Best and Worst Buzzwords for Your Resume

Best and Worst Buzzwords for Your ResumeBest and Worst Buzzwords for Your ResumeResumes dont necessarily have to be just one page long anymore, but that real estate is precious, no matter what. Recruiters and hiring managers see right through a resume crowded with meaningless words. For one thing, the hiring manager probably wont read them. Studies show that recruiters and HR folks spend as little as six seconds reviewing resumes before they move them to the yes pile- or toss them in the trash. To make it to yes, you need to choose resume buzzwords that count. The best buzzwords describe your abilities, match them up with the job qualifications, and show that youre a better fit for the position than the other candidates. Bad resume buzzwords, on the other hand, waste everyones time and dramatically reduce your new job prospects. The following list can give you a good start by showing you what words to stay away from. Avoid These Overused Buzzwords Every year, the professional job networking site LinkedIn releases a list of the most overused buzzwords on its network. The latest list includes SpecializeExperiencedSkilledLeadershipPassionateExpertMotivatedCreativeStrategicFocused What do all these words have in common? Well, ironically, theyre far from specialized or focused, and theyre leid very creative. LinkedIn asked best-selling biographer Christopher Sandford for his take on the list last year he pointed out that using these common words is easier and less daunting than getting creative, and those job seekers may even feel that using similar words others in their field conveys a sense of association and belonging. Unfortunately though, if everyone does something, its no longer special. That doesnt necessarily mean that using any of these words is the kiss of death for your resume. Its just a reminder to question your word choices. Are you selecting that word because it best describes what you did- or because you think it sounds impressive? In the end, yo ur accomplishments and talents are what will impress the hiring manager, not 50-cent words. A better approach? Focus on telling the story, not dressing it up. What can you do for the organization? What can you do better than anyone else? How does your previous experience reflect that? Answer these questions in direct language, and then you can move on to finding the buzzwords that help you sell it. plattl the Right Resume Keywords Some of the best buzzwords arent trendy, and you dont need to look far to find them. Since they are resume keywords, you can grab em right from the job listing, choosing the ones that match your qualifications to the activities and requirements that stand out in the ad. Look for keywords related to the skills, qualities, and credentials sought by the hiring manager. Then, go beyond the job listing to search for related terms the employer may have inadvertently left out. (An easy way to do this is to look at other job listings for the same title.) Then, match that list with your skills. Finally, review these lists of soft and hard skills that might apply to the job/industry. In the end, youll wind up with a fairly comprehensive list of keywords that relate to the job and your suitability for it. Including these words in your resume increases the chances that your resume will make it through the Applicant Tracking System(ATS) and be read by a human being. Look for Action Words That Sell Your Skills Once youve made your lists of keywords from the listing, industry terms, and skills, its time to use them all in a sentence. Action words can help you do that in an active, compelling way, describing your accomplishments succinctly and effectively. Sample action words include AchievedBudgetedCompiledDecidedExercisedFacilitatedGuidedHiredImprovedJudgedLaunchedMerchandisedNegotiatedOrganizedPresentedQueriedResolvedSupervisedTrainedUpgradedValidatedWon You can find a full list of additional words to enhance your cover letter and resume here. Finally, if youre looking for power words that go beyond skills, buzzwords, and action words, this list of power words might help you put the feinschliff touches on your resume. Just remember that while buzzwords will help you get past the first review filter and show the hiring manager that you have it what it takes, the way you tell the story of your career and your candidacy is what will make all the difference. Focus your resume, abilities, and interview around how you can help solve the companys problems, further its goals, and move to the next level, and youll have the best chance at landing the interview and the job.

Study This happens to couples after being married for 35 years

Study This happens to couples after being married for 35 yearsStudy This happens to couples after being married for 35 yearsA new UC Berkeley study examined videotaped conversations between a large sample of middle-aged and older husbands and wives who had been married for 15 to 35 years. Over the course of 13 years, researchers tracked the emotional interactions of the study group finding that couples who were married for longer than 35 years began to grow more and more benevolenttoward each other, as differences became more likely to be a source of humor as opposed to conflict.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreFostering appreciationThe study sample of over 150 long-term marriages, the majority of which are now in their 70s, 80s and 90s, are all heterosexual couples from the San Francisco Bay Area. The studys lead author, a UC Berkeley psychology professor by the name of Robert L evenson, and a team of researchers would review 15 minute interactions between the participants in a laboratory setting while the couples discussed shared experiences and conflicts.Every few years Levenson and his fellow researchers coded and rated speaking behaviors via the participants facial expressions, body language, verbal content, and tone of voice. These emotions were then segmented into the categories of anger, contempt, disgust, domineering behavior, defensiveness, fear, tension, sadness, whining, interest, affection, humor, enthusiasm, and validation.The research published in the journal Emotionnot only cited an increase in positive behaviors expressed between seasoned couples beginning at middle age, such as humor and affection, the authorsadditionally saw decreases in negative behaviors such as defensiveness and criticism.Our findings shed light on one of the great paradoxes of late life, observed Levenson. Despite experiencing the loss of friends and family, older peop le in stable marriages are relatively happy and experience low rates of depression and anxiety. Marriage has been good for their mental health.Women were generallyfound to be more emotionally expressive than male participants, though wives shifted toward more assertive, domineering behavior as they got older. Even still, across all ages, and gender cohorts analyzed in the study, negative conduct consistently decreased with age.These results provide behavioral evidence that is consistent with research suggesting that, as we age, we become more focused on the positives in our lives, Verstaen said.Jeff and Satoko Davidson were one of the couples observed in the recent study. On the success behind their nearly 50 year-long marriage, Jeff says he doesnt simply tolerate his marriage, he appreciates it. While recalling the stressful pressures applied to both he and his wife over the years, Jeff found that humor frequently pulled them through. Satoko adds, as a piece of advice to aspiring c ouples, If you work together, you can generally get through most situations.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Fight the 3 Biggest Workplace Stressors

How to Fight the 3 Biggest Workplace StressorsHow to Fight the 3 Biggest Workplace StressorsWhen you think about stress, what images come to mind? Spending Sunday night dreading the upcoming work week?Getting caught in backed-up traffic, making you late for an appointment? Having a mound of work on your desk and only two hours to get it all done? If were being honest, we probably need a little stress in our lives, or wed never get anything done. Just think Deadlines usually arent relaxing- but they sure keep us on track when it comes to producing deliverables on time. But not all stressors are good. Stressors that push you into the emotional danger zone can wreak havoc on both your mental well-being and your performance on the job. Living with a sustained level of stress can even hurt you physically, adversely impacting your heart, immune system, and other vital body functions. The worst stressors show up in three common situations. Lets look at what they are, how you can identify th em, and what you can do to diffuse their power.1. You Dont Have the Resources to Meet the Expectations Placed on YouA common definition of stress, attributed to Richard S. Lazarus, is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.You know how this one goes. For many it shows up as, I dont have enough time to get everything done, or my workload is too big. Thats pretty much the workplace version of demands exceeding resources, wouldnt you say? The first step in addressing this kind of resource gap is to realize you have one- then, get crystal clear on your priorities. If you arent sure which of your tasks take priority, then everything on your plate becomes one. And if you think everything on your plate is one big priority, you will always feel stressed because you cant possibly get it all done. If you arent able to determine what takes precedence by examining your workload, ask your manager to clarify. Negotiate with him or her if the load seems unrealistic. Then, with the limited time available each day, make sure your attention, energy, and activity are devoted to those key actions. This could mean spending less time checking email, scrolling through Facebook, or sitting in unproductive meetings, and instead, choosing to make good time and energy management decisions. Im not saying its simple or painless- but if you anticipate where this stress is coming from and take steps to correct it, youll make your life much easier2. You Dont Have Control Over Your SituationYour boss is kind and considerate one day unpredictable and mercurial the next. Or, traffic is backed up for miles, and no matter what you do, youre going to miss the big client meeting. Impact on you? Major stress. Unfortunately, you cant have control over some situations life throws at you. (Other peoples behavior. Traffic. People who chew loudly.) This can easily lead you to assume a victim menta lity and departure thinking irrationally. But dwelling on thoughts like my boss is out to get me or nothing is ever going to go right again, wont do much to help the situation- or your stress level. When you dont have control over a stressful situation, the secret is to shift your focus to what you can control. And believe it or not, there is always something you can control, like what you choose to think or what action you choose to take. For example, if your boss is unruly, you can choose to step away and remember that his behavior is not about you its about him. If youre bound to miss the client meeting due to traffic, you can hatch a quick backup plan, advise your teammates of your status, pull off the road, and check in by phone. You can always choose your response to a situation, even if you cant control the situation itself. Along similar lines3. You Dont Have a Choice in Your SituationI hear this one frequently- particularly from women who are the breadwinners of their house holds. They feel like they dont have a choice in their situation, and the stress that results from that comes out in the comments they make. Its all on my shoulders. I dont have a choice. I cant quit my job.I cant take any risks.Im trapped.Often, this issue stems from the fact that the women didnt intentionally choose to be the completely financially responsible for their households, it just sort of happened- and now, they dont see any way to change it. But when faced with any situation that makes you feel like you dont have a choice- and subsequently stresses you out- your best defense strategy is to recognize the reality You do have choice. If you hate your job, you can quit. There are consequences that come with that choice that might not be desirable to you- but you can choose it. So, rather than thinking I dont have a choice, shift your mindset to, I choose to stay in this role because its less painful than the other option, which would be to quit and no longer be able to pay t he mortgage. In the future, I might choose a different path. But for now, this is my choice.Can you see the different energy that comes from the latter statements? Can you see how articulating what your choice is- even if its not one you will make- can mitigate such a stressful situation? When you think you have no choice, look around and recognize your options, consider what the impact would be if you chose one of them, and then reframe your thinking.Theres no doubt that threatening situations stress us out. When we feel like were not going to succeed or when we feel like we dont have control or choice, its easy to feel overwhelmed. But next time you face a stressful situation, I urge you to focus on the action you can take. I promise, little by little, youll get your power back. Not to mention your sanity.Photo of pencil breaking courtesy of Shutterstock.