As a companion piece to my “Top 10 Grammar and Spelling Errors from 2010” I’d like to share with you LinkedIn’s list of overused buzzwords in year 2010 LinkedIn profiles.  Is it even possible to avoid using these popular words?  What a challenge for a LinkedIn profile writer!

Sometimes words are overused because they work.  It’s an ongoing challenge to stay ahead of the curve, and to stay grounded enough in accomplishments and concrete facts that even if these buzzwords appear, they do not come across as trite or cliche.

The most overused words varied by country.  Here’s the list in the United States:

  1. Extensive experience
  2. Innovative
  3. Motivated
  4. Results-oriented
  5. Dynamic
  6. Proven track record
  7. Team player
  8. Fast-paced
  9. Problem solver
  10. Entrepreneurial

I challenge you to spot these words in your profile and find other ways to describe yourself and your accomplishments.  And I promise if we work together on your LinkedIn profile, we will find ways to avoid using most if not all of these words.  What a great way to make your profile stand out!

Did you make changes to your profile based on this tip?  How did your writing transform?  Please share in the comments section!

2 Comments

  1. Oh no. Oh no no no! No the marketer speak, anything but that!

    Seriously, that is ONE thing I have avoided like the plague. If I see someone use “synergistic” one more time I’m going to blow an artery. I have found that clients don’t care one bit out how well your profile conveys your knowledge of marketing jargon. Once connected and communicating, they want to talk in terms that are easily understood and as casual as possible. They want a human being, not a marketing machine.

    If anything, I’d suggest people simply lighten up and put more of themselves into their profile rather than worry about how they can “jazz” it up. You CAN be professional and candid at the same time.

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