Keep these 7 clichés off your résumé

You might actually be a ‘passionate, results-oriented creative with excellent communication skills,’ but these days, who isn’t? Oh, and stop calling yourself a ‘guru.’

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You may think your résumé is already tip-top, but put yourself in a recruiter’s shoes.

They look at hundreds of résumés every day. To them, most look exactly like all the other résumés in their pile. If you’re using the same tired phrases as everyone else, you’re not as exciting—or hirable—as you thought you were.

The average recruiter spends six to 10 seconds per résumé. Do you really want to waste even one of those precious milliseconds with a single word that doesn’t add to your credibility?

You want your résumé to stand out. You want a job, don’t you? It’s not hard to steer clear of common clichés and be more original. You just need to know which phrases to avoid.

Ditch these seven clichés from your résumé, and you’ll be well on your way to grabbing the recruiter’s attention—and staying out of the “no thanks” pile, once and for all.

1. Avoid meaningless adjectives

Your résumé will read like a work of fiction when you use phrases such as “seasoned manager” or “influential leader” without an accompanying explanation.

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