10 Words To Not Necessarily Avoid On Your Resume’
Tuesday, December 20, 2011, 2:00 AM | 2 Comments
We, as free humans, should be free enough to say anything we want as long as we don’t hurt or offend any one. I guess the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects us from government interference. There are, however, certain words in our English vocabulary that if we use them in certain places, we will hurt no one but ourselves. One important place is when we sit down and start writing our resume’ for the sole purpose of getting a job.
On Tuesday, December 13, 2011 LinkedIn released results of their research about what words to avoid when we develop our resume’. The website identified 10 words that we must try to avoid mentioning them, what Linked-In labels as buzzwords on the resume’.
However, if you do have to use them, be prepared to back them up with your actual previous work. That way, the potential employer will have a clear idea of what you, and no one else, mean by the word. I have used buzzwords on my resume’ not knowing how they actually relate to my work without caring to back them up with actual accomplishments. That, in my opinion, is a huge mistake.
You need to have a resume’ where you can stand out among thousands of applicants for the same job. But because these are buzzwords that most everyone else are using them, you should try to avoid them.
The ten buzzwords, as Linked-In has identified them, are as follows:
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Creative
Most online dictionaries define creative as having the ability or power to create. Your job, then, is to demonstrate what you have created in your previous work. If you have and you are able to show it, then it’s a buzzword alright but you have used it on your resume because you can actually relate to it with demonstrable achievement.
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Organizational
If you use the word exactly as it appears here, keep in mind that it’s an adjective. Organizational means relating to an organization. Now if you just say organizational, explain what you really mean by it. And to further elaborate, you should produce your previous work showing what you actually mean by the word.
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Effective
As an adjective which most folks use it as, it means successful in producing a desired or intended result. You must be able to produce your previous work to show that you were an effective employee and that you have actually produced solutions and results to problems.
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Extensive experience
Extensive means “Having wide, large and expanded extent, comprehensive.” Experience generally means “The only way to truly understand something is to experience it for yourself.” In short, the two words put together mean you should have worked in a certain field that you have complete and comprehensive know-how and practical experience with the subject-matter. Make sure to back it up if you do have to use the words.
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Track record
It means “The past achievements or performance of a person, organization, or product.” Now when you put these words on your resume’, is there anyway you can demonstrate to the potential employer what your past achievements and accomplishments were? If not, don’t use them whether they are buzzwords or not.
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Motivated
This means you are ready to work hard to achieve your goal. Have you done so? Were you required to do so or you had the motivation to do so. Where and under what circumstances were you motivated?
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Innovative
Innovative at work mostly means new methods – advanced and original. Have you ever done something like that? If you have, are you able to produce your work accordingly? Be prepared to do so. Otherwise why then use the word.
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Problem solving
You need to have a problem come across your desk – who hasn’t? – for which you found a solution. You must be able to describe the problem and then the solution to your hiring manager. If you were not a part of the solution, don’t mention it.
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Communication skills
Communication does not mean talking too much. On the contrary, it means expressing your ideas – problem and solution – to concerned folks – managers and colleagues – effectively so everyone understands it fully. It will show in the interview to hiring person whether you have communication skills or not. If you are able to convince the person across the table that you are the only one and the best candidate for the job, you have communication skills, enough that you get yourself hired for the job.
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Dynamic
In my opinion, dynamic and rigid are mutually exclusive. These two words cannot stand each other. As long as you are positively and advantageously changing and learning, you have a dynamic personality. If you have always sat in your cubicle and consistently worked on similar projects and have not tried to learn new technologies and new methods of doing tasks, then stay away from using this word. If you have, then demonstrate what you learned in classes and through real work experience and that you have actually worked on those tasks.
In a Nutshell
I suggest you use these 10 words on your resume’ as long as you can back them up with your real accomplishments. The danger arises when the culprit of all humans – the Human Resources Department – use software to discard resume’ where an individual has used the buzzwords and not show it to the hiring manager on the floor.
2 Responses to “10 Words To Not Necessarily Avoid On Your Resume’”
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