5 RULES FOR AN OPTIMIZED RESUME
Including a LinkedIn profile has been shown to boost interview rates, but only 48% of resumes included a link to a LinkedIn profile Including relevant skills and keywords boosts your chances of landing an interview, but candidates only included 51% of relevant keywords in their resume (with a 60% match rate for hard skills and only a 28% match rate for soft skills) Metrics and numbers are a best practice for illustrating and selling a candidate's value, but only 26% of resumes included at least five instances of measurable results, metrics, or value and 36% of resumes had zero instances of metrics Recent data shows that the ideal resume length is 475 – 600 words, 77% of resumes were outside of that range One of the easiest ways to lose your reader is by including too much fluff and too many irrelevant buzzwords — 51% of resumes included fluffy buzzwords, cliches, or the incorrect use of pronouns
ACTION WORDS TO USE
BUZZWORDS TO AVOID
Accustomed to fast-paced environments Fast-paced environment is a vague term. It’s subjective to the reader. Instead of saying “fast-paced environment,” write something like processing 1,000 invoices per week. By using specific, metric-based language, you remove doubt and provide clarity for the hiring manager and recruiter. This word is overused and lacks substance. Instead of telling the reader we are analytical, we could tell a story about how we used our analytic skills to make an impact. For example, we might write, “Led an analysis of 4 product lines, identifying 2 unprofitable products and collaborating with sales executives to recommend pricing changes that improved margins by 22%.” Using the word confident in your resume doesn’t give the employer any substance to substantiate your claim. It is also vague and subjective. Instead of writing “confident,” write something like, “Turned around an underperforming department within 30 days by quickly obtaining key information, organizing an executive panel, and making critical decisions as quickly as possible to avoid a reduction in EBITDA prior to the sale of the company.” Statements like that show confidence and they are vivid. The employer can see it in their mind, almost as if they were there. If you’re trying to create a standout resume and want to showcase your creative side, using words such as innovative, trailblazer, or creative doesn’t do much to demonstrate your creativity. Instead, describe the successes or results you’ve obtained as a result of your creativity. Writing, “Designed and pitched new brand style guide, obtaining executive sponsorship and creating new brand consistency within first 30 days of launch,” offers evidence of your creativity. By obtaining executive sponsorship, this statement shows that you were indeed creative enough to get the leadership team to buy in. Dependability is something every company wishes to see in their employees; however, the term is incredibly overused. Instead of blanket statements such as “dependable customer service representative,” try something like, “Consistently responding to over 60 customer inquiries per day in less than 5 minutes while maintaining a 98% CSAT.” A statement like this shows dependability and consistent results - exactly what the hiring manager reading your resume is looking for. Out of one hundred resumes, eighty-one of them had this resume cliche within them. Everyone says they are detail-oriented. If you want recruiters and hiring managers to believe that you’re detail-oriented, show them with your words. Instead of writing this resume buzzword, you could write, “Identified 2 duplicate invoices through careful 3-way matching of 500 invoices, saving the company $35,000.” If you were applying for an accounts payable job and you wrote that in your resume, you’d have the attention of quite a few accounting managers. Some people bring a lot of energy to their work and it’s easy to write this buzzword in a resume. While it’s not as commonly overused as the others, there are better ways to show this trait. Instead of using this word, you could write, “Pulled together a cross-functional team, incorporating 8 different departments, to work on 3 projects, completing all three, two weeks ahead of schedule and under budget.” This is a common resume cliche seen in many resumes. To the untrained reader, it sounds great. But to someone who sees hundreds of resumes, it comes across as this individual lacks accomplishments and is trying to hide the fact that they don’t often meet expectations. After all, if you exceeded expectations, wouldn’t you tell us about those expectations you exceeded? And that is precisely what you must do instead. Write something like, “Exceeded sales quota by 114%, driving a total of $2.1M in annual sales.” Writing like this tells the reader with clarity how much you exceeded your quota and how rigorous that quota was. It removes any questions about your abilities. Excellent communication skills Your resume is a communication tool that will shine a light on how well you can communicate in writing. Beyond the words you choose, your layout and ability to convey a logical pattern of thought will factor into whether the employer believes you have excellent communication skills. There is nowhere to hide with a resume and simply writing “excellent communication skills,” will not make anyone believe you indeed possess them. Instead of writing this overused phrase, try writing something such as, “Made 40 calls daily to potential customers, encouraging 65% of them to lock in their rate same-day.” With those results, there’s no doubt you possess superior communication ability. No one says they are a slow learner. Instead of writing this overused cliche, try writing, “Ramped up within 2 weeks, making over 5 sales in week 3 by carefully shadowing high-performers and proactively identifying trends among top salespeople.” A sentence like this gives clarity to the recruiters and hiring manager about how quickly you can ramp up and it shows that you own the ramp-up process and won’t simply wait around for someone to tell you what to do. Depending on your job targets, this trait can be very appealing to employers - especially start-ups who are still “figuring it all out.” But writing “flexible” on your resume does little to convey that you are, indeed, flexible. It’s also dramatically overused. Instead, you might write, “Took on 3 new roles at a Fintech startup, quickly pivoting and assessing new business needs as the financial market shifted during a global pandemic.” Language like that will show just how flexible you really are. Everyone states they are a hard worker or that they have a superior work ethic. It’s one of the most overused resume cliches out there. Instead, find ways to show your work ethic. For example, you may write, “Made over 100 prospecting calls daily to inbound leads, reaching new leads within 10 minutes on average.” No one will doubt that you are a hard worker with statements like that. This is an attractive trait for many employers, but also an overused resume buzzword. Instead of writing this word, try writing something along the lines of, “Designed a new workflow utilizing existing resources that provided warm handoffs between sales and customer success, improving customer satisfaction and Oftentimes, people want employers to know that they’re loyal and will use this buzzword in their resume. Showing loyalty can be a challenge in a resume because it’s often one-sided with the employee being loyal and the employer quick to lay off people at the sign of trouble. Nonetheless, if you want to show loyalty, simply let your long tenure speak for itself. There’s no need to write the word or bring it up in a resume. During an interview, you can discuss the topic if you see fit. Although we included this in our top resume cliches and buzzwords to avoid, you may not need to avoid it completely. Used appropriately, you could still use a form of this word in your sentence. Here’s an example of it used correctly. There’s nothing wrong with a sentence that reads similar to, “Proactively addressed a customer success trend identified across multiple accounts and partnered with product teams to design a new UX system, contributing to an increase of 5% in customer retention.” Using the word problem-solver lacks context and substance. It doesn’t tell the employer what type of problems you are good at solving and you better believe they have specific problems they are looking for you to help them solve. Instead of writing “problem solver” on your resume, tell them about a similar problem that you solved. You could write something like, “Collaborated with three operational teams to improve production and shipping of a $3.5M product line, resulting in an increased profit margin of 3% within 2 months of implementation.” Many resumes have this cliche within them. It’s commonly used in the opening of resumes such as “proven ability within X.” The problem with this phrase is that it leaves room for doubt because it lacks substance. If used in a generalized manner, it communicates zero value for the hiring manager. Worse, because it’s been overused and abused so much, it has the opposite effect than you intend. It leads the reader to think that you lack ability and are disguising it by using a broad resume buzzword. Instead of using this phrase, tell the recruiter or hiring manager specifically what you did. Tell them about your “98% retention rate” or your “38% increase in sales” or “your 12% reduction in overhead.” Be specific when communicating your proven abilities. Similar to the proven ability, this phrase lacks any substance. Instead, try writing statements like, “Mentored 2 associates over 6 months, helping one rank #2 out of 300 for accuracy.” Writing a word like “reliable” doesn’t provide the employer with a clear picture. They can’t visualize the word because it’s too vague. Humans are visual creatures. Instead, try writing something like, “Delivered 22 projects on time and under budget over a course of 2 years.” Statements like this help the reader visualize your reliability and are more likely to stick in the recruiter and hiring manager’s mind. Another common and overused resume buzzword is the phrase “results-oriented.” The problem with this word is it lacks substance. Using it will make you appear as though you have no results to share and that you are hiding behind a generalized resume cliche. Instead of writing this phrase, be specific about listing your results. Be sure to include results that are relevant to the hiring manager reading your resume. There’s no doubt employers want self-starters in today’s job market. It is one of the most sought out characteristics in a candidate; however, listing the word self-starter will not make others believe it. This term has been overused and if at one time it carried significant weight, today it does not. Instead of writing this resume cliche, try something like, “Led the initiative to redesign an operational workflow, obtaining executive sponsorship and assembling a cross-functional team that was able to eliminate $2.1M in overhead within one year.” A statement like this paints a clear picture of you as a self-starter. This resume buzzword is often seen in management resumes, especially at the VP level and above. The problem is writing the word strategic, isn’t very strategic is it? It’s vague and void of substance. Instead, try writing about a strategic solution you came up with. Even better, combine strategy with execution. Many roles will demand that you play well with others, but writing this resume cliche doesn’t help build your case that you are actually a team player. Instead of using this overused phrase, try writing something like, “Collaborated with 20 people in sales, marketing, product, and accounting to do X.” Using words like collaborative are a great substitution. Works well under pressure Working under pressure comes with the territory for many jobs. It may be tempting to use this common resume cliche but don’t. Not only is it overused, it offers no substance or value. It builds no credibility. Instead write statements like this one, “Consistently closed the books monthly within 3 days.” If you wrote that in an accounting resume, everyone will know you can work under pressure. Works well with all levels Although less common than the resume buzzword “team player,” this is still a frequently seen phrase. Instead of making blanket, vague statements like this, tell the reader who you worked with and give them examples of how you’ve partnered with different levels within your organization. Goal 3: Build a Strong Personal Brand
Ideal Success Scenario: Within a year, you are recognized within industry circles as an emerging thought leader, with active participation in forums, a growing LinkedIn network, and regular contributions to industry-related publications. User Benefit: Enhanced visibility in your industry will open doors for collaboration, mentorship, and opportunities. Write and publish at least one article or blog post every month. Attend at least two industry-related events or webinars quarterly. Grow your LinkedIn network by 20% over the year. Clear, Measurable, Inspiring: "Harnessing my passion for the industry, I will consistently share knowledge and connect with peers, aiming to become a recognized voice in my field within a year." Goal 4: Develop and Hone Professional Skills
Ideal Success Scenario: In two years, not only have you gained on-the-job experience, but you've also earned certifications and completed courses that have made you an asset to your organization and enhanced your marketability. User Benefit: Enhanced skills and credentials make you more effective in your role and more attractive for future opportunities. Undertake at least two professional development courses or certifications per year. Seek feedback bi-monthly from peers and superiors to identify areas of improvement. Engage in at least one significant project or initiative at work each year that challenges you and enables skill application. Clear, Measurable, Inspiring: "With an unyielding spirit of growth, I will invest in my professional development consistently, aiming to become a sought-after expert in my domain in two years."
USE METRIC BASED LANGUAGE
Increased sales by X% in Y amount of time Reduced costs by X% by implementing Z strategy Managed a team of X people to achieve Y objective Developed and executed X number of successful marketing campaigns Streamlined processes, resulting in a X% increase in efficiency Achieved X award or recognition for Y achievement
USE ENGAGING PHRASES THAT MAKE THE RESUME STAND OUT
Led the analysis of X, leading to X. Collaborated with X and X to do X. Identified and resolved X… Proactively addressed X, resulting in X. Grew X by X within X time. Researched X, leading to X recommendations. Mentored X associates to achieve X.
USE RELEVANT KEYWORDS
Use at least 50 relevant keywords Add hard skills and soft skills Top 10 in-demand soft skills
