Resume Rehab by Colleen

Canned phrases that (may) ruin your resume

July 27, 2009 at 4:56 pm Leave a comment

A well-written cover letter and executive summary can set your resume apart from other applicants.

But when do key words and catches phrases become too much?

Liz Ryan, a blogger for The Savvy Networker, made this list of the 10 most over-used phrases that make resumes sound cliche and robotic:

• 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

I get what she’s saying, but I think there’s a reason that theses phrases are used time and time again: employers are looking for candidates that have a strong work ethic, work well with others, can communicate well and deliver results. And when hiring managers are averaging 30 seconds per resume, seeing these words are a quick way to qualify (or disqualify) candidates.

What do you think? Should you spice things up and communicate your strengths in a unique way, or stick with the tried and true?

Read the original article on The Savvy Networker: http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-experts-10_boilerplate_phrases_that_kill_resumes-97

Entry filed under: advice, cover letter, Job Search, resume.