When HR specialists read your resume, they evaluate not only your work experience but also delve into your text formatting skills, grammar, and writing style. They pay attention to details, such as specific stop words. And these words can instantly turn a headhunter away from your candidacy.
Yes, we all embellish our resumes because it’s not easy to find a good job in the job market. But it’s better to do it more modestly, without using strange cliché words that repel. AdmiGram.com urges you to review your resume again and urgently remove everything we’ll discuss below.
30 words that will ruin your resume
A little theory or why details are so important
Let’s imagine, just for a moment, the job of an ordinary HR specialist. Before his eyes are millions of resumes, in which he needs to find the one where he will see the maximum match to his expectations. He has a maximum of 15-20 seconds to ‘scan’ your text with his eyes, and then either mark it or throw it in the trash.
So it’s very important that your resume is specific, where you indicate exactly what you represent, what specific skills you possess, and what specific work experience you have. There’s no need to compose your resume to resemble texts like ‘Look at me! I’m so incredible because I can do absolutely all the work! I’m just Superman!’
It’s also crucial to pay attention to words that can dilute specificity. As they say, the word may sound great, but when a HR specialist sees it for the millionth time, it acts on them like a red rag to a raging bull. Let’s take a closer look at such words and try to understand what’s wrong with them.
Words that will ruin your resume
Various
The vast majority of recruiters hate this word. For example:
- I have worked on various projects;
- I have held various positions;
- I have various skills for working with people.
All this looks like this – ‘I’ve added various words to my resume to seem important…’ When you write like this, your resume looks like it was composed by a sullen teenager.
‘I worked on various projects. Yes, they were very important! But I don’t see the point in describing them because they were all so different.’
Be specific or don’t waste the recruiter’s time. Let him read how many there were—those projects, and what kind of projects they were.
Very
This ‘very’ horrible word needs to be removed from all resumes and all business communications because it doesn’t carry any additional meaning. It only serves to increase someone or something’s importance in the eyes of others.
- I’m very hardworking…
You either do the work or you don’t. That’s the point. What difference does it make if you’re very hardworking but don’t get the job done?
Some recruiters are also irritated by another word in the same vein – ‘extremely.’
Experienced PC User
Well, this is just facepalm-worthy. It’s one thing if you’re an IT specialist; then there’s nothing more important than listing the software you’ve worked with. But for any office worker, being able to use a computer is like writing and reading. God, never write this! ‘Experienced PC User’ doesn’t tell the recruiter anything.
Developed
It was a fancy word ten to twenty years ago, often heard at pretentious cocktail parties and in conversations among middle managers. Now it’s such a worn-out word that it simply evokes rejection.
- I was responsible for the development between departments.
- Fostered the development of company initiatives.
- Developed, managed, and cultivated…
This word has become too stale and deserves to top the list of the most useless and irritating words in a resume.
List of annoying words in resumes
Many HR specialists get annoyed when candidates start listing their personal qualities and superiority in their resumes. Usually, they’re all the same:
- analytical
- calm
- communicative
- creative
- efficient
- energetic
- expert
- futurist
- go-to person
- guru
- improved
- influenced
- innovative
- launched
- leadership qualities
- multitasking
- organizational skills
- passionate
- positive
- pragmatic
- quick learner
- responsible
- results-oriented
- self-motivated
- strategic
- team player
- under budget
- unengaged
- value add
- won
