These Are The 10 Buzzwords We Need To Keep Off Our CV

January isn’t all bad. Okay, the thought of being?practically?penniless and cold doesn’t fill us with joy, but on the plus side, there’s never a better time for you to embrace change. Whether you’re looking to finally kick a bad habit (give up those cigarettes), or take on a positive one (join your first yoga class), the first month of the year is when we can start as we mean to go on.

For many this means a bit of soul searching and reflecting on the things we’d like to achieve to feel accomplished, fulfilled and happy.?Something that?ignites all those feelings is our place of work. And if, for whatever reason, you are looking to go in another direction and tackle the job market once again, the first thing you’ll need to do is polish your resum?.

This can seem like a tedious and daunting task, but a new survey conducted by LinkedIn could make this easier. A CV is hugely important as it’s the first impression a potential employer will have of you, so you should be extra aware of what goes on it. It has to contain?clear, concise information – and your online profile should be eye-catching as well – so why fill it with the same age-old jargon that could apply to anyone? You reportedly only have 8.8 seconds to stand out?as is.

To help, LinkedIn has?published its annual list of overused career buzzwords, which are as follows:

1. Motivated
2. Creative
3. Enthusiastic
4. Track record
5. Passionate
6. Successful
7. Driven
8. Leadership
9. Strategic
10. Extensive experience

Catherine Fisher, author of the LinkedIn blog post and career expert, said that these words are ineffective and underwhelming to employers because they’re generic and vague. You don’t need to banish every reference to them, but instead of saying your track record is second-to-none, why not give an example to prove this? Another tip would be to take the top five words and flip them into a negative. You would never describe yourself as unenthusiastic or unmotivated, for example, so why not?forgo their positive terms too?

“If you’re motivated about your career, passionate about doing your best work, and are highly creative, then I’ve got news for you: so is everyone else,” she said.

The best advice she offers is that you should focus on your accomplishments and as mentioned?above, use specific examples to highlight your talents. And this particularly works regarding?online profiles: Get recommendations from previous employers, list your unique skill set – anything that makes you stand out from the crowd.

You’re a unique individual, so let this shine through on that important piece of paper.

For more tips, see the LinkedIn post here.