Words to Avoid on Your Resume

RobinWolaner

Posted: Jul 12, 07 10:42am

The Ladders seems like a useful career site -- even though I am not looking for a job, I get their emails. Today's had a great item:

"Many executives haven't had to write a resume in years. Either they've been promoted progressively from within or have been recruited aggressively by other companies. Now they're facing that scary time known as pre-retirement, and they fear age discrimination. They feel they can counter this perceived hurdle by giving a description of their age or health to "prove" they are not ready for the nursing home! But rather than helping your resume, this approach significantly hurts it. Not only are you toying with hiring laws, but you also make the very issue you are trying to hide stand out in neon letters.

Age, health, appearance phrases to avoid:

* young

* energetic

* youthful

* athletic

* fit

* healthy

* professional appearance

* mature

I recently saw the following on a resume: "Healthy, young-at-heart executive ready to make a difference rather than play golf all day. Trim, fit marathon runner seeks position as National Sales Director." This person might as well have written "57 year old male terrified of age discrimination and worried that he'll be passed over for a younger candidate". While being a marathon runner is an accomplishment at any age, it doesn't belong on your resume." By Alesia Benedict

7 Comments // 5 Members

Posted: Jul 12, 07 12:45pm

The Ladders seems like a useful career site -- even though I am not looking for a job, I get their emails. Today's had ...

I totally agree with the Ladders comments.

On a more aggressive note, I suggest that executives (maybe all of us) seriously consider not sending a resume at all. In my conversations with hiring managers, they say they look at maybe 2-3% of all solicited/unsolicited resumes they receive.

So how do they hire? Mainly via recommendations from people they trust and respect. That's how I hired hundreds of people when I was in corporate America. So if I'm looking for a new position, I spend most of my time firing up my connections and see who can give me that intro to a decision-maker for a opening or company I'm interested in. Then I go talk to them about my specific ideas on how I can bring value to them.

If you must send a resume, replace the Career Summary section with Unique Value Propostion and try to make it centric to the firm and position. That will probably require you to do some extensive research on the firm/organization to see what is happening in their industry and determine what you can do for them.

Also, spend less space on the chronological review of your past positions held. Instead, outline the Business-Changing Results you were involved with.

Finally, use today's business "talk," not the terms and expressions you used on your last resume.

Posted: Jul 18, 07 11:11am

I totally agree with the Ladders comments.

On a more aggressive note, I suggest that executives (maybe all of us) ser...

Yes, yes, The Ladders has some useful and practical info in their emails. I regularly flag them to review later.

I agree with Gordon that spending time telling people you know you're looking for a new opportunity gets you higher ROI than sweating over the perfect resume.

I'm coaching some recent college grads, and without fail, they didn't realize, until I probed, how many people they know (wow!) and that most of the people they know work for companies with open positions.

And I'm a big fan of information interviews when looking for a job (anyone else miss Alumnae Resources in the Bay Area?).

Posted: Jul 27, 07 11:34am

The Ladders seems like a useful career site -- even though I am not looking for a job, I get their emails. Today's had ...

Leslie--

can you tell me more about how you go about asking for an informational interview. I'm in the job market now (PR) but have always worked the corporate side, never for a firm. I'm curious and interested how a firm works, but I hesitate to just call or email someone out of the blue. I assume they will think I'm actually looking for a job.

Posted: Jul 27, 07 12:16pm

Leslie--

can you tell me more about how you go about asking for an informational interview. I'm in the job market now (P...

Oops. I meant Leila. Sorry. I had a bike accieent recently and am seeing double and not reading or writing everything all that accurately.

Posted: Jul 27, 07 4:55pm

Leslie--

can you tell me more about how you go about asking for an informational interview. I'm in the job market now (P...

Carol, That is a great idea for a script (what to say in tough situations). We'll work on it....

Posted: Jul 30, 07 5:47pm

Leslie--

can you tell me more about how you go about asking for an informational interview. I'm in the job market now (P...

Hi Carol. No sweat--my name has thrown people off for years. :)

I'll post some ideas when the script is up.

Stay tuned.

Leila

Posted: Aug 7, 07 7:17am

Leslie--

can you tell me more about how you go about asking for an informational interview. I'm in the job market now (P...

Carol, I hope by the time you read this, that your eye problem has healed. I have done more informational interviews that I can possibly count. I never say yes to the ones that come out of the blue. I just don't have time. I always say yes to the ones that come from respected friends or colleagues. Get someone you know to say it is OK to use their name. Then be clear about what you want. Say right up front that you're not looking for a job, but that you are curious about x or y. The offer to meet wherever or whenever it is convenient for the other person.