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Eliminate Boilerplate Phrases and Hackneyed Expressions from Your Resume

August 5th, 2009 @ 7:00 am

5 Comments

Categories: Business, Jobs, Money

Tags: Team, Team Player, Team Management, Management, Dave Johnson

Think you have a resume that’s strong enough to land you an interview? If you’re still floating the same basic resume you used last time around, then think again. If you’re “results oriented,” a “team player,” or have experience with “cross-functional teams,” then your resume is as hackneyed as a Schwarzenegger movie and will get about as much play with the HR rep. Don’t worry, though: I’ve got the scoop on 10 phrases that should not appear in any modern resume.

Liz Ryan, over at Yahoo’s Savvy Networker, says that there are the 10 worst phrases to have in your resume:

  • Results-oriented professional
  • Cross-functional teams
  • More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
  • Superior (or excellent) communication skills
  • Strong work ethic
  • Met or exceeded expectations
  • Proven track record of success
  • Works well with all levels of staff
  • Team player
  • Bottom-line orientation

Instead of using those trite phrases, Liz recommends adding your own voice and personality to your resume, which will, in the process, infuse the document with information about what you actually did and the results you actually effected.

But whatever you do, get “team player” out of there right away! [via Lifehacker]

Looking for more resume advice? We’ve got a truckload:

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  •  
    1

    xQx

    08/06/09 | Report as spam

    There is nothing more funny...

    Than a resume that boasts 'excellent written communication
    skills' on the first page, then has poor grammar, spelling
    mistakes and typical word formatting problems throughout...

  •  
    2

    publisherm

    08/07/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Eliminate Boilerplate Phrases and Hackneyed Expressions from Your Resume

    Ok, so if I'm not supposed to use these "worst phrases" how about some ideas on better ones? Advice to add my own voice is fine, and I agree with it; however, practical examples would make the advice useful.

  •  
    3

    ktroutt

    08/07/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Eliminate Boilerplate Phrases and Hackneyed Expressions from Your Resume

    How does adding your own voice help when resumes are now processed by computers?

  •  
    4

    conlad

    08/08/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Eliminate Boilerplate Phrases and Hackneyed Expressions from Your Resume

    Adding your own voice is a great advice, and I support it. How to do it is easy: use your previous experience as examples of what you can accomplish.

    So, don't go around listing team player (or that dreadful bottom line one), instead list the projects you have participated, mentioning the size and kind of team you worked with and the results achieved. Mention the skills put to use and, of course, the problem that was solved. Be clear and concise, but also thorough and, of course, never false.

    So, your resume should not be a bunch of pre-escripted phrases and words. In a way, it should be a tale of your battles and experiences. If someone considers you valuable, be sure that's a someone you positively want to work with.

  •  
    5

    Babs76

    08/10/09 | Report as spam

    RE: Eliminate Boilerplate Phrases and Hackneyed Expressions from Your Resume

    *It's all about PRACTICAL ADVICE*

    REPLACE: Team Player
    WITH: Led a team of colleagues through a website migration, resulting in an award winning website.
    WITH: Secured $30k in sponsorships for annual golf tournament within a team of 10 staff and consultants.

    REPLACE: More than X years of progressively responsible experience
    WITH: Progressively grown from a development associate to director of development in fundraising, responsible for raising $50k...

    REPLACE: Proven track record of success
    WITH: Awarded for...Promoted to...Received accolades for...

    REPLACE: Results-oriented professional
    WITH: Completed major web migration project that had been stalled for two-years.

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