10 Buzzwords to Take Off Your LinkedIn Profile Now + Video

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2011's most overused resume buzzwords

By Emanuella Grinberg , CNN

2011-12-13


(CNN) -- Are you highly motivated? A creative, innovative thinker with a successful track record in effective problem solving? What about your organizational and communication skills? Do you have extensive experience maneuvering a dynamic workplace?

If any of this sounds familiar, then you've probably used one of the top 10 overused professional buzzwords in the United States in 2011, according to career-networking site LinkedIn.

The site culled its top 10 list from 135 million member profiles worldwide, finding that "creative" was the most overused word globally and in the United States. After that, the list goes:

There are several repeat offenders from 2010's rankings, including "extensive experience," "innovative" and "motivated."

Meanwhile, "team player," "results-oriented," "entrepreneurial" and "fast-paced" fell off the list to make room this year for "creative," "communications skills," "organizational" and "effective."

The list also delivers small tweaks from last year. "Proven track record" is now "track record" and "problem solver" has become "problem solving."

What does it all mean? That the words are basically meaningless and don't help distinguish you from other job seekers, said Nicole Williams, LinkedIn's connection director and author of the book "Girl on Top."

"Banish buzzwords from your profile," she said. "Use language that illustrates your unique professional accomplishments and experiences. Give concrete examples of results you've achieved whenever possible and reference attributes that are specific to you."

In other words, with a new year around the corner and unemployment hovering around 9%, it might be a good time to dust off your resume and rethink the words you use to conjure your professional image.

The 2011 analysis also includes top buzzwords for countries in which LinkedIn conducted the study:

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Vocabulary

10 Buzzwords to Take Off Your LinkedIn Profile Now


Are you "creative," "organizational and "effective"? If so, your résumé might be in need of a makeover

By Katy Steinmetz,December 13, 2011


LinkedIn, the social-networking site for people with business cards, has released its list of the year’s most overused professional buzzwords, culled from the profiles of its 135 million members. As one might expect, they’re terms that sound awfully nice but say almost nothing specific about a person. They’re the type of terms that are roughly the equivalent of listing “showing up to work” in your skills section. (Note: this might be rough to read if you are one of the people using these words, but we all need tough love sometimes.)

For example, dynamic is at No. 10. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, its primary meaning is “of or pertaining to force producing motion: often opposed to static.” So by using this word, you have literally told your potential employer that you are adept at not being stationary. You are the type of person who does things and moves from place to place.

At No. 9 is communication skills, and at No. 8 we have problem solving. Both of these guarantee nothing more than the person not being paralyzed by the prospect of a conversation or an empty stapler. Innovative is No. 7 and motivated is No. 6 — two more generic adjectives suggesting attributes that an employer would probably like to take for granted.

Track record is at No. 5. Note that it is not specified whether this track record is good or bad, though this person definitely has a track record of some kind. More important, a curriculum vitae is a track record in and of itself. Listing “track record” on a résumé is the equivalent of putting “reasons you should date me” on your OkCupid profile. Or tacking “things I need to buy” onto your shopping list.

At No. 4, we have extensive experience. (Please see above paragraph.)

At No. 3 is effective, a promise that when you are being dynamic, you’re really making the most of it. And in second place, we have organizational — which may be important if you are, say, applying to be an accountant. But in most cases, it is not the most striking skill to be championing — it’s like saying one is punctual or has neat handwriting.

And the No. one most overused professional buzzword is creative. This attribute, like many of the others, is one that is better shown than told. As LinkedIn’s connection director put it in a release, “Use language that illustrates your unique professional accomplishments and experiences. Give concrete examples of results you’ve achieved whenever possible and reference attributes that are specific to you.” And please, never use the word synergy without your tongue firmly pressed into your cheek.

Source: Time Magazine