A good resume is distinguished by the kinds of words used in it to describe you. It contains all the proper words that impress the hiring managers as well as avoids the worst words that turn them off. While writing or editing their resume, most people are likely to focus more on the best words to use on your resume but not the worst.
In order to make their resumes attractive, they use clichés and stylish buzzwords for describing their accomplishments with the hope of making a great impression. But what they eventually end up doing is ruin their resume and get the rejection for job interviews by the hiring managers.
If you too are such a victim, you must know the worst words to use on your resume. By knowing what words to avoid in your resume, you increase the chance to get called in for interviews. So let’s discover them. Here are the 10 worst words that recruiters hate seeing on your resume:
1. Best of Breed
Best of breed is a highly clichéd phrase used in the resumes. Claiming yourself as the best of breed is not going to prove that you are one. Therefore, try to include something that proves your abilities relevant to the job.
2. Detail-oriented
The word is over-used by most job candidates and is likely to upset the hiring managers. Instead of telling them that you are detail-oriented which most of the people are, try to describe something extraordinary about your abilities or achievements.
3. Go-getter
Trust me. ‘Go-getter’ is neither going to lead you anywhere nor it is going to get you anything. If you are using it already, it’s time to get rid of the stereotype word from your resume.
4. Go-to Person
Does this term even sound cool? You know it doesn’t. And, it certainly is not going to sound so to your potential employer.
5. Hard-worker
The term ‘hard-worker’ is so common that using it will only make you look like just another candidate. And you don’t want to be that, do you?
6. Results-driven
No need to tell them that you are a result-driven person. It simply doesn’t make sense. It is more convincing if you share your past accomplishments that truly justify the meaning of the word.
7. Strategic Thinker
It’s one of the other buzzwords or worst words to use on your resume. If you have any success story which was possible because of your strategic plan, feel free to share it though.
8. Synergy
Avoid this stereotype jargon. You won’t regret it.
9. Team Player
Almost every job requires you to be a team player in some way. So calling yourself out to be one on your resume is not going to make any special impact in the eye of your recruiters. Rather tell them about the kinds of teams you worked with and how you were able to succeed by working with them.
10. Think Outside of the Box
Yeah, it’s another cliché you might use to show that you are creative. But there is a much better way to do that. Why don’t you simply describe how you were able to solve some task creatively in your previous job?
These are the 10 worst words to use on your resume. Remember or write them down so you can avoid them while writing your professional resume. Instead of using these words which can ruin your resume, use power words that grab employers’ attention. Use words like achieved, improved, resolved, managed, etc which speak more of your action. For more advice, talk to a professional resume writer now.