An excellent article on using the right words on your resume - Brent Jones

Martin Yate, a career coach and former HR professional, in a recent column for SHRM, pointed out over a dozen words that are overused and that hiring managers want to see.

“Choosing just the right word is paramount. Your resume plays such an important role in determining the quality of your future employer that you need to use words to their maximum effect,” Yate writes.

For overused words, Yate highlighted several, but these five stand out:

· Creative

· Experienced

· Detail-oriented

· Dynamic

· Self-motivated

“Using these terms generates a resume full of warm and fuzzy words that make you feel good about yourself but say nothing specific about your performance. Rather than just writing “good communication skills,” it’s better to attach such words to a concrete achievement,” he writes.

For example, nearly everyone is “creative,” — but how were you creative? If you worked on a big project and had the million-dollar idea that shifted the focus and made it work, it’s best to describe how you were the brains behind it rather than just masking it with a quick word.

The same goes for when someone describes themselves as “experienced.” Yes, a resume will show years of experience, but what does that say about your expertise?

How about “dynamic”? Writing “I’m a dynamic worker that goes above and beyond what is asked” isn’t likely to move any buttons in your favor, but providing an example showing how you were dynamic could move the needle.

Either way, Yate argues that these words are often overused, which means there are words that hiring managers want to see that you might not be aware of.

He highlights that verbs can help describe your work experience and give hiring managers a better chance to “envisage” you doing the job.

Here are a few:

· Mentored

· Managed

· Increased

· Created

· Launched

These words provide an opportunity to talk about your qualifications and experience, but it’s essential to be clear and concise, argues Yate.

“Review each word in the lists above, one at a time. Use only the ones that apply to how you’ve performed your job. Use the others for inspiration to describe your accomplishments, but be specific,” Yates said.

Here is the complete list of overused words to avoid on your resume:

· Outstanding

· Organized

· Team Player

· Dependable

· Value add

· Proactive

· Strategic Thinker

· Self-motivated

· Exceptional

· Top-Notch

· Hardworking

· Go-getter

· Dynamic

· Hard worker

· Results-driven

· Think outside the box

· Highly skilled

· Creative

· Experienced

· Synergy

· Track-record

· Bottom-line

· Detail-oriented

· Excellent

· Innovative

· Loyal

· Go-to person

· Thought leadership

· Expert

· Communication skills