Glassdoor<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cYou have a limited amount of time to catch a recruiter or hiring manager\u2019s eye \u2013 use it wisely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Filling precious resume space with verbose language or overused buzzwords can certainly backfire. Therefore, we tapped a group of HR and resume experts to give us the inside scoop on the 21 words and terms to never include in your resume.<\/p>\n
Scan your CV to make sure you\u2019re not guilty of including these red-flagged terms:<\/p>\n
1. Unemployed<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cYour employment dates already show if you\u2019re unemployed \u2013 you don\u2019t need to highlight it,\u201d said Hichens.<\/p>\n
2. Hardworking or Hard worker<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cWe hope you are a hardworking individual who shows up to work on time and is self-motivated, but you don\u2019t need to call it out,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
3. \u201cAmbicious\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cMisspelled words [like this one] should never appear on your resume,\u201d said Elizabeth Harrison, client services manager and senior recruitment partner at Decision Toolbox.<\/p>\n
\u201cRead your resume numerous times, print it and take a pen to it and have someone else read it. One misspelled word can completely eliminate an otherwise strong candidate from consideration because it demonstrates lack of attention to detail.\u201d<\/p>\n
4. Microsoft Office<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cPopular resume templates and HR pros prompt job seekers to include a list of strategic skills on their resume,\u201d said Glassdoor expert Eileen Meyer.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom Java to Final Cut Pro, speaking Arabic to spearheading 150% growth, be sure to include not only the relevant skills that make you a perfect fit for the role, but also the skills that make you stand out. Take note, command of Microsoft Office is not a skill. It\u2019s a given.\u201d<\/p>\n
5. Objective<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIs your career trajectory pretty straightforward and lacking major gaps between jobs? Then you probably don\u2019t need an objective statement,\u201d said Glassdoor writer Caroline Gray.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your resume is self-explanatory, there\u2019s no need to take up valuable space with anything that\u2019s redundant. Also, if you\u2019re submitting a cover letter with your resume, that should be more than sufficient in addressing your objective for your application.<\/p>\n
6. Synergy<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cWords like \u2018synergy\u2019 and \u2018wheelhouse\u2019 are completely overused lingo,\u201d said Hichens. Steer clear.<\/p>\n
7. Reference Available Upon Request<\/strong><\/p>\nHaving \u201creferences upon request\u201d at the bottom of your resume is a sign that a candidate is overeager. If a recruiter wants to call to know more about you, they will reach out directly. There is no need to point out the obvious. As one HR expert said, \u201ceveryone assumes we want references, but honestly, we can ask.\u201d<\/p>\n
8. I, She, He, Him, Her<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cTalking in firt or third person reads weird \u2013 did someone write your resume for you? Just state the facts,\u201d said Hichens. For example write, \u201cLed a team of 4\u201d not \u201cI led a team of four people\u201d or \u201cJamie led a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
9. Rockstar<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s been overused in the last five years,\u201d said Jennifer Bensusen, Technology Lead and Senior Recruitment Partner at national recruiting firm Decision Toolbox.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless you are truly a singing superstar, applying for a wedding singer or entertainer role that is.\u201d<\/p>\n
10. Dabbled<\/strong><\/p>\nBensusen said do not use \u201ctechnology or systems you have touched or were exposed to but really don\u2019t know.\u201d For example, stay away from sentences like, \u201c\u2026 a Software Engineer who dabbled with Python in college seven years ago but has been developing in .NET professionally since.\u201d<\/p>\n
In this case, don\u2019t add Python to your resume if you\u2019re not a pro.<\/p>\n
11. On Time<\/strong><\/p>\nAgain, a candidate being on time is an expectation. \u201c[Instead] craft a well thought out, concise resume with interesting content on accomplishments, KPI success or significant highlights with bullets on what you did,\u201d said Bensusen.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you create efficiencies that saved the company big bucks? Did you hire a stellar team that accomplished world peace?\u201d<\/p>\n
12. Expert<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cStay away from the word expert, unless you truly are,\u201d said Bensusen. Otherwise, \u201cbe prepared to be peppered with questions regarding your expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n
13. Can\u2019t or Won\u2019t<\/strong><\/p>\nNegative words should not be included in a resume. \u201cResumes should demonstrate what you can do and not what you can not do,\u201d said Harrison.<\/p>\n
14. Unnecessary personal information<\/strong><\/p>\nHarrison advises that your \u201cdate of birth, family status, personal interests etc. should be avoided on a resume. These items do not pertain to the qualifications of an individual for a position.\u201d<\/p>\n
15. \u201cI know HTML, Photoshop\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cSkills are the most common resume lies,\u201d said Heather Huhman, career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough you may think that having every skill listed in the job description will get you the internship, that\u2019s not always true. Telling the truth about your skills can set you up for success in your internship. You can still land the internship by being honest, and can gain valuable training and learning experiences on the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
16. Hobbies<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cContent that does not relate to the job and does not address what qualifications a candidate has for a job can absolutely eliminate a candidate who may have accomplished many of the tasks that job is looking for, but was not articulated in the resume,\u201d added Harrison.<\/p>\n
17. Generalisations<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cSubstantiate your accomplishments with numbers,\u201d said Nicole Cox, chief recruitment officer at Decision Toolbox. Some recruiters prefer to see actual numbers (such as \u201ccut manufacturing costs by $500,000\u201d), while others prefer percentages (\u201ccut manufacturing costs by 15 percent\u201d).<\/p>\n
Either way, provide enough context to show the impact. If your objective was to cut manufacturing costs by 10 percent, make it clear that you exceeded the goal.<\/p>\n
18. Accomplished<\/p>\n
Instead of saying you are accomplished, show it. \u201cAccomplishments are currency when it comes to resumes,\u201d advised Anish Majumdar, CEO of ResumeOrbit.com.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more you have, and the more applicable they are to the job you want, the greater your perceived worth. This can have a big impact not just on whether you receive an interview, but how much you\u2019re ultimately offered. Front-load the accomplishment, then describe how it was achieved. For example, \u2018Improved customer satisfaction 30% within 9 months through re-engineering support processes and introducing new training materials to staff.’\u201d<\/p>\n
19. Stay-at-home Mom<\/strong><\/p>\nLike personal information, do not feel obligated to explain gaps in your resume. \u201cPersonal information about age, relationships or children can expose you to discrimination,\u201d warns Cox. \u201cEmployers aren\u2019t allowed to ask for that kind of information, and you shouldn\u2019t offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, if you\u2019d like to address a gap because you are re-entering the workforce, Cox said, \u201cYou can be creative, such as putting Domestic CEO as the title and listing \u2018Successfully managed procurement, budgets and scheduling.’\u201d<\/p>\n
20. Responsible for\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cOften, careerists will write, \u2018Responsible for\u2019 at the beginning of a statement where a more powerful lead-in would energize; e.g., instead of, \u201cSeasoned sales management executive \u2026,\u201d write, \u2018Regional Sales Manager for Largest Revenue-Generating Area, exceeding competitors by 25-55% in revenue growth, year-over-year\u2019,\u201d said master resume writer Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn other words, strengthen the story through muscular verbiage and results. Lead with strength and energy.\u201d<\/p>\n
21. Results-oriented<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cWhile many other words are misused or diluted by overuse, these are the weakest and most abused,\u201d said Barrett-Poindexter. \u201cIf your resume language or content is weak, unfocused and\/or rambling, you can obliterate your chances of landing that dream role.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nRead: 12 buzzwords to use in your next job interview<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We have all heard the saying, \u201cYou\u2019ll never get a second chance to make a first impression.\u201d This is perhaps most true when it comes to a job resume, says recruitment specialist, Glassdoor. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":267145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11121],"tags":[7186,26],"class_list":["post-281501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","tag-glassdoor","tag-headline"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/281501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=281501"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/281501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":281515,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/281501\/revisions\/281515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=281501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=281501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=281501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}