APU Careers Careers & Learning

The Last Cliche, Part II

By Courtney Bousquetthinning-out-resume
Career Services Contributor

In my last post I discussed the top five phrases included in NBC News’Top 10 Phrases to Ban From Your Resume.” In this post, I plan to address the remaining five, for all of which five phrases you should scour, and then systematically eliminate from your resume!

  1. I have a strong work ethic.”  Yes, employers want employees who have a strong work ethic, but you do not need to be so blatant about it. Rather than state this, show the employer how you went above and beyond, for instance did you meet a tight deadline, exceed a company goal or improve a skill?
  2. I’m bottom-line focused.” Instead of offering a broad, general description of your ability, infuse numbers to showcase how, specifically, you have contributed to the bottom line. Numbers can speak volumes (no pun intended). List the time, money or resources you used to save or make the company money.
  3. I’m responsible for X.” Yes, we all have our own areas of responsibility no matter what our job may be. Instead, be proactive and use action verbs to describe your experience, which in the end, will make it stronger and more impressive.
  4. I’m self-motivated.” Find a way to show that you can motivate yourself as this point is not going to do it for you. Did you find a new solution to an old problem, or did you create a new marketing campaign? Motivated people find solutions to problems and improve on tasks handed to them that may not have existed previously.
  5. I’m accustomed to a fast-paced environment.” With the current state of the economy, most workplaces are fast-paced, so rather than stating this, show the employer what they can expect you to achieve. How did you deal with set-backs and obstacles at your previous position during your busiest times? Show how you can adapt and overcome challenges even in the most difficult times.

Break out of the pack and get ahead of the game by omitting the top 10 clichés from your resume, thus creating a stronger and more impressive resume to send to future employers. The Office of Career Services offers complementary reviews to all APU and AMU students and alumni- send yours to resumehelp@apus.edu today!

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