Don’t Use These Words on Your CV لا تستخدم هذه الكلمات ابدا عند كتابة CV

 

If you’ve ever gone house-hunting or looked for a flat, you know there are certain words that act  as a kind of code: “cozy” means it’s about the size of a postage stamp, “rustic” means there might be mice, and “fixer-upper” means it’s probably going to fall in on you.

In general, most of these terrible terms are so vague or jargon as to mean practically nothing. At best they suggest you might be padding your CV or profile because you’ve run out of things to say; at worst, they suggest you haven’t achieved much of anything in your career worth talking about.

 Replace them by heeding that ages-old writing adage to “show, don’t tell;” use active words and concrete examples instead of these tired terms:

 

1.   “Responsible for…”
This is such a blanket statement when describing your job duties, it tells nothing about what you actually did. It brings to mind someone just doing the bare minimum to get by. Instead, use active verbs like created, achieved, improved, or led.

2.   Problem-solving skills
Did you sit around doing crosswords or solving rubik's cubes all day? Instead, list an accomplishment that demonstrates your problem-solving skills.

3.   Detail oriented
One typo on your resume (and they happen to the best of us) and this statement rings false. If being detail oriented is a key trait for the job you want, put it into practice by paying particular attention to details when you submit your application and during the interview.

4.   Intelligent
Being intelligent and saying that you’re intelligent are two different things. Putting it on a CV or saying it in an interview can come off as egotistical or awkward. (This also goes for words like successful, likeable, humble, etc.) Instead, talk about the way you think or approach a problem with words like logical, quantitative, or synthesise.

5.   Proactive
This is a business buzzword and has been used so much it has very little meaning left in it. What are you actually trying to say? That you are self-directed? That you can spot problems before they happen? Demonstrate this with examples.

6.   Team player
Something about this feels wishy-washy, as though you couldn’t come up with anything better to say. “I don’t have any actual accomplishments, but I’m a team player!” If you want to convey that you work well in groups, again, give specific examples.

7.   Obsessive
No matter how passionate you are about your work, saying that you are (or, in fact, being) obsessive is not a good thing. Passionate is a pretty good replacement word here.

8.   Strategic thinker
Before putting something like this on your CV, ask yourself how you would demonstrate it if asked to in an interview.  It’s pretty difficult to back up. If you have a concrete example, use it instead.

9.   “Experience working with…”
Experiences happen to you. They are passive.  Instead, talk about achievements.

10.                  Salary negotiable
On a resume or in a cover letter, this just sounds desperate. Unless the recruiter specifically asks for your salary requirements in your cover letter, avoid it altogether until the interview. Then, do your research and have a specific number in mind when you get the question. It is mostly understood that salaries are negotiated, so saying it on your CV is redundant as well.

Thank you for reading my post

 Sincerely,

abed abosamak training
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