17 Resume Cliches That Turn Off Hiring Managers

Original article by Kirstin Fawcett, Mental Floss

No two prospective job hunters are exactly alike—but if your “passionate, go-getter attitude” isn’t helping you stand out from the pack, it’s probably time to give your resume a makeover.

Hiring managers spend only 15 to 30 seconds looking at each candidate’s CV, at which point they’ll either relegate it to the slush pile or decide to call them in for an interview. And too often, the deciding factor isn’t an applicant’s work ethic or experience, but the language they use to describe it.

Paradoxically, clichés like “thinks outside the box” and “creative” make you sound like a lazy, uninspired writer. And buzzwords like “interfaced” or “synergy” may sound sophisticated in your head, but they come across as empty or vague on paper.

Learn which resume words and phrases to avoid—and which ones you should use in their stead—by checking out insurance company Colonial Life’s infographic below.