writing a resume_ linkedin shows what words to avoid - digits - wsj
TRANSCRIPT
8/8/2019 Writing a Resume_ LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/writing-a-resume-linkedin-shows-what-words-to-avoid-digits-wsj 1/4
BLOGS
Today's Paper Video Blogs Journal Community
Home World Europe U.K. Business Markets Market Data Tech Life & Culture Opinion
WSJ BLOGS
DigitsTechnology News and Insights
Tech Behind Hit Games Comes
to iPhone
Start-Up Uses ‘Virtualization’
to Defend Against Cyber Attacks
DECEMBER 14, 2010, 11:43 AM ET
LinkedIn’s Overused Resume Words
Comments (26) DIGITS HOME PAGE »
More
Article
Europe Edition Log In
More SEARCH
ng a Resume? LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/12/14/writing-a-resume-linkedin
12/15/2010
8/8/2019 Writing a Resume_ LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/writing-a-resume-linkedin-shows-what-words-to-avoid-digits-wsj 2/4
Email Print Permalink Text
« Previous
Tech Behind Hit Games Comes to iPhone
Next »
Start-Up Uses ‘Virtualization’ to Defend AgainstCyber Attacks
Email Printer Friendly
Share:
By Jennifer Valentino-DeVries
You might think words like “innovative,” “dynamic” and “motivated” look good on your resume.
But it seems that a lot of other people have the same idea — which is precisely why those
words aren’t so great after all.
Those words are among the most overused
on resumes, according to networking site
LinkedIn, which analyzed the profiles of
millions of U.S. users to come up with a
top-10 list. Also seen too frequently:
“extensive experience,” “results-oriented,”
“proven track record,” “team player,” “fast-
paced,” “problem solver” and
“entrepreneurial.”
These terms “can appear empty to a
potential employer and may do more harm than good when you include them in your profile or
resume,” said Lindsey Pollak, a LinkedIn spokeswoman and an author of career books.
Ms. Pollak said people should scrap the words altogether from their resumes and profiles and
instead focus on details of the job, like how many people they supervised or how much they
increased sales.
The list is another effort by LinkedIn to emphasize the unique nature of its social network evenas Facebook claims far more users. (LinkedIn says it has 85 million members world-wide,
while Facebook has more than 500 million.)
LinkedIn is sitting on a trove of data about careers and job-seekers, something that has value
even without such massive numbers. The company this fall introduced a tool called Career
Explorer that uses this data to help college students chart career paths.
LinkedIn also has been trying to get its users to add more information about themselves and
the companies and products they like, adding tools in an effort to become a site that
professionals visit even when they aren’t job-hunting.
Readers, what do you think? What kinds of things do you like to see on a resume? And what
information would you like LinkedIn or similar sites to offer?
DIGITS HOME PAGE
Add a Comment
1. Microsoft CEO Expected to Show Off Tablets
2. LinkedIn's Overused Resume Words
3. Tech Behind Hit Games Comes to iPhone
4. The Top 50 Gawker Media Passwords
5. Internet Now as Popular as TV, Survey Shows
Most Popular
Also on WSJ Blogs
KOREA REAL TIME
South Korea Amps Up Defense Drill
JAPAN REAL TIME
Photos: Search for Remains on Iwo Jima
CHINA REAL TIME REPORT
India Talks Business, Now in Mandarin
EXCHANGE
Yuan Trade: China Experiments Offshore
HONG KONG
Vote: Asian Games Bid Forward-Thinking or Foolish?
+ More
Video
digits: ComcastKnits Together TV & Web2:56
digits: Best Bu y'sTV Bust9:34
digits: AT&TiPhone a Blessingand a Curse2:18
Slogold Christina Auri Shiva Carol Jayme
Melissa Ben Jill Sebastian Yasemin Shirish
The Wa ll Street Journal on Facebook
176,147 people like The Wall Street Journal
Like
Read Commented All Blogs
ng a Resume? LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/12/14/writing-a-resume-linkedin
12/15/2010
8/8/2019 Writing a Resume_ LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/writing-a-resume-linkedin-shows-what-words-to-avoid-digits-wsj 3/4
Name
BACK TO TOP
Copyright ©2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
ng a Resume? LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/12/14/writing-a-resume-linkedin
12/15/2010
8/8/2019 Writing a Resume_ LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/writing-a-resume-linkedin-shows-what-words-to-avoid-digits-wsj 4/4
WSJ.com Account:
My Account
Subscriber Billing Info
Create an Account:
Register for Free
Subscribe to WSJ.com
Sign up for WSJ Professional
Help & Information Center:
Help
Customer Service
Contact Us
New on WSJ.com
Tour the new Journal
About:
News Licensing
Advertising
Advertise Locally
Conferences
About Dow Jones
Privacy Policy - Updated
Subscriber Agreement &Terms of Use - Updated
Copyright Policy
Jobs at WSJ.com
WSJ.com:
Site Map
Home
World
U.S.
New York
Business
Markets
Market Data
Tech
Personal Finance
Life & Culture
Opinion
Autos
Careers
Real Estate
Small Business
Student Journal
Corrections
Tools & Formats:
Today's Paper
Video Center
Graphics
Columns
Blogs
Topics
Guides
Alerts
Newsletters
Mobile
Tablet Edition
Podcasts
RSS Feeds
Journal Community
WSJ on Twitter
WSJ on Facebook
WSJ on Foursquare
My Journal
Portfolio
Digital Network
WSJ.com
Marketwatch.com
Barrons.com
SmartMoney.com
AllThingsD.com
FINS: Finance, IT jobs, Sales jobs
BigCharts.com
Virtual Stock ExchangeWSJ Radio
ProfessorJournal.com
WSJ U.S. Edition
WSJ Asia Edition
WSJ Europe Edition
WSJ India Page
Foreign Language Editions:
WSJ Chinese
WSJ Japanese
WSJ Portuguese
WSJ Spanish
ng a Resume? LinkedIn Shows What Words to Avoid - Digits - WSJ http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/12/14/writing-a-resume-linkedin
12/15/2010