These words in your résumé may be why you aren’t getting that job you want

There are a million people out there who want their résumés to catch the eyes of recruiters and HRs. So how can your résumé make the cut and stand out? If your résumé is like anyone else’s – filled with overused jargons, reprocessed phrases, and expired language, then chances are that the recruiters will yawn their way through your CV, eventually landing it in the bin. What you think your résumé conveys may not necessarily impress the one going through it.

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Ensure that you utilise all the space in your résumé carefully with much thought. After all, you may not get the opportunity again. Here are several terms that your résumé shouldn’t have at any cost:

Result-driven

This just sounds like a normal statement. What needs to be known is what results were delivered and how. Vague terms such as this will just be overlooked, weakening your résumé.

Passionate

The fact that you have applied for a particular position should be enough to show your passion for the field in question. Even if this doesn’t, your mannerisms during the interview should be enough to suggest how passionate you really are. This makes it pointless to mention it on your résumé.

Honest and punctual

No company is going to recruit someone who has a tendency to lie or be perpetually late. Honesty and punctuality are traits that are expected of any potential hire.

Microsoft Office

This is an expected skill in itself. How else will you be capable of typing out your own résumé? Unless you are an expert in Microsoft Office and possess exceptional knowledge on the software, mentioning it would be a tad redundant.

Hard working

Well, great if your hard work paid off in your previous job. But how exactly did it do so? Mention your project details and the amount of effort spent on it.

Team player

Share relevant incidents and experiences where your collaborative effort has benefited your team. Also highlight how the impact affected the company and helped it grow. ‘Team player’ sounds more like you were on a team that played in a corporate tournament!

Go-getter

Recruiters want to see adjectives that can be quantified. Do not use words that simply allow you to blow your own trumpet.

Dynamic

Imagine you are applying for the role of a process engineer and state ‘dynamic process engineer’. Doesn’t this sound too flamboyant? Meaningful words like ‘earnest’ and ‘steadfast’ are likely to work better.

Rockstar

This word would be wasted in your résumé unless you plan to audition for a reality show or stand-up comedy programme. In any case, it is too bold to be used.

Leveraged

Are you a fire-fighter who had to use all your might to save a cat from the window? Or a bullock cart rider who pushed across a whole stack of hay to the next village? If not, the word ‘leveraged’ surely holds no water.

There are a lot of words, phrases and terms that can make or break a résumé. Go through your résumé not once or twice but thrice or more to make yours the one fit enough to show all your positives and grab that job you always dreamt of!

Recruiters should look at yours and exclaim ‘Where has this one been all along?’ So why not hit the bull’s eye today?

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