 |
 |
 |
· Employers
· Job
Seekers
· Home
| |
Seven Deadly Words
By Kevin Donlin,
CollegeRecruiter.com
To
succeed in today's job market, your resume and cover letter must be concise
and easy to read. Sounds obvious, right?
But you'd be surprised how often a resume or cover letter are ruined when
the author utilizes a superabundance of polysyllabic terminology (uses too
many big words).
Here are seven of the most commonly used "big words" that I see every day in
resumes sent to me by clients. Warning! Using these words may cause severe
drowsiness ... and get your resume tossed in the wastebasket.
 | Implementation - My
all-time least favorite word. It's a favorite of senators and others who
make their living by not speaking clearly. Try saying "roll-out" or"set-up"
instead.
|
 | Utilization - Have you
ever heard anyone use this word in a conversation, ever? Neither have I.
Never "utilize" what you can simply "use."
|
 | Impact (used as a verb) -
Wisdom teeth are impacted. And I suppose meteorites can "impact" the moon.
But in your resume and cover letter, use the verb "affect."
|
 | Impactful (allegedly an adjective)
- "Illiterate" is the image this word conveys. Say "high-impact" (better)
or "effective" (best).
|
 | Facilitate - Don't
"facilitate" a meeting; "help lead" or "conduct" it instead.
|
 | Deliverables - I'm pretty
sure this term refers to "products" or "finished goods." But I could be
wrong.
|
 | Interface - I think it was
Isaac Asimov who said: "When I'm interfacing with a woman, I'm kissing
her, by God." This word can be the kiss of death to clarity. Instead of
"interfacing" with people, "work" with them. |
In short, don't hide behind your vocabulary. Just be
informative and clear.
Write as you would speak to your manager. Then read your resume and cover
letter aloud. If you find yourself gasping for breath halfway through a
sentence, stop. Break it into two or three shorter sentences. Then read it
again until it flows smoothly.
When you've finished, call your best friend and read your writing over the
phone. If it's 100% clear by phone, congratulations! Your resume and cover
letter are now easier to read than 98% of what's out there in the job
market. |
Best of luck to you!
-- Kevin Donlin is the author of "Resume and Cover Letter
Secrets Revealed," a do-it-yourself manual that will help you find a job in 30
days ... or your money back. For more information, please visit
CollegeRecruiter.com
|