Recruiters and hiring managers read through dozens of CV’s a day. So, if you are applying for your dream job you really need to make sure you stand out. One way to do this is to avoid cliché words and phrases at all costs!
You don’t want to come across as unimaginative and boring. OK, great, you’re proactive…but how? You have a limited amount of space to really show the recruiters and hiring manager why you should go through to the next round. Use it wisely and use descriptive words instead of generic words.
Here is our list of words we love to see:
1. Achieved
2. Improved
3. Trained/mentored
4. Managed
5. Created
6. Resolved
7. Volunteered
8. Influenced
9. Increased/decreased
10. Ideas
11. Negotiated
12. Launched
13. Revenue/profits
And here are some of the worst words to use on your CV:
1. Go-getter
2. Think outside of the box
3. Synergy
4. Go-to person
5. Thought leadership
6. Value-added
7. Target-driven
8. Team player
9. Bottom-line
10. Hard worker
11. Strategic thinker
12. Dynamic
13. Self-motivated
14. Detail-oriented
15. Proactively
16. Track record
Which countries are the worst offenders?
Linked In has access to over 190 million users globally and have produced a list of the most overused buzzword in each country.
- Analytical - Switzerland
- Creative - Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, U.S.
- Effective - India
- Experimental - Brazil
- Motivated - Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom
- Multinational - Egypt, Indonesia
- Responsible - France, Italy
- Specialized - Spain
Get in contact with our specialist consultants on 01 571 3000 to have a confidential chat about our current job opportunities.
See Similar:
Back to Basics: Getting Your CV Right
Questions to Ask at The End of An Interview