by Kirsten Stuart
We have all been taught what content should and should not put in a resume, how long it should be and what it is potential employers are looking for. In 2013 there were a few words that employers read on nearly every resume they viewed.
“ I am a creative, strategic expert 
who is responsible, patient and driven…”
The above statement alone used six of the most overused words that are used in resumes. These words are more often than not the reason a potential employee does not receive a call back from a potential employer.
The top ten words overused in 2013
- Responsible
- Strategic
- Creative
- Effective
- Patient
- Expert
- Organizational
- Driven
- Innovative
- Analytical
LinkedIn compiled this list based on the amount of times the words were used on resumes posted within the LinkedIn site. The word Innovative was the single worst offender, making the list of overused words for four years. LinkedIn stated “If you describe your accomplishments in detail, this is when these more generic attributes will surface.”
So what buzzwords do we use and where do we find them?
The first place to look for what words to use on your resume is within the job posting for the job you are applying for. Employers decrease the amount of job seekers who send their resumes by adding keywords to job postings. If these keywords are not somewhere within your resume, many times your resume will be passed over. These keywords can also be found in the company bio, and within the description of what the company is looking for in a employee.
Finally, when listing your skills and experience, use basic descriptive buzzwords that describe your skills because those are the words more likely to be recognized by scanners. The value of a word has become paramount to the success or failure to your resume. With a little time and a thesaurus your resume is sure to be a success.
http://www.slideshare.net/linkedin/top-10-overused-linkedin-profile-buzzwords-of-2013
