10 Most Overused Words On LinkedIn Profiles

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For the third year in a row, the top ten most overused words on LinkedIn profiles have been announced. And, for the third year in a row, I’m not shocked to see all ten words break the basic rule of personal branding: stay objective.

Opinions Of Your Skills Don’t Belong On LinkedIn

The ten words, as seen on this infographic, are subjective. Meaning, if you use them, you are stating an opinion of yourself. Take a look:

1. Creative
2. Organizational
3. Effective
4. Motivated
5. Extensive Experience
6. Track record
7. Innovative
8. Responsible
9. Analytical
10. Problem solving

The problem with using these words is, while you think it’s okay to talk about yourself in this way, the reader of your profile gets the mistaken impression that you think you are, “all that and a bag of chips.”

Simple Test To Fix Your Profile

The solution is to test your profile and then take out any words that aren’t fact. Here’s how you test it: simply read each sentence on your profile and then ask yourself, “Says who?” to each one. If you can’t validate it within the sentence you are using it in, then it needs to go.

I used all ten of the words on LinkedIn’s list below to show you examples of how they get misused.

• I am an effective, motivated professional.
• I am creative with extensive experience.
• I have great analytical and organizational skills.
• I am responsible and innovative.
• I have a track record of problem solving.

For all of the above, you can’t help but think when you read them, “Geez. Don’t you think a lot of yourself?!” Or, as I mentioned above, the immediate reaction becomes, “Really? Says who?”

Solution: List Accomplishments

Once you edit your profile, go back through and insert accomplishments that prove what you were trying to say about yourself. These would be examples of better fits:

• I have a 10 year track-record of exceeding my employer’s performance review standards.
• I have created 20+ projects in X, resulting in $_M in new revenues.
• I have completed more than 100 business analysis projects that have saved my employers $__+ in the last 2 years.
• I have managed teams of 2-50 through 15+ complete project lifecycles.
• I have worked with over 400 customers to solve implementation issues that reduced client service calls by 50%.

Final Tip: Quantify To Qualify

Notice all of the above use numbers, percentages and statistics to prove the skill. This is the most compelling way to validate your experience. When it comes to LinkedIn, facts are always better than fiction!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

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24 Comments

1. 

   Quality Guru

   February 27, 2013 at 9:45 AM

   Hello colleagues:
   I read all of your comments and I have replied to several of them.

   Here is where Mr. T.J. O’Donnell is incorrect.
   It ISN’T THE WORDS YOU ARE USING but rather HOW YOU ARE USING THEM.
   Of course if you used these 10 traits without any justification, one may think “so what.”
   However, if you apply the S.A.R. technique in resume design and you interweave these 10 traits in it, you have presented a very compelling evidence.
   For those who may not be familiar with the SAR technique, it stands for:
   Situation-Action-Result.
   What Mr. O’Donnell should have done is the following:
   While people overuse these traits here is how you should use them.
   Well, I will do it not only for him but for everyone’s benefit.
   In the SAR approach, instead of referring to your work experience by enlisting each job you have held (I call that a backward looking resume) you state:
   Situation: When I first started with XYZ co. the inventory room was chaotic.
   Action: I applied ABC inventory method creatively, organized the entire department effectively and motivated my employees to take pride in keeping accurate inventory records.
   Result: We solved many of the problems ABC had previously in fulfilling clients’ orders, which kept our clients happy and made the company more profitable.
   As you probably noticed, I used: Creative, Organized, Effective, Motivated, and Problem Solving; Five out of his ten “most commonly overused words.”
   In conclusion, Dear Mr. O’Donnell, it is not the words you are using, but how you use them.
   A final comment: Mr. O’Donnell’s picture represents negativity, thumbs down? Why? Why would anyone try to motivate anybody negatively? Don’t we have enough negativity on the news and all around us?
   PS: You may find more on the subject I addressed above in my book “Career Success” by Professor Dr. John N. Kalaras, on Amazon.com.
   Best of luck to all of you,

   Reply
2. 

   Bernard Grobbelaar

   December 12, 2012 at 6:33 PM

   I highly disagree with the suggested rewording of a profile. When I see a profile righted as suggested, that’s when I go “ooh really, says who?”. I mean, how can you claim running projects realizing $20M. Wouldn’t that be done by a team? You may have been the lame duck on the team. Also, how would I ever be able to verify that information. No past employer in his/her right mind would accept a call from a higher manager and confirm that what is claimed is actually true. I believe your profile is should contain some subjective statements.

   Selling yourself in the way suggested makes it look like you are an Amway salesperson or dealing in second hand cars. It just doesn’t ever ring true with me.

   Reply
   • 

     Gregory Krasichynsky

     December 13, 2012 at 1:17 PM

     Hard numbers work well – whether we like it or not, metrics have become the expedient way to compare (fairly or unfairly) qualifications or at least the ability to describe qualifications. Recruiters and HR professionals will not look more deeply into qualifications if their resume does not stand out – we just do not have the time.

     When I have hired over the years, merely reading that the applicant =knows= which KPIs matter (and why) tells me that there is a baseline of understanding to build on. Team effort or not, that understanding is more valuable to me than proportion of contribution as indicated on a pie chart.

     What I take from this article is that while it may be metrics, it might also be something else that attracts an employer – but that an applicants odds are reduced if their claimed achievements are vaguely described and completely unmeasured, and also if they overstate their value. False modesty is not required, but false bluster is certainly to be avoided.

     In the end, avoiding the use of trite, hackneyed phrases and words has been important to me – I begin to skim lightly or even just 86 the CV the moment I see the words dynamic, proactive, or creative. Their use expresses a lack of originality and creativity. They’re not poison, but if those adjectives are the heart of the content – for me, there is nothing there. (Qualifier: if the applicant is over 21. I blame business school profs for inculcating young graduates with the buzz speak of the professors’ generation.)

     Reply
   • 

     Quality Guru

     February 27, 2013 at 9:10 AM

     Excellent comments Bernard,
     Please read my comments to the orif=ginal article, below.
     Thank you,

     Reply
3. 

   Ole Hansen

   December 6, 2012 at 2:37 AM

   These words are suggested by LinkedIn! :-/

   Reply
4. 

   Chris

   December 5, 2012 at 11:30 PM

   A rose by any other name is still a rose. If one has the integrity of character to claim certain attributes and as long as those claims are true, then it makes little difference to me how one would explain their talents in words. I am not a well educated man however I fail to see the point.

   No offence meant.

   Kind regards,

   Chris.

   Reply
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     Quality Guru

     February 27, 2013 at 9:12 AM

     You are rigth Chris,
     Please read my comments below.
     Thank you,

     Reply
5. 

   Jaime

   December 5, 2012 at 9:05 PM

   As someone who has spent a lot of time browsing LinkedIn profiles as part of recruiting for open roles, I’d say that actual experience always outweighs any “filler” words (whether they are overused or not). Your past experience & skills are going to be what gets you the interview. During the interview is when I look for the less tangible qualities such as “hard working” or “responsible” and I will ask for lots of examples to determine this. I don’t think saying any of these things on your LinkedIn will necessary “hurt” you but I think it distracts from what recruiters are actually looking for, which are your tangible skills and past experiences.

   Reply
   • 

     Chris

     December 6, 2012 at 7:54 PM

     Tangible skills and past experience! The only way to actually prove these claims would be to see them in action.
     How does one recruit a person except by what they claim they can do, or/and what they have done in the past. You can only take their word for any claims and bear out any experience with previous employers. I don’t see any other way around it. A tangible skill is something seen in action. Experience is something witnessed by the person and others. I take my hat off to you though, you have a difficult job. One I don’t believe I could effectively carry out. I would always be wondering if I sent the right person to the right job. That of course is the nature of the beast, you surely would have to go by what is written by the applicant and what they claim to have done. A few years ago I saw several men building small brick walls at a building site. The walls were inspected and then some of them were kicked over. I ask one of the onlookers what was happening and was informed that, there were two bricklaying positions available for which a dozen or so applicants turned up for. The supervisor found the two applicants he was looking for by the workmanship in one metre high walls. Now that’s tangible proof but impossible for you yourself to do for obvious various reasons. Please excuse my grammar and lack of punctuation. I went to thirteen schools and was never taught the art and I am now retired and honestly don’t want to learn. I spend my time oil painting.
     Kind regards, Chris.

     Reply
     • 

       Chris

       December 6, 2012 at 8:07 PM

       I have just read my reply to you (again) I read it several times before posting it. Reading it now sounds arrogant, especially the last sentence. This was not my intention and I apologise unreservedly for any offence I may have caused you or others reading this post.
       Kind regards,
       Chris

       Reply
       • 

         Jaime

         December 6, 2012 at 11:47 PM

         Not a problem! Didn’t take offense. You’re right that recruiting is very subjective – all you can do is do the best you can – and learn from the times you’ve assessed wrong. Not a perfect science at all!

         Reply
         • 

           Chris

           December 8, 2012 at 4:30 AM

           Hi, Jamie. I appreciate what you are saying and agree with you. Thank you for your kind comments.

           Kind regards,

           Chris

           P.S. I hope you and yours have a wonderful peaceful Christmas.
   • 

     Quality Guru

     February 27, 2013 at 9:17 AM

     Hello Jamie:
     You are correct;
     After all what is the purpose of a resume?
     To trigger the reader’s interest to contactt the candidate.
     As you very well said, during the interview you will substantiate these traits.
     Very well said, Jamie!
     PS: As an author of a college text that’s on Amazon.com, and a university professor, I shall reply to the main article after I read some more comments. Please read below….

     Reply
6. 

   Anthony S.

   December 5, 2012 at 8:36 PM

   I completely disagree with your suggestions J.T. Employers don’t buy the steak, they buy the sizzle. The phrases you are suggesting are rather generic. They would cause the resume of an otherwise qualified candidate to be overlooked. This would especially be evident in a sales oriented job. Employers want confident individuals, not robots. Please consider this before putting out another article, as I believe you should go back to the drawing board.

   Regards,

   Anthony

   Reply
   • 

     Chris

     December 6, 2012 at 8:01 PM

     Anthony. I find your comment quite abrasive and uncalled for. This is a forum to discuss views the way we see it. By all means have your two penny’s worth but there is no need to be rude in doing so.
     The people writing here are of all ages and experience. Could you be a little more helpful. Many thanks.
     Regards,
     Chris

     Reply
7. 

   Objective v.s. Subjective

   December 5, 2012 at 12:08 PM

   I totally agree with this article.

   However, with all due respects, please do not “preach” about being objective when most (if not all) of your articles are subjective (by “your” I mean “J.T. O’Donnell’s”).

   PS: once again, I totally agree with everything in this article, however if the word “stay objective” were not here, I wouldn’t have made a comment exceeding my initial statement (“I totally agree with this article”).

   Reply
8. 

   Ave Smith

   December 5, 2012 at 11:54 AM

   I am with Chris, I understand that some might consider those who use them to have inflated egos, but I believe if the endorsements match up well, then it gives them more validity. I also believe that people want to work with confident people, and it doesn’t take very long to know if someone is cretive, responsible or analytical. It boils down to integrity, and if someone is willing to talk the talk, then they should be ready to walk the walk.

   My two cents,

   Ave

   Reply
   • 

     Chris

     December 6, 2012 at 12:03 AM

     I totally agree with this comment which is worded far better than the piece that I posted.

     I was always taught that “integrity is what you do when no one is looking” I love this quote and live my life by it. If I were to claim a particular attribute then it has to be true and correct. Those that claim to be what they are not will come undone eventually. As the original writer stated ” a workmate copied exactly what I had written and had to re-write my copy” (not exact wording) the problem as far as I see it lays on the shoulders of your work mate. Personally I would have left my own copy untouched as it was the truth as you believed it to be. The person who plagerized your copy will have the eventual problem of explaining their embellishments. Kind regards Chris.

     Reply
     • 

       Angela

       December 6, 2012 at 6:05 PM

       Chris,

       Thank you for the great quote you posted. You are absolutely right. What is done is usually brought to light. I appreciate your comments. I also agree with your question on how do we sell ourselves if all the(recommended)key words are deleted. I had a career coach tell me to add as much of these key words as possible along with your accomplishments. There is conflicting information out there on how to properly set up a LinkedIn profile. My friends and I have discussed this very topic and it comes down to what each individual believes is the right way to sell yourself.

       Reply
   • 

     John

     December 13, 2012 at 8:58 AM

     As a recruiter, I don’t usually get hung up on which words are used. I look for experience(vs the requirements of the position), longevity in positions and attention to detail of the resume.

     Speaking and meeting with the candidate will either make what was stated on the resume ring true or not.

     Also with all the advice posted on the Internet(regarding job searching,etc) mediocre candidates on paper may seem like rock stars.

     Asking questions for specific examples and detailed experiences of the candidate in my opinion helps me find the right candidate.

     Reply
9. 

   Angela

   December 5, 2012 at 10:50 AM

   I do agree with providing accomplishments to show what you can do. The down side is I had a co-worker copy all of my LinkedIn accomplishments word for word. Now I have to go in and re-do my LinkedIn information. That is frustrating since I took the time to figure out how to word my accomplishments.

   Angela

   Reply
10. 

    Chris

    December 5, 2012 at 6:44 AM

    Hi. Although I agree in part with your comments it leaves me with the question. How do we sell ourselves if we delete all of your recommendations?

    Kind regards,

    Chris.

    Reply
    • 

      Objective v.s. Subjective

      December 5, 2012 at 12:13 PM

      Hi Chris, what is meant is you must sell yourself by showing results which implies you have those skills instead of only “claiming” you have those skills. For example (as mentioned by J.T. O’Donnell in this article): Instead of saying, “I have a track record of problem solving,” it’s recommended to say, “I have worked with over 400 customers to solve implementation issues that reduced client service calls by 50%.”

      Reply
    • 

      Objective v.s. Subjective

      December 5, 2012 at 12:18 PM

      More examples may also be found by reading this article on CAREEREALISM, written last year by Laura Smith-Proulx.

      Reply