It’s a sad fact – recruiters often sift through hundreds of resumes in a given day and if yours is filled with the same boring puffery as everyone else’s, there’s no way to get noticed. Whether it’s your traditional resume or online career profile, every word matters. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to fall into a rut and find yourself using phrases and terms that look like they were copied and pasted from an online resume database. In general, every word on your resume should be specific, actionable and necessary. Avoid superfluous verbs and descriptions and include details only as they relate to a specific accomplishment.
Wondering what, specifically, to leave off? Here are the top ten buzzwords that are over-used on defense industry resumes.
‘motivated’
This often comes up in objective statements (which should probably be left off of your resume anyway). The recruiter will assume you’re motivated – you applied to the position. It doesn’t convey anything unique or important.
‘responsible’
You’re not applying for a babysitting position, you’re applying for a job – if you posses a security clearance it should go without saying that you’re responsible and trustworthy, so don’t waste your breath with those terms.
‘experienced executive’
This is in the same family as ‘responsible manager’ or ‘excellent leader’ – it’s superlative and silly. If you’re an executive it goes without saying you should have experience.
‘extensive experience’
Like the note above, this is wasteful phraseology. If you’re experienced in a particular area, it’s implied you have spent a lot of time on the job. Use specific terms, such as years or months, to outline your experience with a technology or skill.
‘seasoned’
I like my steak well seasoned, I like my candidates well-qualified. Phrases like ‘seasoned cybersecurity professional’ just sound silly. The phrase also makes you seem old. And while gray hairs have their advantage in the defense industry age shouldn’t be a factor in your resume.
‘outstanding’
Phrases like outstanding and enthusiastic may seem like unique words to include on your resume, but they’re not. They lack specificity. When it comes to terms such as enthusiastic, you’re better off conveying that in an interview than including it on a resume.
‘high-level’
Your clearance is top secret and your defense industry credentials are high-level. Bravo for you. If you’re applying for a senior position the recruiter will assume your skills are high-level. Show what level you’re at by listing relevant education and industry certifications, not by using security jargon.
‘team-player’
If you’re a veteran, recruiters assume you’re a team-player – you don’t need to list it separately. Demonstrate this skill by describing a specific team you were a part of and what you accomplished.
‘leveraged’
This was a noun that was converted to a verb, but someone should have just let it stay the way it was. You may have leveraged a lot of resources in your last job but that doesn’t tell a recruiter what you actually accomplished.
‘deliverable/deliverability’
This is program manager jargon that has spread into the broader defense community. I see a variety of resumes listing the deliverable the candidate brought – avoid this jargon and speak human on your next resume.
The main point is – avoid jargon, superfluous adjectives and meaningless phrases in your resume. Think specific, think actionable and think unique when it comes to how you phrase your resume and online career profile. And make sure you edit several times and get a second opinion before you post or send anything.
