As a former Oxford English Dictionary editor, you know words inside and out. Are there certain words that call attention to a resume or cover letter?
I wish there were magic words that’d be guaranteed to work, but unfortunately you have to use words as tools to show that you’ve got the right qualifications.
What words do the trick?
There are a couple ways to show you’re qualified. One is to show that you understand the jargon of an industry. People say jargon is a bad thing, but it’s really a shortcut vocabulary professionals use to understand one another.
Can’t you overdo it?
Yes. Avoid lofty sounding words that don’t mean anything — synergy, impactful. It’s always better to go with short, direct words.
Why are words like synergy so bad?
Because they’re vague. If you’re talking about how you promoted synergy in an organization, that could mean you just got everybody together for donuts twice a week.
Words-wise, what should you worry about in a job interview?
A lot of people make the mistake of trying to use long or important-sounding words. That opens up a lot of pitfalls. Being clear and focusing on the story you’re trying to tell, more than trying to hit particular words, is the best thing to do.