Buzzwords to Avoid When Writing Your Resume

Some words get used so often that they've stopped meaning anything at all. Phrases like "hard-working," "team player," and "results-driven" appear on nearly every resume, so readers skip right past them. This article covers these clichés and what to write instead.

The Most Common Clichés and Their Alternatives

"Hard-Working" / "Driven"

Instead of writing this adjective, give a concrete example that demonstrates it:

Weak: "I am a hard-working employee." Strong: "Volunteered for projects requiring extra hours during busy periods and consistently met deadlines."

"Team Player"

Weak: "I'm a great team player." Strong: "Coordinated task allocation with a 5-person team during weekly sprint meetings."

"Results-Driven"

Weak: "I'm a results-driven professional." Strong: Writing concrete, measurable results in your experience section (see How to Write Work Experience on Your Resume) already proves this claim — no need to state it separately.

"Dynamic" / "Innovative"

These adjectives are too generic. Instead, describe a specific situation where you took an innovative approach, with a concrete example.

"Perfectionist"

Both a cliché and sometimes perceived negatively (over-attention to detail, slowness). Instead, show the importance you place on quality through a concrete result.

Why Don't These Words Work?

Recruiters see these adjectives so often that they know they no longer carry meaning. When a resume is heavy with this kind of language, it usually signals "I couldn't find a concrete achievement, so I filled it with generic phrases."

General Rule: Evidence, Not Adjectives

Instead of claiming a trait on your resume, write an action or result that demonstrates it. Instead of writing "strong communicator," describe a situation where you used that communication skill — this approach, as we cover in more depth in How to Write the Skills Section on Your Resume, applies especially to soft skills.

Conclusion

Cliché phrases can pad your resume, but they don't strengthen it. Replacing every adjective with a concrete example that proves it turns your resume from a generic list into a genuine success story.