10 words to keep off your resume...

Kenneth Johnson • January 25, 2016


10 words to keep off your resume

Surveys report that the average Recruiter spends 6-8 seconds viewing a resume. I know that sounds like a scare tactic but believe me it’s true. So we went out and spoke to some of the most successful Executive Recruiters, Staffing Specialists and Internal Recruiters in our marketplace and asked them a very simple question…Why? Why do you spend so little time on a resume when a candidate can often spend hours customizing the document to make a favorable impression?

The simple and most consistent answer we received was “because we’re really busy and we can often receive hundreds of resumes for each position…this makes it imperative that a candidate catch our attention at the start”. As the discussion became more conversational a single glaring element began to evolve as the immediate trigger to resume rejection. There were a group of words that often resulted in an immediate loss of interest by the recruiter and subsequently an unfavorable initial review of a candidates resume. So if you want your resume to have some staying power and fight the good fight, avoid using the “10 Most Overused Resume Words”.

1. Responsible
2. Creative
3. Effective
4. Analytical
5. Innovative
6. Motivated
7. Strategic
8. Organizational
9. Driven
10. Expert

If you found this article useful and would like to be notified when new content from Kenneth L. Johnson, Diversity Recruiting Expert and President of East Coast Executives is released, please subscribe.

By Kenneth Johnson February 28, 2025
The Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence Webinar
By Kenneth Johnson September 18, 2024
Here is how Kenneth L Johnson & East Coast Executives continues to steady the course...
By Kenneth Johnson July 8, 2024
Unlocking the Future of Talent Acquisition: The Perfect Blend of Technology and Relationship Building
By Kenneth Johnson June 14, 2024
The Impact of AI on Recruitment and Talent Acquisition for Black Job Seekers and Diverse Professionals
By Ted James April 7, 2023
This is a guest post authored by Ted James of tedknowsmoney.com
By Kenneth L. Johnson March 2, 2023
Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech
By Kenneth L. Johnson February 23, 2023
Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech
By Kenneth L. Johnson February 16, 2023
Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech
By Kenneth L. Johnson February 8, 2023
Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech
By Kenneth L. Johnson February 4, 2023
Career advice from the world's top Diversity Recruiter & Developer of blkbox.tech
More Posts