The top ten overused resume words can prevent your resume from reaching the hands of the real decision-makers within companies and can even blind employers to the actual value and potential that you hold.
Most professional resumes represent a mish-mash of inadequate and overused descriptive words that employers rarely take the time to review. In general, resumes are quickly scanned by hiring managers or their assistants and only the stand out applicants will be weeded out from the masses, given the unique and cohesive summations of skills that their resume provides.
The top ten overused resume words can prevent your resume from reaching the hands of the real decision-makers within companies and can even blind employers to the actual value and potential that you hold. Rejected resume reasons usually are usually related to these top ten overused resume words.
1. Dynamic
The overuse of this word has nearly rendered it meaningless. In fact, it is such a common resume inclusion that few employers do more than skim over portions of the resume that contain this word and others like it. Meaning both energetic and forceful, in its true connotation the word dynamic hardly paints a flattering picture of a prospective employee.
Most companies are looking for new recruits who can seamlessly blend into their existing operations, rather than forcibly attempting to change established patterns. In the earliest stages of the game, it is best to use words that help to establish you as a dedicated team player. For certain positions, such as jobs in aggressive marketing or sales environments, a dynamic personality may be required. Using the word dynamic on your resume when applying for these positions, however, will definitely not help you stand out from the crowd.
2. Problem Solver
Asserting yourself in your resume as a problem solver is essentially making a very broad statement that says much but tells little. Most people have problem solving skills on some level and the general nature of the statement serves to detract from its value. Prospective employees should definitely share information about their ability to resolve conflicts and their experience in rising to meet new challenges. Rather than making general statements about basic, common skills, try using words that describe how you resolve issues and how this has helped you in the past instead. When you are able to show companies that your problem solving skills exceed the norm, you will likely start getting more positive responses when applying for positions. Conflict resolution and mediation are both fine skills to work into this area of your resume writing.
3. Accomplished
Everyone is accomplished in something and most people who write their own resumes are sure to incorporate this word into their self-descriptions. Overused resume words like accomplished will help people to create lengthy resumes but not impressive ones. If there is a particular area in which you have received special awards, accolades or records, inform prospective employers about these instead. Words like certified, award recipient, industry-recognized, record holder, title holder and others will get you noticed before accomplished will.
4. Team Player
Companies love hiring team players. They value and respect the loyalty and dedication that these individuals bring to the table. Being a team player, however, is something that you prove much more than it is something that you claim to be. In order to truly be team players, people must be flexible, patient and possess phenomenal communication skills. Phrasing your resume to show these characteristics will start you on the path towards proving your ability to be loyal to the team and all of its members. Rather than calling yourself a team player, go bold and assert your loyalty instead. Companies who value dedicated team members are likely to give you the opportunity to prove this loyalty by bringing you on board.
5. Creative
Creativity is a phenomenal characteristic to have. Stating that you are creative on your resume, however, is not likely to get you the attention that you are seeking from employers. Like all of the other overused resume words on this list, creative is simply too general to be worth more than a quick glance. In most instances, it is a waste of white space and a redundant term that hiring managers see all day long. If you want to impress prospective employers with your ability to dream up innovative solutions, take the time to detail your past accomplishments or any special knowledge or skills that make you adept in planning and implementing change. In this area, rather than providing adjectives, use facts instead.
6. Successful
Successful only works in self-description when it is used in measurable terms. It rarely works in resumes, however, because every potential employee attests to his or her professional success. This is one of the major ways in which professionals sell themselves as valuable employees. Rather than telling companies that you have been successful in your past endeavors, use words that tell them how you succeeded and which serve in some way to quantify your success. You can use words and phrases like top-performing, increased efficiency, award winning and others.
7. Communication Skills
It might seem odd that communication skills would make this list, given the extreme importance of skillful communication within the business environment. While these skills are essential for employees to have, just about everyone knows how important they are and thus, just about everyone lists communication skills on their resume. More importantly, all prospective employees possess some measure of skill in communication and so the real goal of discussing your ability to communicate is to show that you know how and when to speak and that you are adept in properly structuring what needs to be said in specific environments. Rather than merely following the crowd, a stand-out resume will provide specific details that enhance the applicant’s unique talents in communicating. Bi-lingual or multi-lingual applicants should make their special linguistic skills the highlight of this section of the resume, especially if this is one of the mandatory job skills required to be hired. Experience in international communication, conflict resolution and other specific skills should be mentioned as well, rather than this flat and overused phrase. If you have any professional or technical writing experience, include this here too. Saying that you are fluent in Spanish or German or that you can properly draft legal documents or pen conflict-related correspondence will garner you far more attention than common, general wording can.
8. Valuable
Confidence is good during the application process, however, asserting that you are valuable is neither original nor effective. Instead of telling companies that you are valuable, find ways to show your value instead and let employers form their opinions on their own. Punctuality, loyalty, dedication and perseverance are all characteristics that enhance the value of employees.
9. Motivated
Prove it. People who are motivated go above and beyond the average effort to make the best impression and to produce the best results. Simply telling companies that you are motivated only shows that you are not motivated even enough to find a unique self-description. Tell employers that you are eager and committed to your work and then tell them why. If you are truly motivated and excited about working in your industry, the best way to show this is through your comprehensive knowledge of your field and the self-fulfillment that your chosen career provides.
10. Results-Oriented
All people and actions are ultimately results-oriented. Both action and inaction will produce results. Every living, breathing, functioning human will impact something or someone over the course of a given day. Rather than telling potential employers that you are results-oriented, use words show that you are adept in obtaining desirable results. Companies want to know whether or not prospective employees are skilled in setting and obtaining targeted goals, not just getting results.
One of the major benefits of your efforts to eliminate overused resume words is that it provides you with the perfect opportunity to reassess your skills. These and other resume words are overused because they create an easy, hassle-free shortcut in the often tedious self-description process. Some people are simply too modest to make bold, specific statements about their skills. This frequently leaves these individuals and their resumes outside of the realm of further consideration.
Other applicants commonly make general statements about their professional abilities, because they have not yet invested time into fine-tuning their professional skills and abilities and increasing their personal value and marketability. If you find that you cannot go beyond merely stating that you are a motivated, creative team player with solid communication skills, it may be time to start honing new talents and abilities that will help to make you an increasingly valuable applicant.