If you’ve been on the job hunt for any length of time, you’ve probably adopted a certain “accepted” way of speaking and resume writing that includes a mess of lingo, buzzwords, and jargon.
Jobseekers love jargon because it makes them seem trendy, ambiguously amazing, and complex. But what they often don’t know is that employers aren't as enthusiastic. Not only do clichés and jargon provides very little information of what differentiates you from the 100 other resumes a manager has seen today—but it can be just plain boring.
When a hiring manager only has the piece of paper before them to make a quick judgment call about you, every word matters. So don’t waste precious resume space on words and phrases that everyone else is using, and that don’t offer anything about who you actually are.
A CareerBuilder survey found that the hiring managers and HR professionals prefer to see demonstrable results rather than fancy or conflated worlds. Go figure. So if you want to stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of a callback, keep cliché phrases off your resume.
Cliché phrases to avoid
- “Big picture thinker” (or any variation of this)
The fact is, very few people fit the bill. This makes it not only cliché but a completely overblown statement of puffy words. Rather than conflating yourself with fancy-sounding phrases, use your resume space to demonstrate the big-picture
ways you’ve made a difference at your previous jobs.
- “Work independently or as part of a team”
This makes you look indecisive and like you’re trying too hard to please and get the job. We say decide who you are and stick by your position.
- “Thought leader” or “Guru”
Elon Musk. Bill Gates. Gary Vaynerchuck. Do these names sound familiar? They’ve accomplished a lot, and have earned our respect for them as thought leaders in their respective realms. But they didn’t declare themselves though leaders. They just became them. Once again, demonstrate the value you’ve created, and let prospective managers come to their own conclusions.
Hiring managers may glaze over at this phrase, wondering why a resume from an “excellent communicator” sounds exactly like every other resume out there. They'd much rather see your communication prowess demonstrated through how you’re conveying information, as well as through the successes you highlight.
Cliché buzzwords to avoid
- Hard worker: Using this phrase can make you sound like you’re overcompensating.
- Team player: If you’re applying to be part of a team, you surely had better be a team player. No need to play it up.
- Visionary: We’re all a little visionary—at least that’s what most of us like to believe about ourselves. But that’s exactly why it doesn’t hold much meaning in the big world anymore.
- Enthusiastic: For what? About what? Can you get the job done? This word is conflated and a bit pointless in the job search.
- Self-starter: Show, don’t tell.
- Detail-oriented: The majority of people exaggerate this point. So if you are truly-detail-oriented, focus on not including this detail in your resume.
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