Hiring managers and recruiters are inundated with resumes daily. They have to quickly determine which candidates are the best fit for the open position. You want to make sure they know that you are the best fit! So, it is important to know what may prevent a resume from being turned into an interview. There are words and phrases that are hurting your resume, and you might not even know it.
Common Resume Mistakes and Red Flags
Before we look at specific words that are hurting your resume, let’s make sure you’re not making some common resume mistakes. Here are 4 general red flags a job seeker must understand about their resume:
Typos, Misspellings, and Poor Grammar
Most importantly, you must avoid poor grammar and spelling. It will not matter how great your accomplishments are if you can’t proofread your resume before sending it to a recruiter. Even an oversight of putting the wrong contact information can hinder your chances of being hired. This is why having someone proofread a resume is a must.
Employment Gaps
Other red flags for a recruiter are gaps in employment and short tenure at an organization. Without an explanation or having the confidence that they can contact your employer to find out why the tenures have been short, the recruiter will assume that you may not have “staying power” in the long run.
Irrelevant Information
Unneeded information such as hobbies and interests outside of the job can be damaging, too. Hiring managers are less interested in how a candidate spends their free time — at least not immediately. They have deadlines and large piles of resumes to review, and right now, they’re just focused on finding candidates who meet the requirements.
Of course, it’s okay to include a hobby if it’s related to the position you are applying for. If it’s a finance job, for example, mentioning that a hobby to dabble in cryptocurrency investing can be seen as a plus. But if you are trying to land a medical research assistant role, this would be irrelevant.
Headshots
Another frequent mistake is including a headshot or family picture on your resume. Unless you’d like to be chosen as the leading actor for a big-screen movie, you don’t need to include a photo. In fact, there are potential drawbacks to doing so.
For starters, some managers and recruiters find it “unprofessional.” It can also lead to unconscious bias. Details in the photograph including clothing, gender, race, or even age are all things that can potentially impact a recruiter’s decision-making, even if it’s done unintentionally. Lastly, there’s a small possibility that the photo can affect a resume format, leading to technical difficulties when it goes through applicant tracking systems.
6 Buzzwords That Hurt Your Resume
Refrain from the buzzword problem! A resume is key to securing an interview, but you could potentially hurt your prospects by cluttering resumes with cringeworthy buzzwords. Another common mistake is trying to make an entry-level job sound much more exciting than it was by using jargon and synonyms because a skilled hiring manager knows all the tricks. It’s much better to be clear, concise, and direct.
More specifically, there are certain words and phrases that can hurt a resume. If you want to make sure you stand out to the hiring manager, make sure to avoid these terms. This can be challenging for some because so many of these words and phrases have been ingrained throughout the years:
- Bottom Line
- Buy-In
- Move the Needle
- Synergy
- Value Add
- Wheelhouse
7 Self-Promotion Phrases That Backfire
Another common mistake is using words that suggest you are overspeaking your value through self-promotion. Remember that anyone can say anything about themselves whether it is true or not. Consider removing these self-promotion terms from your resume:
- Go-getter
- Go-to-person
- Strategic thinker
- Think outside the box
- Results-driven
- Detail-oriented
- Proactive
15 Overused Attributes That Add No Value
You don’t have much time or space in a resume to make hiring managers understand why they should consider you as a candidate, so avoid taking up space with words like “people person.” Nearly every job will require you to work with other people, so unless you have a specific example that shows you are exceptionally skilled in this area, it’s not worth including.
Here are attributes hiring managers often expect without needing to see them on your resume:
- People Person
- Hard Worker
- Self-Motivated
- Team Player
- Ambitious
- Competent
- Efficient
- Experienced
- Flexible
- Goal-Oriented
- Knowledgeable
- People-Person
- Professional
- Reliable
- Well-Organized
Use Results-Driven Language to Stand Out
So, with all this being said, what words and phrases should you include on your resume? And the answer is simply the results you have accomplished.
Your resume should include quantifiable metrics of what you managed or goals you achieved. An employer is hiring someone to solve a problem, exceed a goal, and ultimately help them with a profit. This means the resume must speak to these accomplishments or skills. No amount of useless information or slick jargon will overcome an employer wanting to see what a candidate has done during their previous employment.
A resume that shares measurable results can tell a story of what you’ve accomplished so far during your career. Some examples of this are:
- Show You Are Goal-oriented: “In my time at [Company], I led the sales department for two years by exceeding the sales manager’s goal to reach # of sales.”
- Demonstrate How You Are a Team Player: “While employed at [Company], I was able to show my desire to be a team player by taking on several tasks for my team. These tasks were ___________.”
- Display Your Experience: “I have had over # years of experience in this field. During my career, I have been able to adapt, grow, and add value to each company I have worked for over these years. Some examples of this are ___________.”
- Show You Are Flexible: “The company needed me to do ___________, even though ___________. I was able to ___________.”
- Demonstrate How Are Reliable: “While at [Company], I was able to afford them the confidence of someone reliable. I never called out sick on the day of or took unallotted time off. If I was given a deadline, I was sure to meet each one.”
16 Alternative Words That Impress Hiring Managers
The same principle applies to business jargon as well. Rather than telling an employer that you’re a strategic thinker, tell a story with a result that shows them how you used strategic thinking and problem-solving. When used properly, words have the power to make your resume tell a story of the value you could add to a team.
Remember, the hiring managers want to know, “Who is the best fit for this role, and can they help our company achieve its goals?” Your resume should hold the answer!
Examples of past work give employers clear evidence of how you differ from other applicants. They are looking for examples of times you delivered value, and whenever possible, with numbers or percentages to support these claims. Consider the following list of words that can be helpful as you develop a resume with action statements that clearly show the value you’ll bring to their team:
- Achieved
- Created
- Developed
- Established
- Ideas
- Improved
- Increased/Decreased
- Influenced
- Launched
- Managed
- Negotiated
- Resolved
- Revenue/Profits
- Trained/Mentored
- Under Budget
- Volunteered
Don’t Hurt Your Resume With Ineffective Words
To make your resume more impactful, avoid using vague and overused phrases that add little value. Instead, focus on showcasing measurable achievements and concrete examples of your contributions. Employers seek candidates who demonstrate specific accomplishments, especially with quantifiable results, rather than relying on self-promotional jargon. By replacing these generic phrases with action-oriented language, you enhance clarity, reveal your true impact, and increase the likelihood of standing out to hiring managers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions Christian job seekers might ask:
1. What specific metrics should I include to showcase my achievements?
Use clear metrics like percentages, sales numbers, or efficiency improvements. For example, “increased sales by 20%” or “reduced processing time by 30%.”
2. How should I handle employment gaps on my resume?
Briefly explain gaps in a cover letter or use a functional resume format to highlight skills and experience over chronology.
3. Should I customize my resume for each job application?
Yes, tailoring your resume to each position is essential. Use keywords from the job description and highlight relevant experience to improve your chances with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and hiring managers.
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