Write a Better Resume for the Tech Savvy

In my hiring role for a software development company I see some of the worst examples of resume writing possible. The worst resumes I see fall into two large classes: those that string abbreviations and acronyms together in unreadable text and earn my immediate disapproval and the others that use boilerplate templates and outdated clichés like "self-motivated individual" and "results-oriented professional.”

You can't afford to send out another lifeless, sounds-like-everyone-else resume. What’s urgent is that you communicate to the hiring managers how you solve problems on-the-fly or leap over tall buildings in a single bound.

Here are ten of the deadliest resume phrases in use ("massive overuse" would be more accurate) and replacements for each one. You'll rewrite the replacement phrases to reflect your own accomplishments--and that's the key! We can't expect a worn out piece of resume boilerplate to stand in for our own pithy, personal examples and relevant experience.

Kill this: Results-oriented professional
Replace with your own version of this: I love to solve thorny supply-chain problems

Kill this: Excellent team player
Replace with your own version of this: At Dynamite Software, I partnered with Engineering to cut our product cost in half

Kill this: Bottom-line orientation
Replace with your own version of this: My accounting-process overhaul saved the company $10M in its first year

Kill this: Superior communication skills
Replace with your own version of this: I led a two-day offsite that yielded our 2010 product lineup and a $40K cost savings

Kill this: Possess organizational skills
Replace with your own version of this: Reduced customer-complaint resolution time from three weeks to one by revamping the process

Kill this: Savvy business professional
Replace with your own version of this: I'm a Marketing manager who's gotten the CEO’s book covered in trade journal

Kill this: Strong work ethic
Replace with your own version of this: I taught myself HTML over a weekend in order to grab a marketing opportunity

Kill this: Meets or exceeds expectations
Replace with your own version of this: Invited to join our executive staff at a strategy summit during my first year at the company

Kill this: Strong presentation skills
Replace with your own version of this: Was recruited to join Dynamite Software after my boss heard me speak at a conference

Kill this: Seeking a challenging opportunity
Replace with your own version of this: I'm looking for a software development company primed to grow its business in the Pacific Rim.

Get the boilerplate lead out of your resume today, and replace it with concrete, visual stories that bring your power to life. Trust me on this one: employers want the real you on the page.