5 buzzwords to avoid on your resume

One thing we notice in the many resumes we receive every day is the use of cliched buzzwords that make candidates appear just the same as every other applicant in the pool. Some exceptionally talented individuals use the wrong phrases and buzzwords to describe themselves on their resumes and end up with a document lacking personality. If you want to give your resume a wow factor and impress a hiring manager enough to call you in for an interview, remove these phrases from your resume immediately:

1. "Hard Worker"

You want the employer to see your resume and think that you are a passionate individual who dedicates themselves to giving their best shot at work. This is a pretty obvious fact to state on your resume as no employer expects a candidate to admit that they are not a hard worker on the resume. Instead of saying that you can work hard, prove how you have done so in the past using your achievements. “Achieved” is a better word you can use in the stead.

2. "Creative" / "Outside the Box" / "Innovative"

Almost every candidate claims to be creative and uses these three phrases to highlight that on the resume. If you can honestly think outside the box, you can surely phrase it in an original way rather than resorting to overused clichés. Highlight your creativity on the resume by listing the different times you have created new products, designed something new, or won any industry awards for your innovations. Use the word “created” in your accomplishments section to show that you are creative.

3. "Excellent Communicator"

If you have to tell a recruiter that you are a good communicator, the chances are you are not. A genuinely good communicator would not have to put it down in writing to show a recruiter that they have excellent communication skills. The way you present information and organize your resume will speak a lot about your communication skills with an employer. Using terms such as “Listen” and “Improve” on your resume will show the employer how you accomplished great things using your communication skills.

4. "Responsible"

If all of your resume bullet points start with “Responsible for,” you will only be giving a vague impression of what you really accomplished in your role. A reader would not be able to gauge how much authority you really wielded over the subject area. Hiring managers prefer it when you use action verbs that describe your real involvement with the task. Did you “Manage” or “Direct” a team to exceed business goals? Or did you “Establish” or “Launch” a product that had a sky-high sales record?

5. "Expert"

Have you ever seen an expert wandering around claiming to be an expert on anything? Just because you are adept at getting certain parts of your job done without breaking a sweat, you can’t claim yourself an “expert” on the subject. Instead, you can include a well-worded testimonial from a previous boss or client that shows how you got the job done expertly in your resume.