Today’s unem
ployment is at an all-time high. Companies big and small are finding ways to cut costs. More and more employees are laid off and find it hard to get a new job due to the economy.
With hundreds if not thousands of people applying for job openings, hiring departments are having a tough time selecting the best applicants because most people use the same buzzwords in their resumes.
Writing a resume serves the same basic function as an interview. Your resume is what you use to get noticed by the employer, just like your interview will determine if you get hired. If you want to get an interview, using buzzwords won’t help your cause. With hundreds of resumes to go through every day, hiring departments are already tired of seeing this, and if you want to stand out among the multitude of applicants, you will do best to avoid these buzzwords altogether.
Here is a list of the top 8 buzzwords that don’t get you an interview.
- “Responsible for”
Related: “Experienced working in”
Every employee is responsible for something in a company. Stating that you are responsible for something will not show how good of an employee you are. Using the phrase “experienced working in” also doesn’t prove anything. Doing something for a day or a week will already make you experienced in that task but doesn’t tell how well you do the task. Use phrases that specifically describe what you did, such as:
“programmed a shopping cart using php”
“managed a marketing campaign that lead to a 15% increase in sales”
- “References available upon request”
You can only put so much in a resume, and you only waste space by using this phrase. Instead, use the space to include your skills or accomplishments to highlight what you can do for them.
- “Team player”
Related: (“People person,” “Customer-focused”)
Using this phrase will only indicate that an applicant is more of a follower than a leader. If you want to prove your cooperativeness to your prospective employer, describe a situation in which you worked with different people or departments.
- “Detail-oriented”
This phrase is one of those that you see in every resume. If you really want to let your prospective employer know that you are detail-oriented, describe what you did. Show tangible results that prove what you can do.
- “Experienced”
Related: “Seasoned,” “Well-versed,” “Extensive experience,” “Proven track record”
Writing your resume and saying that you are experienced in marketing or sql does not explain how experienced you are or what you can and cannot do. When you write a resume, you want your reader to know what you actually did, rather just putting vague phrases.
- “Results-oriented”
Related: “Goal-oriented”
Any employer wants an employee who produces results, but that doesn’t mean that everyone should put they’re “results-oriented” or “goal-oriented” in their resume. Prove that you really produce results and achieve goals by describing what you did and how your actions improved the business.
- “Hardworking”
This is one of those things that shouldn’t even be mentioned in a resume. I mean, isn’t this expected of in every employee? Share stories during the interview that show you really are hardworking.
- “Dynamic”
Related: “Energetic,” “Enthusiastic,” “Effective,” “Motivated,” “Fast-paced”
When writing a resume, you need to keep in mind that buzzwords like this doesn’t help your cause and only waste space. Leave the task to the hiring manager to decide if you are really a dynamic or energetic person. Always put content that is quantifiable.
Worth Mentioning:
- Innovative (Creative)
- Entrepreneurial
- Problem solver
As an applicant, you need to remember that your resume is what gets you an interview to give yourself a chance to get hired. Writing a resume that does not get you noticed by the employer, this is the same as not sending one at all. When you write a resume, you want your employer to notice you, not because you want to impress him with all of those buzzwords, but because you impressed him by putting quantifiable and tangible content
