Clichés can kill a resume’s changes before it makes it past the reviewer’s desk. While some buzzwords may be important to convey your knowledge of your specific industry using too many or too general phrases can lead to your resume filed in the waste bin. Here are four phrases you really need to avoid when writing your resume.
Hard Worker.
It should always be assumed that you are a hard worker. If you say you’re a hard worker and then prove otherwise it will draw undue attention to your need to state it in a resume. Instead, demonstrate your dedication through your accomplishments in previous jobs.
Out of the Box.
This is a tired expression that, while still used in corporate environments, doesn’t really mean anything. Instead, this is another place where you can use demonstration in your accomplishments to share just how you think in an innovative and creative way to solve problems on the job.
References Upon Request.
In the past it was a common practice to conclude a resume with the phrase “References Upon Request” but it is no longer necessary. It is expected that you will provide your references and their contact information once you reach that point in the interview process, you don’t need to specifically state it. Continuing to include this on a resume shows that you may be outdated.
Objective.
Another older practice was to create an objective statement for the top of your resume. This described what you were looking for in a job. However, they can become a problem very quickly. If you send a resume with an accounting objective to an administration job it will be disqualified. Instead, let your experience speak for itself and use a cover letter to indicate which position you’re interested in and why.
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