Bad resume lingo candidates won't stop using

Whether they work in recruitment or not, most people will have heard of the 6-second resume test. The idea, based on research by Ladders, is that on average recruiters will look at a cv for six seconds before deciding on its fate.

Although opinions differ on what it is exactly that a good resume should include to pass the 6-second test, there is some consensus on what shouldn't be on there. Rachel Gillett at Business Insider, took a closer look and compiled a list of 29 often used words and phrases that make hiring managers cringe.

Since every recruiter is different, and so is every job they're hiring for, we're not convinced all 29 should be avoided at all cost - not in the least because if you eliminated all of those you'd end up with a blank piece of paper. Some words, however, truly don't add anything to a cv and are easy to avoid.

We've picked our top five phrases we hope to never come across again below:

1. Best of breed

Unless you're recruiting for a dog show, the phrase 'best of breed' isn't particularly helpful. It doesn't tell you much about a candidate, apart from the fact they might be a little elitist. In a 2014 CareerBuilder survey, this phrase was deemed most irritating.

2. Seasoned

Being seasoned is not a skill, nor a qualification. At best, it means someone has been active in an industry for a long time giving them some valuable experience, in which case that's the word they should be using. At worst it's a giveaway of someone's age.

3. Responsible for

Being responsible for something does not equal doing a good job at it. A candidate who failed to ensure everyone got paid on time could still have been 'responsible for' that task. They simply did not succeed at it.

4. Punctual

If a candidate lists punctual on their resume as a skill it could actually suggest they're often running late. The fact that they believe the basic necessity of being on time is a skill worth mentioning could be a red flag.

5. People person

Not only was this phrase annoying to begin with, it has now been used so often it has lost all meaning. Exceptional, proven communication skills can be a valuable asset, being a people person just implies they're not living in a cave.

ALSO READ: 2016’s most common resume mistakes

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