Want to get an employer's eye? Cut these buzzwords
While a buzzword may seem fashionable and cutting-edge, there's a downside to relying on them: Sounding like every other Jane or Joe.
When it comes to searching for a job, buzzwords can be a bad move, according to professional social-networking service LinkedIn (LNKD), which has released its 10 most-overused words in business profiles. The risk of relying on these words is that potential contacts or employers will "go 'meh,'" the company said in a blog post.
If you are "motivated" to stand out, then it's best to avoid the "m" word, given that it's the most-overused buzzword on the list. While you may feel "passionate" about your "creative" approach to work, those two words rank as the second and third-most overused buzzwords and may prompt a shrug from would-be employers. That means you might want to apply that passionate creativity to crafting a new description of your talents.
"Before you begin your search, take some time to think about your professional brand," the company wrote. "Pledge to banish trite buzzwords."
Professionals who are attached to their buzzwords might argue that they aren't so bad. After all, terms such as "driven" (No. 4) and "extensive experience" (No. 5) are positive, right?
The problem with buzzwords is that they often signify a vague feeling or idea, without providing specificity. Some have become corporate jokes, such as "synergy," which was mocked on "30 Rock" as meaningless corporate drivel and has even inspired a mock-inspirational poster ("Synergy: A code word lazy people use when they want you to do all the work.")
Rather than blend in with everyone else, LinkedIn recommends replacing buzzwords and other "lackluster adjectives" with examples of how you are motivated, such as how your efforts improved business results, or led to the creation of a new program.
Below are the top 10 buzzwords that were overused in LinkedIn profiles last year:
1. Motivated
2. Passionate
3. Creative
4. Driven
5. Extensive experience
6. Responsible
7. Strategic
8. Track record
9. Organizational
10. Expert