10 Brand-Diluting Phrases That Weaken Your LinkedIn Profile - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

10 Brand-Diluting Phrases That Weaken Your Profile Many of us resist change. Wed like some things to work the same way forever. Its so much easier than having to learn new ways of doing things. If youre in an executive job search for the first time in, say, 5 years or so, youve found that it  doesnt work the same way as the last time you looked for a job. If youre wise, youve learned about and embraced the new ways. Several years ago, workplace and career expert Liz Ryan wrote an article listing these 10 boilerplate phrases that kill resumes: Results-oriented professional Cross-functional teams More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience Superior (or excellent) communication skills Strong work ethic Met or exceeded expectations Proven track record of success Works well with all levels of staff Team player Bottom-line orientation These are time-worn phrases that have been overused across executives career marketing materials for more than a decade. Nearly five years after she wrote the article, the same hackneyed phrases are still being circulated in hefty doses. Other  vague, overused, and ineffectual  phrases include: Responsible for . . . Demonstrated success at . . . Proven abilities in . . . Forward-thinking Team Leader When I first started writing career marketing materials for job seekers, the phrases above were new and little-used, so they  DID help to make executive job seekers stand out . . . but that was about 20 years ago. Whats wrong with using these phrases in your profile? Two things: Non-specific, anemic phrases waste precious space and dont help define the unique value you offer. Differentiation (not sameness) positions you to land. The right relevant keywords (not fluff)  need to be in the right places in your profile if you want to be found by recruiters and hiring decision makers. Especially in todays competitive executive job market, your personal marketing materials (online profiles, resume, biography, and other career documents and web pages) need to differentiate you, generate chemistry and precisely distinguish the value you offer your target employers over others competing for the same jobs. Using the same anemic phrases, and sounding like everyone else, wont pique interest, and reinforce your brand and good-fit for those employers. Let the people youre trying to attract know specifically how youll positively impact their organization. Do the back-end personal branding work to help you clearly define what makes you unique and valuable, and come up with differentiating words and phrases to showcase your value. Pay special attention to how you brand your professional headline and summary section. Dont waste valuable real estate by using any of the anemic phrases above in your headline. Recruiters and hiring decision makers wont search results-oriented executive to find candidates like you. They search using relevant keywords and phrases. Make your headline SEO-friendly by including the right relevant keywords. Related posts: Social Recruiting and Your Executive Job Search Guide for Personal Branding and Executive Job Search How to Get Your Personal Brand Into Your Profile photo by Pink Sherbet Photography 00 0