How would you handle conflicting feedback on the use of buzzwords in your resume?

When crafting your resume, you might encounter a common dilemma: conflicting advice about using buzzwords. These industry-specific terms or jargon can either be seen as a way to show insider knowledge or as fluff that obscures your true qualifications. Understanding how to sift through the feedback and when to use these terms can help you create a resume that effectively communicates your skills and experiences.

1 Balance Act

Striking a balance with buzzwords is crucial. While some hiring managers appreciate them for demonstrating your familiarity with the industry, others may find them to be cliché or empty. Your goal should be to use buzzwords judiciously, ensuring that each term adds value and clarity to your resume. Instead of packing your resume with trendy jargon, focus on terms that are relevant to the job description and that enhance your accomplishments.

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Yvonda Dangerfield

Expert Resume Writer and Career Coach
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When handling conflicting feedback on the use of buzzwords in your resume, it's important to carefully consider the source of the feedback. If it's coming from hiring managers or industry professionals, it's crucial to take their advice seriously and consider revising your resume to better align with their expectations. However, if the feedback is contradictory or coming from non-experts, it may be worthwhile to seek further clarification or to use your own judgment in deciding how to incorporate buzzwords into your resume. Ultimately, it's important to strike a balance, using relevant buzzwords to highlight your skills and experiences without overloading your resume with jargon.

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2 Context Matters

The context in which you use buzzwords can make all the difference. Rather than throwing them in haphazardly, integrate them into descriptions of your actual achievements and responsibilities. This approach showcases how you've applied industry concepts in real-world situations, providing substance behind the terminology. Remember, buzzwords should enhance your narrative, not replace detailed evidence of your capabilities.

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3 Seek Clarity

In the face of conflicting feedback, prioritize clarity. Buzzwords should never leave a hiring manager guessing what you mean. If a term doesn't add clear value or isn't widely understood within the industry, it's likely better to leave it out. Use plain language to describe your skills and achievements, reserving buzzwords for specific industry concepts that cannot be easily replaced with simpler language.

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4 Feedback Filter

Learning to filter feedback is a skill in itself. Gather opinions from a variety of sources—mentors, peers, and professionals within your target industry. Then, critically evaluate which pieces of advice align with your career goals and the norms of your industry. Remember that not all feedback will be equally useful, and it's your job to discern which recommendations will make your resume stronger.

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5 Adapt and Evolve

Your resume is not set in stone; it should evolve as you receive feedback and as industry trends change. Be willing to adapt the use of buzzwords based on the responses you get from potential employers. If you notice a pattern in feedback—whether positive or negative—consider making adjustments. This demonstrates your ability to take constructive criticism and your commitment to staying current within your field.

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6 Personal Brand

Finally, consider how buzzwords contribute to your personal brand. Your resume should reflect your professional identity, and the language you choose plays a significant role in this. Buzzwords can be a powerful tool for aligning yourself with the values and language of your desired industry, but they should be used in a way that feels authentic to who you are as a professional.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Kevin Bottino, CPRW, CERW, CIC, CVCS

US Air Force Veteran 🔹 Certified Professional Résumé Writer, Interview Coach, & Veteran Career Strategist 🔹 Specialized in Résumé Writing, Interview Prep, Career Coaching, & LinkedIn Optimization 🔹 200+ LI Reviews
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Place 10 recruiters, 10 hiring managers, and 10 resume writers in a room and ask what keywords should be in a resume and you'll receive 30 different responses. Since resumes are unregulated (meaning there is no government standard on what a resume should entail), many will speak to their experience when giving advice. We all have different experiences, so naturally, advice differs. Keywords can differ across professions, industries, and even companies. When developing your resume gather several job ads, analyze for keywords, and then include common keywords from the sample size into the resume. In doing so, you frontload the resume with ones you will likely see most often and can then easily adapt when targeting to a specific job ad.

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How would you handle conflicting feedback on the use of buzzwords in your resume?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Balance Act

2 Context Matters

3 Seek Clarity

4 Feedback Filter

5 Adapt and Evolve

6 Personal Brand

7 Here’s what else to consider

Resume Writing

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How would you handle conflicting feedback on the use of buzzwords in your resume?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Balance Act

2 Context Matters

3 Seek Clarity

4 Feedback Filter

5 Adapt and Evolve

6 Personal Brand

7 Here’s what else to consider

Resume Writing

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