Set yourself apart by wiping your CV clean of buzzwords!

Your Curriculum Vitae is perhaps the most important document you will ever write or produce. It is an opportunity for you to define your professional identity and set yourself apart from the ever-growing competition. But often, CVs are filled with shiny overused (and unwanted) words that do nothing to help you get hired and actually sometimes hurt job potential of the candidate. If you are really curious to get the attention of a managing hiring, make sure yours  stands out as an original and logical document.

In 2012, leading professional networking site published a list of top overused buzzwords. LinkedIn surveyed more than 180 million professionals around the globe and identified creative, analytical, and effective as the top three overused professional buzzwords used by people to describe themselves to potential employers.

Here’s the list of LinkedIn’s Top 8 Overused Professional Buzzwords in 2012:  

1.       Creative

2.       Motivated

3.       Effective

4.       Analytical

5.       Experimental

6.       Multinational

7.       Specialised

8.       Responsible

 The common mistake jobseekers do when writing a CV is to attempt to make it look and sound formal. Frequently, this means filling it with words straight out of a business book. Consider the hiring manager going through dozens (or even hundreds in some cases) of applications in a day and reading the same jargon. They can’t help but go on an autopilot mode and glide through all the CVs even faster, ignoring verbatim.

If you wish to avoid buzzwords in your future CVs and catch the attention of the hiring manager, here is our piece of advice that can help you recognise overused or clichéd words:

·         Avoid self describing words such as visionary, innovative, unique, and creative, etc. – Because there are just few people who are capable of holding these titles – Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, Shawn Fanning, and Warren Buffet – not quite common!   

·         Avoid words that are hard to comprehend or confusing. For example: Out-of-the-box thinking, 360-degree, and change agent, etc.

·         Do not use jargon when writing down accomplishments. Avoid words similar to knowledge of, experience with, familiar with, value added, responsibilities include, leverage, and utilise, etc.

·         Avoid writing qualification (MBA, CPA, CPS, MACS, or GP, etc.) right beside your name on the top. Instead, put your qualification related details in the body of your CV.

·         Let us know if you know other buzzwords that should be avoided! 

Hazell Engineering has been supplying the services of high-calibre engineering personnel to the international Oil and Gas market, both on a contract and permanent basis, for over 27 years.

 If you are looking to hire professionals in Oil and Gas engineering, visit http://www.hazelleng.com/ or contact our team at administration@hazelleng.com for assistance.