How to Stand Out in the Job Market: Words to Avoid on Your Resume

For millennials, the job market can often feel like an uphill battle. Competition is fierce, and many applicants lack the years of experience that their older counterparts bring to the table. In order to rise above the competition, it’s important to have a well-crafted resume that showcases your skills and accomplishments. However, there are certain words and phrases that can hold you back, no matter how great the rest of your resume may be. Here are six words that you should avoid using on your resume if you want to make a strong impression on potential employers.

“Hardworking”

If you describe yourself as hardworking on your resume, you’re not telling potential employers anything they don’t already assume about every other applicant. Instead, focus on providing concrete examples of your work ethic. Did you hold down a full-time job while completing a graduate program? Did you go above and beyond to ensure a project was completed on time and to the best of your abilities? Show, don’t tell, when it comes to your abilities.

“Team player”

Being a team player is certainly an important quality in any workplace, but simply stating that you possess this quality on your resume won’t impress anyone. Instead, provide examples of times when you worked effectively as part of a team. Did you collaborate with colleagues on a successful project? Did you help resolve a difficult issue by working with others on a solution? Discussing specific instances in which you displayed teamwork will help demonstrate your abilities to potential employers.

“Detail oriented”

While attention to detail is a valuable quality to possess, claiming to be “detail oriented” on your resume isn’t enough to convince potential employers that you actually possess this trait. Instead, aim to demonstrate your attention to detail by crafting a meticulously edited and error-free resume. Avoid making any careless mistakes that might call your attention to detail into question.

“Go-to person”

It’s great to be a go-to person at work, but simply stating that you were one on your resume won’t have much impact. Instead, talk about the specific responsibilities you were given as a result of being a go-to person. Did you take on additional duties or become a subject matter expert in a particular area? Use your resume to highlight the value you provided to your previous employer.

“Responsible for ____”

Every employee has responsibilities, so listing out your job duties won’t impress anyone. Instead, focus on specific accomplishments or actions you took within your role. Did you lead a successful project? Did you manage a team and help them achieve great results? By using action verbs that demonstrate initiative and leadership, you’ll stand out from the crowd more effectively than simply listing your responsibilities.

“Salary negotiable”

When it comes to salary, it’s best to avoid mentioning this on your resume altogether. Employers will assume that your salary is negotiable, so including this on your resume will simply take up valuable space that could be used to highlight your skills and accomplishments. Instead, focus on crafting a strong resume that showcases your value to potential employers, and be prepared to discuss salary expectations if and when you receive an interview.

In conclusion, while there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to crafting a winning resume, avoiding these six words and phrases can help you stand out in a crowded job market. By focusing on specific examples of your skills and accomplishments, you’ll be giving potential employers a much better sense of your value as a candidate. Good luck!