10 overused resume phrases
Because employers want to see significant accomplishments, rather than lists of job duties, job seekers must provide solid illustrations of their talent. In other words, employers look for keywords as a way to narrow the applicants down the 10 or 20 most-qualified candidates. These chosen few are left standing only after others are weeded out. But what some candidates think constitute keywords and phrases are actually vague generalities that show up on the majority of resumes. Here are 10 cliches Sweeney and Stetson see job seekers overuse on their resumes and how to rephrase each one into a strong example of your talent.
10 Overused Buzzwords to Avoid on Your Resume
Any good hiring manager will tell you there are a lot of words, descriptions, and phrases that are overused on resumes, to the point of losing all meaning.
Smart resume writing is about being clear, concise and communicating your skills and strengths. Skip the industry jargon and meaningless, overused phrases. Instead, focus on writing a resume that tells a story and highlights your work experiences and accomplishments.
Say goodbye to this outdated relic. All hiring managers and recruiters know your objective is to land a job — in particular, the one you applied for. After all, your resume is a document listing your work experience.
Did you manage it? Analyze data? Write reports? The more specific you are, the clearer your resume will be. Avoid using generic words or phrases that indicate how much better you are than everyone else.
All these words are excellent… except on your resume. Instead, say how many words you can type per minute. Being specific is much more powerful. But so is everyone else. If you're not enthusiastic about the job, you probably shouldn't be applying in the first place.
A straight-forward list of all things that you were responsible is a boring read. Instead, use powerful action verbs that describe your accomplishments. Launched, increased, managed, created, implemented, etc.
If you have extensive experience, give some examples of your experience in action. Examples will always be more compelling than vague take-your-word-for-it statements. If something made it onto your resume, it should be a given it was a success. Instead of simply stating that an initiative was successful, quantify the statement with some facts. Did you increase revenue?
Close a deal? Increase employee productivity? First: everyone is proficient with these applications. It sounds like you know the bare minimum. That space could be better used to focus on your real strengths. The email field is required. The password field is required. Remember me?
Log in Forgot your password? Don't have a profile yet? Register as a new user.
Creative. Indeed you are. Enthusiastic. I would rather leap at a.
You only have a short time to make an impression with your resume. Instead, choose action-oriented phrases that show rather than tell why you should be considered. Choosing overused business jargon can weaken your resume.
When it comes to resumes , recruiters have seen it all.
Any HR professional will tell you how tiring it is to see a few overused words and phrases on tens of thousands of resumes. Each year, LinkedIn compiles a list of most overused and most predictable words people use.
10 overused words to banish from your CV
Any good hiring manager will tell you there are a lot of words, descriptions, and phrases that are overused on resumes, to the point of losing all meaning. Smart resume writing is about being clear, concise and communicating your skills and strengths. Skip the industry jargon and meaningless, overused phrases. Instead, focus on writing a resume that tells a story and highlights your work experiences and accomplishments. Say goodbye to this outdated relic.
5 Overused Resume Phrases
Strategic word placement is important not only for your resume, but for your LinkedIn profile, as well. However, relevant keywords are different from overused buzzwords. You want to use relevant LinkedIn job-search keywords because it attracts recruiters to your profile — but overused professional buzzwords might turn them away as well. These are all good traits to have — but they're not good traits to use as keywords for a LinkedIn profile. When it comes to your LinkedIn profile, don't use sentences with only buzzwords — these fall flat. For example, consider these two power statements that might be used for a LinkedIn profile summary:. A motivated and passionate administrative guru experienced in creative and strategic contributions. Hardworking and computer-savvy administrative assistant with 10 years of experience supporting artistic projects for diverse clients.
Please refresh the page and retry. At this point in January, many of us are thinking about polishing our CVs and updating our LinkedIn pages — just in case any new opportunities come along.
Certain commonly used buzzwords in resumes and personal profiles are hackneyed cliches that can be an immediate turn-off to the reader. According to an analysis by career networking site LinkedIn, here are the 10 most overused buzzwords and cliched phrases appearing in LinkedIn profiles, listed in order, which should be avoided:. In alphabetical order, here are the top 40 overused buzzwords and phrases in LinkedIn profiles.
Overused LinkedIn Buzzwords to Avoid — And What to Add Instead
Here, we go over 10 resume words you need to avoid and what to replace them with instead. Most candidates are eager to tell potential employers they work well with others, but this overused term has become meaningless. This term is often described by hiring managers as one of the most irritating terms they see on a resume. The first-person perspective can sound too casual, and third-person pronouns can make your resume seem like someone else wrote it. Instead, just state the facts without a pronoun. This overused phrase is one recruiters are tired of reading. This word describes a personality trait rather than the skills you can bring to the workplace. Unlike work-related skills, there is no way you can demonstrate being dynamic on a resume. Instead, describe yourself with terms you can back up with examples from past work experiences. Your dynamic personality will come through in the interview. A polished resume will demonstrate your attention to detail and so will describing any past work that required you to be meticulous. For example, a cashier may talk about a promotion they earned for cash handling accuracy. Being an expert in your chosen field has a specific meaning.
