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Career Management

by Toni Bowers, Head Blogs Editor
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When creating a resume, it’s easy to fall into the habit of using old-hat expressions. Here areĀ 10 that have become meaningless and should be avoided at all costs.

——————————————————————————————————————-

I ran across a piece by the esteemed Liz Ryan, a 25-year HR veteran and former Fortune 500 VP, that just made me cringe with recognition. She wrote about those trite phrases that inevitably make their way into our resumes. It’s one of those things many of us do by rote without considering that they are red flags for, as Ms. Ryan puts it, the “vocabulary challenged.”

Before I list the phrases, let me explain a little about why they should be run out of town on a rail. Have you ever sat through a speech by a company executive who seems to communicate solely in business cliches? He’ll speak of synergy and paradigm shifts and value-added propositions until you want to impale yourself on the nearest sharp object. And the only value you take away from a speech like that is that you are, in fact, capable of a boredom-induced vegetative state.

Cliched forms of speech are crutches for the uncreative. And the frequency of their usage make them absolutely meaningless.

So do you want your resume to say, above everything else, that you are incapable of forming a new thought? No, you don’t. You also don’t want the people reviewing your resume to gloss over these trite phrases and not give you a chance. That’s why you should strike every occurrence of the following from your resume:

  • 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

Find better ways of saying these things. After all, just because you think of yourself as a results-oriented professional does not necessarily make it fact. Why not just list your actual results? You have a proven track record? Proven by whose standards? And if there is a “record” of it, why don’t you just give me its contents?

Met or exceeded expectations? Whose expectations? The guy down the street at the coffee shop? Tell me instead about the time you had to lead a project with a seemingly impossible timeline and budget.

I think you see where I’m going with this.

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Toni BowersToni Bowers is the Head Blogs Editor of TechRepublic. She has been in the publishing industry for 20 years, with concentration in IT-related topics. She has edited newsletters, books, and web sites pertaining to software, IT career, and IT management issues.

Print/View all Posts Comments on this blog

Phrases HR should stop using Kam Guerra | 07/08/09
I must be out there!!! debposton@... | 07/10/09
Good to Know Darltk | 07/15/09
I've always done well with... JCitizen | 07/15/09
One page resume? bsunshine@... | 07/16/09
One page resume! SirWizard | 07/16/09
Exactly...(nt) JCitizen | 07/20/09
10pt font catpaw@... | 01/13/10
I have a greatly varied background.. JCitizen | 07/20/09
I am out there lynda.bengtsson@... | 07/17/09
Maybe an alternative view here rthillusa@... | 07/23/09
They sure sound sexy though! rramos@... | 07/10/09
Chances does exist makkh@... | 07/10/09
So I shouldn't put in my resume... NickNielsen | 07/10/09
hmm...that trumps AmethystWoman | 07/13/09
Somewhat off topic thezar | 07/11/09
Sorting Through the Resume Mass mark_d_roller@... | 07/13/09
I do that to employers Kam Guerra | 07/15/09
My prospective employers expect email... JCitizen | 07/15/09
Good Idea, Bad Idea Lee T | 12/31/09
Did anyone actually do that? espici_2@... | 07/15/09
Hey, wait - they TOLD me to use those phrases! MUnruh23 | 07/16/09
But... wait. I thought you told me no! martha.reece@... | 07/17/09
WoW should not be on your resume Maarek | 07/08/09
Re: WoW should not be on your resume jjenkins@... | 07/09/09
Yes and no bfpower | 07/09/09
MMORPG yes, but not WoW philip.james@... | 07/10/09
Problem is time phil@... | 07/10/09
REALLY!?!?! wgyouree@... | 07/10/09
What if the "real" work... subpixel | 07/10/09
Thankfuly ron@... | 07/10/09
You said it! tick@... | 07/10/09
Wow, I mean really... cnoevil@... | 07/10/09
Assumptions egmccann | 07/10/09
For the rural types.. JCitizen | 07/10/09
Guild Management takes more skill than you realize michael.brodock@... | 07/15/09
Only if you are applying to a gaming company pwoodctfl@... | 07/10/09
spot on wedge@... | 07/10/09
Use Gaming as an interviewing tool blarman | 07/10/09
Hear Hear! martha.reece@... | 07/10/09
What he said! jedikitty@... | 07/10/09
excellent post michael.brodock@... | 07/15/09
exactly! PalkiaX50 | 07/21/09
good that you are still a child Bellamous | 01/03/10
Gaming?!! oldbay71-utilities@... | 01/13/10
not always. jedikitty@... | 07/10/09
haha wedge@... | 07/11/09
Stereotypes are also there NickNielsen | 07/11/09
So...Pilots are Stupid?? howletrc@... | 07/10/09
true jedikitty@... | 07/10/09
umm.. no wedge@... | 07/11/09
Your WoW gold means NO gold Ronsayro.IT@... | 07/10/09
Equal opportunity? subpixel | 07/10/09
WoW on a resume depends on what the job is and where it's put eclypse | 07/10/09
Equal to Reasonable Expectations Ronsayro.IT@... | 07/10/09
What about: ozzybair | 07/21/09
When role playing goes too far... MrRich | 07/10/09
Why I would put WoW on *my* resume... martha.reece@... | 07/10/09
true dat! jedikitty@... | 07/10/09
Opie and Anthony's definition john.jelks@... | 07/10/09
do stop before... jedikitty@... | 07/10/09
I'm wondering... jasondlnd | 07/14/09
Taken to heart santeewelding | 07/08/09
Marketing terms that should be eliminated MrRich | 07/10/09
You said it yourself santeewelding | 07/10/09
best phrase I heard on a recent commercial. AmethystWoman | 07/13/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume PM III | 07/08/09
Agreed Nathan J Torrence | 07/08/09
Uh...no they are not pwoodctfl@... | 07/09/09
I do not hire people who use hackneyed phrases mark.giblin@... | 07/10/09
Obviously you don't have a DhP!! bill.howey@... | 07/10/09
repost of the above with ? replace with ' bill.howey@... | 07/10/09
Speaking of anger management...... pwoodctfl@... | 07/10/09
Spellcheck? SirWizard | 07/12/09
Wiz santeewelding | 07/12/09
If I may suggest, MrWiz NickNielsen | 07/12/09
Butt Plugs mark.giblin@... | 08/03/09
RE: I do not hire people who use hackneyed phrases wolflight | 07/10/09
:apper work vse job? hmmmmm! | 07/11/09
You obviously have a degree NickNielsen | 07/11/09
OJT is not a optiom hmmmmm! | 07/12/09
OJT is not a option hmmmmm! | 07/12/09
You not only dodged the question NickNielsen | 07/12/09
Typical snobbery... JCitizen | 07/12/09
It appears, JC, I was actually correct for once ;) NickNielsen | 07/12/09
Agreed..(nt) JCitizen | 07/12/09
Difference of Opinion Lee T | 12/31/09
Re: Uh...no they are not eclypse | 07/10/09
Sorry.....stuck the reply on the wrong thread pwoodctfl@... | 07/10/09
Shallow pworlton | 07/10/09
Perhaps that is a better way to look at it pwoodctfl@... | 07/10/09
I really don't think so john3347@... | 07/10/09
boring is right csmith.kaze | 07/08/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume blclark@... | 07/09/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume rajiv_srivastava_tcs | 07/09/09
1 phrase I've ALWAYS hated. Moejj | 07/09/09
Team Player TBone2k | 07/09/09
Re "Team player" ApplSecurityGeek | 07/09/09
Better phrase pworlton | 07/10/09
team players = BOHICANs jedikitty@... | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume HiringGuru | 07/09/09
The Most Boring Part - Strength and Weakness kumvinod@... | 07/09/09
some disagreement here deryapa@... | 07/09/09
Saying it don't make it so ... greg.hruby@... | 07/10/09
I agree with your disagreement FatNGristle | 07/13/09
How about a before and after resume? SAP_Guru | 07/09/09
What is a resume for? gary@... | 07/09/09
Agreed. admcarroll@... | 07/10/09
Couldn't Agree More... charles.bosse@... | 07/10/09
I've been told the same thing.. a.barry@... | 07/10/09
Resume function bhelman | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume mansureshin@... | 07/10/09
IMO, the buzzword du jour... VEH | 07/10/09
True! MrRich | 07/10/09
10 boring articles you should cut from Tech Republic george.flecknell@... | 07/10/09
Also... george.flecknell@... | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume steve@... | 07/10/09
What if..... John.r@... | 07/10/09
Common Language MrRich | 07/10/09
Had to smile! kevaburg@... | 07/23/09
S or Z SirWizard | 07/24/09
And whats more.......... kevaburg@... | 07/25/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume kim.payne1@... | 07/10/09
It's a resume. Not a book StevePegg | 07/10/09
Absolutely right richard.b.fowler@... | 07/10/09
In this economy, the trick is to _GET_ the interview RandomCrap | 07/10/09
Well, yes and no Techtoo | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume dailyops@... | 07/10/09
Exactly... JCitizen | 07/10/09
Don't have a Resume rogerbro@... | 07/11/09
In your culture... JCitizen | 07/11/09
EU apprentice systems! hmmmmm! | 07/12/09
I'd bet.. JCitizen | 07/12/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume overtech@... | 07/10/09
Caveat to 10 boring phrases... richard.warren@... | 07/10/09
Even worse ambalish@... | 07/10/09
all rules do not apply bkmoody | 07/10/09
Not sure I buy this gdgtgrl | 07/10/09
Exactly! richard.warren@... | 07/11/09
My paradigmatic, bottom line, results oriented response greg.hruby@... | 07/10/09
vocabulary challenged ??? info@... | 07/10/09
um .. back atcha greg.hruby@... | 07/10/09
good one, mate! jedikitty@... | 07/10/09
Regardless...... kevaburg@... | 07/23/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume grant_s_scott@... | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume robert.francis@... | 07/10/09
Insipidness is in the eye of the beholder minstrelmike@... | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume jquispe@... | 07/10/09
Absolutely right -- forget the platitudes RandomCrap | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume hmmmmm! | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume mwlod@... | 07/10/09
Use phrase for search engines.. hmmmmm! | 07/11/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume dr.s.raghunathan@... | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume pjwvieviwdhyu@... | 07/10/09
People who can't bother to title their posts g01d4 | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume bofcarbon1@... | 07/10/09
You're right -- the government is crappy at hiring RandomCrap | 07/10/09
One voice of experience arthurborges@... | 07/10/09
Off Topic: Team Player dbecker@... | 07/10/09
Not Off Topic walter.kirsch@... | 07/11/09
Always tell about your achievements fvazquez@... | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume nightwatch@... | 07/10/09
Strongly disagree djed | 07/13/09
Boring is another word for expected bzeuli@... | 07/10/09
Can work independently or in a team Englebert | 07/10/09
Classic!! We are so used to the jargon jorgelazarodiaz | 07/10/09
Keeping the information organized... JCitizen | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume xmagoo@... | 07/10/09
PSRA: Problem, Solution, Results, Action echerlin@... | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume ramba@... | 07/10/09
Your firmament santeewelding | 07/10/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume gadjet@... | 07/11/09
Always nice santeewelding | 07/11/09
Why does it sound just like the stuff on Dilbert ;) vucliriel@... | 07/11/09
Mention a Refernce walter.kirsch@... | 07/11/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume thompsonandreau@... | 07/12/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume barg8@... | 07/13/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume alvaro@... | 07/13/09
Pretty Cheesy lynda.bengtsson@... | 07/13/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume moxydigital | 07/13/09
See moxydigital - that's the right question for this writer ... ramba@... | 07/14/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume michael.e.garrity@... | 07/13/09
HR "professionals" have pushed these cliches rdtraversi | 07/14/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume Osiyo53@... | 07/15/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume espici_2@... | 07/15/09
Catch phrases LocoLobo | 07/16/09
RE: 10 boring phrases you should cut from your resume mchibuye@... | 07/22/09
deleted YaPasPhoto | 07/23/09
If you don't have time to read Resume, you are burden on company zmoinuee@... | 07/24/09
That is your opinion... JCitizen | 08/04/09
The Dream Cover Letter jamjube | 12/31/09
how about great in the sack? iowastate@... | 01/30/10

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