In the often-tedious world of applying for and hiring for new jobs, it’s not just job-seekers that are always looking for ways to speed up the process — hiring managers want to move things along as well. Depending on the sector they are hiring for, they could be receiving tens, if not hundreds, of applications for each open position, and they don’t have time to read through every one carefully.
That’s the main reason experts agree that a one-page resume is the ideal length. Research shows that 63% of hiring managers prefer resumes that don’t go over a single page, which means you have very little space to wow them — typically less than 600 words.
The last thing you want to do is come off as vague or cliche, which is why we’ve put together a list of words and phrases that you should try to avoid when curating your resume.
A quick note before we dive into the list — remember that while the content of your resume is the most important aspect, it’s not the only thing to consider when it comes to making am good first impression. Formatting is also a potential make-or-break factor. You should be using an easy-to-read font (Times New Roman or Arial), simple organization styles, and no over-the-top graphics.
For more insights regarding how to format and what specifically to include in your resume, check out the resume tips on our blog!
While these words may apply the kind of worker you are, they’re used so often that they’ve started to lose their meaning. If you end up using one or two of these in your resume, that’s fine, but try to be more specific if you can, and avoid being repetitive. For instance, if you’ve already outlined your experience, you don’t need to reiterate then that you are, in fact, ‘experienced’.
There are a few reasons these words should be avoided. For one, punctuality and approachability are going to be characteristics that hiring managers assume their applicants possess. Being regularly on-time and agreeable is seen by many as the ‘bare minimum’ of a good employee. Additionally, in your ‘experience’ section, you should be providing examples of your ability to think outside of the box or work as a team, so it should never need to be said out-right.
We understand that many of you reading this do genuinely consider yourself to be honest, smart, reliable, etc. The thing is — it’s hard to demonstrate these skills on a resume. Unless you have a specific example of a time you were pressured to be dishonest and chose to tell the truth, or a time you showed an inspiring level of loyalty, these words feel quite empty.
Not to mention, some of these characteristics will be demonstrated in other ways. For instance, it’s very likely that at least some of the hiring managers who receive your resume will call your references. If you’ve been honest thus far, then confirmation from your references will prove that you’re trustworthy.
Last, but not least, you don’t want to come off as ‘too casual’ or include information that doesn’t pertain to who you are as an employee. Words like ‘easy-going’ or ‘funny’ belong in your dating profile, not on your resume.
Now that you’ve taken all of those words out of your resume, you may be wondering, what do I replace them with? Well, in some cases, you don’t replace them at all. As we outlined above, there are many instances in which these adjectives end up being repetitive.
In other situations, however, you might genuinely want to express, say, your creative solution to a problem — instead of the word ‘creative’, you could say that you adapted.
Instead of calling yourself a ‘good leader’, you could say you’ve directed, encouraged, or piloted a group of people.
Don’t tell hiring managers that you ‘think outside of the box’, but instead say your ingenuity helped to enhance a project or presentation.
These are examples of more unique descriptions and action verbs, and you can find a much more cohesive list here. If you still aren’t sure whether your resume is up to snuff or you just don’t know where to start sending it — CyberCoders can help. Check out our website today to learn more.
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