Originally published by EBI.
Have you ever read something on a resume that sounds off, but you just can’t put your finger on why?
As we’ve written about, candidates sometimes lie on their resumes. From the more egregious (like lying about holding jobs they never had) to the seemingly minor (adjusting employment dates), applicants will do what they can to stand out. This, however, also includes the use and overuse of buzzwords. You’ve seen these. We’re talking about things like “results driven,” “think outside the box,”and “team player.”
Applicants often think that this is what hiring managers want to see, when in reality, a flabby resume (that is all sizzle and no steak) has the opposite effect, making it harder to decipher an applicant’s skills and experience. Worse yet, it can turn a hiring manager off completely.
To help you decode the resumes you receive, Employment Background Investigations (EBI) put together this infographic of commonly overused buzzwords (and what candidates should be saying instead). The use of these terms can be a resume red flag, and can also help you create pointed follow-up questions in your interview process.
See also:
5 sneaky things you can learn from a cover letter
8 ways to spot a star performer
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