Just like your clothes and your body language sets your first impression when you meet someone in person, the same can be said about your resume when you are applying for a job. Resumes are door openers as they are your first impression on a recruiter. It is one thing that single-handedly holds power to dictate whether you will be moving ahead in the recruitment process or now.
While writing our resumes in search of a new job opportunity, the biggest mistake we end up making is stuffing in big and flowery words that we assume the recruiters would be impressed to read. Frankly, not so much! As someone who has been on both sides of the hiring process, I’m no resume expert, but I too would certainly know that some words just don’t “move the needle” the way you expect them to.
Buzzwords do not set your resume apart anymore. Everyone is using them and they are vague. So how that would set you apart? If you truly wish to break the queue and make sure your resume captures the eyes and attention of the recruiter, here are 5 Buzzwords you must remove from your resume as recruiters are tired of reading these. And here’s what and how you can replace it.
#1. Hard Worker
Show one person who applies for a job without talking about being a “hard worker”? Instead of just stating that you are a “hard worker,” show what makes you so. Mention specific parts of your work or results that you have achieved that would showcase the same without using the word.
So, you can replaced “hard worker” with something like:
- Won employee of the month 3 times
- In a span of 6 months, I’ve engaged in achieving the target of 1M subscribers.
- I closed deals with 7 new clients for the company.
#2. Think Outside The Box
Hiring managers have over-read this idiom on resumes. The ability to think outside the box is an exceptional skill, but putting it out on your resume as it is will leave very little impact. Once again showcase with numbers or specifics of how your out of box thinking helped your work and your company.
Apart from this, you can also replace it with stronger set of action words that will be more impactful, like:
- Transformed
- Conceptualized
- Shaped
- Strategized
- Streamlined
- Developed
You might also like to read: How to close an interview that makes you unforgettable and leaves a lasting impression
#3. Result-Driven
Just writing “Result Driven” is a vague and empty word until and unless you add some details and quantify it for the recruiter. Not mentioning measurable metrics related to your results is one of the biggest resume mistakes as well. There is a popular X-Y-Z bullet point formula on the Internet that you can use to showcase your “result driven” in your resume. This was a secret that a leadership coach and mentor had shared with us.
Here is what it stands for – “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z].” And this means – you should focus on what you accomplished (your results or impact), and how.
#4. Responsible
Another buzzword and cliché that you need to be strike off from your resume right now. As every other candidate claims to be responsible, it leads to a loss of distinction. Don’t mention that your “responsible” showcase it with details and numbers. You can also use some other words to represent it such as:
- Supervised/Managed
- Launched
- Trained or Mentored
- Directed
#5. Self-Motivated
Congratulations for being “self motivated” or “driven” but when it comes from a recruiter’s perspective, this word holds very little impact. Almost every resume and cover letter holds this claim. But then, if you truly are self-motivated and feel it is something recruiters should know as it is a key skill for the job you are applying for, you need to prove it. Instead of using the word, showcase it by mentioning some project that you have individually developed and executed. Another way to showcase it is by adding about some project or task that you would have volunteered for, which might be beyond and out of your actual job role or duties.
The recruiter already expects you to be a hardworking employee who is a ‘people person’ and will stay motivated. Avoid using these words while writing your resume as these commonly overused buzzwords have become another pitfall. It not only undermines the candidate’s capability, it also takes away the point of differentiation.
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