees respond to challenges and setbacks, finding ways to rebound and achieve their goals. This trait is crucial for companies operating in volatile markets where external factors can shift quickly. Amid this uncertainty, it’s reassuring to have an employee who leadership can trust to handle adversity without flinching.  

“I’m someone who displays resilience in the face of hardships. At my previous company, our design team faced a setback when we received user feedback where customers complained about our product being too confusing to use. I accepted this feedback with a positive attitude, shifting my priorities to focus on finding a fix for the issue and getting our final product released on time. By reallocating my energies and maintaining a can-do mentality, I helped redesign the product in less than a week, and the new design received stellar reviews from our customers.” 

“I’m Collaborative” 

Collaborative employees do more than just work well with others or act nice to everyone. They’re the ones who aren’t afraid to reach out to other team members and workers in different departments with questions, ideas and feedback. They set aside time to talk with others about projects, figuring out responsibilities, listening to advice from coworkers and being willing to adjust their own schedule and priorities to support the needs of other individuals and teams.

“I’m collaborative by nature and know how to work with others to complete projects on time. In my previous role, I worked on designing a product with members from engineering and quality assurance. I made sure to reach out to the engineers if I had any questions about how they added certain features and constructed the product. And if I had any doubts about my work, I asked QA personnel to take a look and provide insights. Staying in constant communication with these teams allowed me to set aside any uncertainty and perform my job at a high level.” 

“I’m Passionate” 

Being passionate about something suggests an added degree of dedication that separates passionate employees from co-workers who simply show up and do their jobs. Passionate employees love their jobs, and this shines through in how they take additional steps to ensure their work is of the best quality.  

“I’m extremely passionate about software development. In my previous role as a software developer, I took it upon myself to learn some of the newer programming languages my team had adopted, including F#, Swift and Java 17. I also volunteered to take on a side project where I developed coding shortcuts to speed up the software design process. My manager saw my commitment to my work, so they came to me often when they had more complex problems that they only trusted a focused member of the team to solve.” 

“I’m Organized” 

Organized individuals know how to manage their time and structure their days in a way that allows them to complete all their tasks. Managers appreciate having organized employees since they know they don’t need to tell these employees what to do. Organized workers know how to manage themselves, and this trait is especially useful in fast-paced environments. 

“I’m highly organized and have developed a strong work ethic . In my last position as an editor, I often worked on several projects at once while overseeing the work of four writers. I learned how to structure my days effectively, completing short-term assignments quickly and working in sprints on long-term projects. As a result, I fulfilled my duties as an editor and helped writers meet tight deadlines while keeping up with the pace of a fast publishing industry.”

Common Mistakes Made in Describing Yourself

 One of the biggest mistakes is that candidates take the question literally.

“The common mistake is to think that they’re interested in a long, babbling rendition of everything you’ve done and how you got there in front of them,” Robin Ryan, a career counselor and author of 60 Seconds and You’re Hired , said.

Instead, give personal information that’s aligned with the job description or the mission and values of the company you are interviewing with, rather than details about your personal life like your favorite food or hobbies.

When most people begin searching for words to describe themselves, adjectives like hardworking or team-oriented might come to mind. Those chosen words tell a story, and that requires a bit more preparation than an off-the-cuff answer.

Short, boring answers will also limit your chances of getting hired.  

“The common mistake is to think that they’re interested in a long, babbling rendition of everything you’ve done and how you got there in front of them.”

When asked to describe yourself, a vanilla response would go something like this: I am currently working on my master’s degree in information security and interested in an internship at your company because I would be learning a lot and working on challenging projects. 

Instead, Amos said to be as specific as possible in your response and offered up this example: “I really enjoy backend development, especially at the kernel level and getting way deep into the tech stack. I’m looking for opportunities where I can do some backend development at the driver level, storage level or kernel level.”  

And in telling a company about yourself, it’s also extremely important to explain why it’s their company you are particularly interested in.

“Another huge mistake is they don’t directly identify why this company is the one they want to work at and companies hate that,” Amos said. “Google is different from Microsoft and you can’t pretend they’re all the same.”

More on Job Interviews How to Create an Effective Elevator Pitch

How to Describe Yourself on Your Resume

Put a summary at the top of the resume that concisely describes your qualifications and the impact you’ve had at your current or previous jobs. Use strong bullet point statements in the summary that list your skills that match the ones sought in the job description and include the positive outcome from those skills.

“If you’re putting the two together — skill and positive outcome — and focus on the job qualifications, you really have created a nicely tailored resume,” Pitcher said. 

Cover letters are also a place where you can describe yourself, but Amos said don’t send one unless an employer specifically asks for one in the job posting.

The cover letter should tell a story of your skills, which match those listed in the job description, and the impact these skills have had on your current or former employer, project or organization.

But addressing the “how would you describe yourself?” question in the cover letter isn’t necessary, Amos said. The trait-based personality information, such as you like challenges or you thrive in a collaborative environment, should be covered once you get called in for an interview.

“The cover letter is heavily focused on really matching your skills with what they are looking for,” Amos added. “The cover letter’s goal is to get you an interview, then in the interview, you can talk about your traits and personality.” 

Recent Job Interviews Articles

Watch Out For The 'Can You Hear Me?' Phone Scam Happening Now

Senior Reporter, Work/Life

“Can you hear me now?” “Is this you?” “Are you there?”

If you’re asked a question like this in a normal conversation, it’s polite to let the other person know that you hear them loud and clear. But if you’re asked this at the beginning of a call from a random phone number, you should be wary.

That’s because these questions are the signs of a fast-growing scam, according to a n ew alert from the Better Business Bureau , a nonprofit that tracks bad advertisements and customer complaints in North America.

Since mid-March, there has been an uptick in people reporting that they are concerned about this scam, said Melanie McGovern, the BBB’s director of public relations and social media.

Here’s how the scam works. A stranger will start the call asking, “Can you hear me?” to get you to respond “yes.” They may keep you on the line by pretending to be a government official or a bank representative , but often they hang up shortly after you confirm that you are listening. That’s because their goal is to get you to say “yes” so they know there is a person on the other line.

And now that they know you might respond in the future, the scammer may continue to contact you and then try to “trip you up” when you’re not as focused on what they’re saying, McGovern said.

A random “can you hear me?” question should be your first red flag that this unsolicited call could be a scam, said Kelly Richmond Pope, a professor of forensic accounting at DePaul University and the author of “ Fool Me Once: Scams, Stories, and Secrets From the Trillion-Dollar Fraud Industry .”

A conversation with a random number that starts with “can you hear me?” is suspicious “because it’s so outside of the typical conversational cycle,” Pope said.

But before you panic, you should note that the BBB said there have been no reports of monetary losses after these “can you hear me?” calls.

The nonprofit suggested that in a worst-case scenario, scammers may use a recording of you saying “yes” to authorize charges on your phone. This is known as a cramming scam, where a bad actor “crams” unauthorized service charges onto your bills once they have your information.

“You never know how your audio voice of you saying ‘yes’ can be used, spliced in any kind of call with a bank or call with a credit card company to open a line of credit,” Pope said.

But Amy Nofziger, the director of victim support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network, said that the “can you hear me?” question on its own does not warrant significant panic.

She stressed that there has been no evidence from AARP databases tying a response to the question to cramming or monetary fraud. “Nobody in here is saying, ‘I lost $50,000,’ in a supposed ‘can you hear me?’ scam,” she noted.

Instead, Nofziger said that consumers should be more concerned about impostor or gift card scams , which are actually known to result in big monetary losses and emotional devastation for victims. So if a caller keeps you talking beyond that “can you hear me?” question, there is more cause for concern.

“Are they asking you for personal information?” Nofziger said. “Are they asking you for crypto ATM? Are they asking for a prepaid gift card? Well, then it’s 100% a scam.”

Here’s what to do when you get a ‘can you hear me?’ call from an unknown number.

It can be stressful to wonder whether you have compromised your privacy and personal information. But there are steps you can take for your peace of mind:

“I’ve seen people in a panic because they’ve said ‘yes’ to someone asking, ‘Can you hear me?’ And we’ll have to talk them down,” Nofziger said of those contacting the Fraud Watch Network.

Scammers win when they get you riled up with fear and anxiety, because that’s when you stop listening to common sense. “We don’t want people to operate in this fear mode,” Nofziger said. “We want people to operate in the empowerment mode.”

So if a random phone call worries you, take a breath before automatically giving some stranger what they want to know.

Instead of answering “yes” when the stranger asks if you hear them, turn the question back on them and state, “Why do you ask?” Nofziger suggested.

That way, “you take control back of your phone and your device,” she said.

Be on guard even if they claim to know you.

If the caller says your name, you should not let down your guard. A lot of information can be gleaned from public records and social media.

Scammers will want to establish familiarity with you so that you “give up even more information than you normally would,” Pope said.

Don’t engage .

One way to stop yourself from saying more than you should is to just let a phone call from an unknown number go to voicemail. That way, you have more time to assess if it’s legitimate.

McGovern said that she does not recommend trying to talk with someone you suspect is a scammer. If you do, “they’re going to keep calling you because they know you’re a live number,” she explained.

If it turns out to be important call, like a doctor’s appointment, “they’re going to leave you a message,” McGovern said.

Do your due diligence on your accounts.

If you are worried about potential fraud, go through your bills and credit card statements to check for unauthorized charges. If fraud did occur, you can file a consumer complaint with your local attorney general’s office .

You can also be proactive. If you are concerned that you compromised your information, McGovern suggested contacting your bank and credit card company to say: “Hey, I’m just very nervous about this. What can I do to mitigate anything down the line?”

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Reece Rogers

How to Protect Yourself (and Your Loved Ones) From AI Scam Calls

You answer a random call from a family member, and they breathlessly explain how there’s been a horrible car accident. They need you to send money right now, or they’ll go to jail. You can hear the desperation in their voice as they plead for an immediate cash transfer. While it sure sounds like them, and the call came from their number, you feel like something’s off. So, you decide to hang up and call them right back. When your family member picks up your call, they say there hasn’t been a car crash, and that they have no idea what you’re talking about.

Congratulations, you just successfully avoided an artificial intelligence scam call.

As generative AI tools get more capable, it is becoming easier and cheaper for scammers to create fake—but convincing—audio of people’s voices. These AI voice clones are trained on existing audio clips of human speech, and can be adjusted to imitate almost anyone . The latest models can even speak in numerous languages. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT , recently announced a new text-to-speech model that could further improve voice cloning and make it more widely accessible.

Of course, bad actors are using these AI cloning tools to trick victims into thinking they are speaking to a loved one over the phone, even though they’re talking to a computer. While the threat of AI-powered scams can be frightening, you can stay safe by keeping these expert tips in mind the next time you receive an urgent, unexpected call.

Remember That AI Audio Is Hard to Detect

It’s not just OpenAI; many tech startups are working on replicating near perfect-sounding human speech, and the recent progress is rapid. “If it were a few months ago, we would have given you tips on what to look for, like pregnant pauses or showing some kind of latency,” says Ben Colman, cofounder and CEO of Reality Defender . Like many aspects of generative AI over the past year, AI audio is now a more convincing imitation of the real thing. Any safety strategies that rely on you audibly detecting weird quirks over the phone are outdated.

Hang Up and Call Back

Security experts warn that it’s quite easy for scammers to make it appear as if the call were coming from a legitimate phone number. “A lot of times scammers will spoof the number that they're calling you from, make it look like it's calling you from that government agency or the bank,” says Michael Jabbara, global head of fraud services at Visa . “You have to be proactive.” Whether it’s from your bank or from a loved one, any time you receive a call asking for money or personal information, go ahead and ask to call them back. Look up the number online or in your contacts, and initiate a follow-up conversation. You can also try sending them a message through a different, verified line of communication like video chat or email.

Create a Secret Safe Word

A popular security tip that multiple sources suggested was to craft a safe word that only you and your loved ones know about, and which you can ask for over the phone. “You can even prenegotiate with your loved ones a word or a phrase that they could use in order to prove who they really are, if in a duress situation,” says Steve Grobman, chief technology officer at McAfee . Although calling back or verifying via another means of communication is best, a safe word can be especially helpful for young ones or elderly relatives who may be difficult to contact otherwise.

Or Just Ask What They Had for Dinner

What if you don’t have a safe word decided on and are trying to suss out whether a distressing call is real? Pause for a second and ask a personal question. “It could even be as simple as asking a question that only a loved one would know the answer to,” says Grobman. “It could be, ‘Hey, I want to make sure this is really you. Can you remind me what we had for dinner last night?’” Make sure the question is specific enough that a scammer couldn’t answer correctly with an educated guess.

Understand Any Voice Can Be Mimicked

Deepfake audio clones aren’t just reserved for celebrities and politicians, like the calls in New Hampshire that used AI tools to sound like Joe Biden and to discourage people from going to the polls. “One misunderstanding is, ‘It cannot happen to me. No one can clone my voice,’” says Rahul Sood, chief product officer at Pindrop , a security company that discovered the likely origins of the AI Biden audio . “What people don’t realize is that with as little as five to 10 seconds of your voice, on a TikTok you might have created or a YouTube video from your professional life, that content can be easily used to create your clone.” Using AI tools, the outgoing voicemail message on your smartphone might even be enough to replicate your voice.

Don’t Give in to Emotional Appeals

Whether it’s a pig butchering scam or an AI phone call, experienced scammers are able to build your trust in them, create a sense of urgency, and find your weak points. “Be wary of any engagement where you’re experiencing a heightened sense of emotion, because the best scammers aren’t necessarily the most adept technical hackers,” says Jabbara. “But they have a really good understanding of human behavior.” If you take a moment to reflect on a situation and refrain from acting on impulse, that could be the moment you avoid getting scammed.

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IT Security Tips – Protect yourself from smishing

Posted in: Information Security

What is Smishing?

Smishing is when scammers send fake texts to trick people into giving away personal information like passwords or credit card numbers

Examples of Smishing

Attackers will use an unknown number to text you requesting personal information, providing a suspicious link or stating there is an urgent matter.

How to Handle Smishing

Ignore and Delete!

If you receive one of these texts you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also copy the message & text it to 7726 (SPAM) so that your wireless provider can spot & block these attacks.

Avoid Being a Target

• Don’t put personal information online. Remember, you don’t know who has access to it.
• Never text personal information to anyone.
• If you’re unsure if a text is legitimate, contact the company / persons an alterative way.