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Do you consider yourself a hard worker? A real go-getter? Someone who likes to think outside of the box? Then you�re just the type of person who needs to review their r�sum� ASAP.
A recent CareerBuilder survey found there are some words hiring managers and human resources pros just don�t want to see on your r�sum�. And if you�ve called yourself a go-to person, a team player or a strategic thinker, you�ll need to make a few changes before you send your r�sum� to anyone else.
The deal-breakers
Unless you want to end up on an employer�s �Do not call� list, think twice before you put any of these empty words on your r�sum� � they won�t accomplish as much as you might hope.
Given the amount of time your r�sum� has to make an impression, it should come as no surprise that your choice of words can be exactly the reason you aren�t brought in for an interview. In fact, if you get more than a couple minutes of attention, you should consider yourself lucky.
Sixty-eight percent of hiring managers and human resources pros will spend two minutes or less reviewing each r�sum� they receive; 17 percent will actually spend 30 seconds or less.
�Hiring managers prefer strong action words that can be used to define specific experience, skills and accomplishments,� says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. �Subjective terms and clich�s are seen as negative, because they don�t convey real information. For instance, don�t say you are �results-driven;� show the employer your actual results.�
The words they actually want to see
If you felt like you really had something when you called yourself �hard-working,� there�s a lot of room for improvement. (Besides, that�s something almost everyone would say.) Employers don�t simply want to know what you think about yourself; they want to see results. If you really are a hard worker, prove it by backing up that claim with some data.
Rather than focusing on your previous duties to capture your relevant experience, focus on what you�ve been able to achieve using your relevant skills. The following terms � mostly verbs � should help you refocus your r�sum� on what truly matters. As an added bonus, hiring managers would love to see these terms:
Highlight your accomplishments and sell just how important your skills have been. If you�ve received honors or awards, make sure to find room for them. Focus on what you think will cause hiring managers to stop and take a second look at your name � you can likely find more unique things to say about yourself than �I�m a hard worker.�
Do you consider yourself a hard worker? A real go-getter? Someone who likes to think outside of the box? Then you�re just the type of person who needs to review their r�sum� ASAP.
A recent CareerBuilder survey found there are some words hiring managers and human resources pros just don�t want to see on your r�sum�. And if you�ve called yourself a go-to person, a team player or a strategic thinker, you�ll need to make a few changes before you send your r�sum� to anyone else.
The deal-breakers
Unless you want to end up on an employer�s �Do not call� list, think twice before you put any of these empty words on your r�sum� � they won�t accomplish as much as you might hope.
- Best of breed: 38 percent
- Go-getter: 27 percent
- Think outside of the box: 26 percent
- Synergy: 22 percent
- Go-to person: 22 percent
- Thought leadership: 16 percent
- Value add: 16 percent
- Results-driven: 16 percent
- Team player: 15 percent
- Bottom-line: 14 percent
- Hard worker: 13 percent
- Strategic thinker: 12 percent
- Dynamic: 12 percent
- Self-motivated: 12 percent
- Detail-oriented: 11 percent
- Proactively: 11 percent
- Track record: 10 percent
Given the amount of time your r�sum� has to make an impression, it should come as no surprise that your choice of words can be exactly the reason you aren�t brought in for an interview. In fact, if you get more than a couple minutes of attention, you should consider yourself lucky.
Sixty-eight percent of hiring managers and human resources pros will spend two minutes or less reviewing each r�sum� they receive; 17 percent will actually spend 30 seconds or less.
�Hiring managers prefer strong action words that can be used to define specific experience, skills and accomplishments,� says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. �Subjective terms and clich�s are seen as negative, because they don�t convey real information. For instance, don�t say you are �results-driven;� show the employer your actual results.�
The words they actually want to see
If you felt like you really had something when you called yourself �hard-working,� there�s a lot of room for improvement. (Besides, that�s something almost everyone would say.) Employers don�t simply want to know what you think about yourself; they want to see results. If you really are a hard worker, prove it by backing up that claim with some data.
Rather than focusing on your previous duties to capture your relevant experience, focus on what you�ve been able to achieve using your relevant skills. The following terms � mostly verbs � should help you refocus your r�sum� on what truly matters. As an added bonus, hiring managers would love to see these terms:
- Achieved: 52 percent
- Improved: 48 percent
- Trained/mentored: 47 percent
- Managed: 44 percent
- Created: 43 percent
- Resolved: 40 percent
- Volunteered: 35 percent
- Influenced: 29 percent
- Increased/decreased: 28 percent
- Ideas: 27 percent
- Negotiated: 25 percent
- Launched: 24 percent
- Revenue/profits: 23 percent
- Under budget: 16 percent
- Won: 13 percent
Highlight your accomplishments and sell just how important your skills have been. If you�ve received honors or awards, make sure to find room for them. Focus on what you think will cause hiring managers to stop and take a second look at your name � you can likely find more unique things to say about yourself than �I�m a hard worker.�
