By Hannah Hamilton
When
you’re writing your resume, it’s best to avoid the cliche words that
hiring managers and recruiters see over and over again. Even if you feel
the terms are accurate, there is usually a livelier, more original way
to describe yourself.
Here are five words and phrases you should avoid putting on your resume.
Hard Worker
Describing
vaguely positive traits in a resume doesn’t prove your worth and may
even undermine your value as a candidate in failing to show how you’re
different. Focus on concrete skills and accomplishments instead of
relying on personal description through adjectives, says David Allocco, a
business development and operations executive at PierceGray, Inc.
“I
would avoid the term ‘hard worker’ as it’s general and something anyone
could apply to themselves,” Allocco says. “Instead, highlight actual
accomplishments and results you can show off to potential employers.
They like seeing data-driven numbers as opposed to general blanket
statements.”
Out-of-the-Box
Idioms may add color to an informal conversation, but they don’t distinguish you professionally when used on your resume.
“Avoid
overused and tired business idioms: out-of-the-box, win-win, core
competencies, empowered, best practices There are many more; these are
perfectly acceptable words, but they've been so overused that people are
sick of them,” says Karen Southall Watts, author of “Go Coach Yourself.”
“Rephrase and think clarity and not jargon. Avoid describing duties and
instead focus on results. ‘Supervised a team of 12’ is much less
compelling than ‘Led sales team to 5% increase in total closed deals.’”
Salary
Avoid
mentioning money before you even get to the interview. “Any mention of
the word ‘salary’ on a résumé sets off red alarms to an employer and
would discourage them from bringing you in for an interview,” warns George Bernocco, a resume writer.
Reference Available Upon Request
This line isn’t necessary.
“Do
not put ‘Reference available upon request’, or the names and contact
points of the references themselves,” advises Elliot Lasson, executive
director of Joblink of Maryland, Inc.
“The former is understood, superfluous, and therefore just takes up
valuable space. As for the latter, given that companies will often ask
for a waiver before contacting references, they should probably be kept
in a separate document.”
Objective
Your
resume isn’t simply a summary of yourself. You are talking about
yourself, technically, but through the lens of the company’s needs and
expectations.
“We already know your objective,” says Lisa Rokusek,
a managing partner at AgentHR Recruiting Group. “Instead of telling us
about what you want, use this space to tell us about you and your
experience. Make sure it is relevant to the role you are interested in.
Make a thought argument for getting a conversation.”
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