There are tons of generic and nonsensical words you could use to describe yourself to potential employers, but the absolute worst according to hiring managers are, “best of breed.”
When CareerBuilder surveyed more than 2,200 hiring managers last year, 38% of respondents agreed this term is the most irritating description yet.
And when 68% of hiring managers spend less than two minutes reviewing a résumé, your word choice as a job candidate can mean all the difference in the world.
“Anyone can say they are ‘best of breed,’” says Mary Lorenz, a corporate communications manager at CareerBuilder. “Employers want to know what makes the job seekers unique, and how they will add value to the specific organization for which they’re applying.”
One of the major issues with using these kinds of terms is they have become so overused, they’ve lost all meaning, Lorenz says. The other major problem with these words is that they’re generic and they don’t differentiate the job seeker from other candidates.
“The problem with buzzwords is they often don’t mean anything, which can make a job seeker look corny or, worse, lazy,” says Paul McDonald, senior executive director for professional placement firm Robert Half. “Avoiding overused terms can help job seekers convey their message and stand out from the crowd.”
Alyssa Gelbard, founder and president of Résumé Strategists, also notes that describing your personal attributes serves more as fluff than function and shouldn’t be included on a résumé.
“A hiring manager wants to know how you can help their organization and see your accomplishments, your results, and the specific value that you bring based on your experience and expertise,” she explains.
When writing your résumé, it’s important to show rather than tell, Lorenz says, and speak in terms of accomplishments.
