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 timeworn piece of resume boilerplate to stand in for our own pithy,
personal examples.

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 Acme Dynamite, 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 PR manager who's gotten his employers covered by Yahoo!
and Time magazine

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 Acme Dynamite 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 midsize manufacturer 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. Watch employers respond! You can't afford to send out another lifeless, sounds-like-
everyone-else resume. Employers want the real you on the page. Try it!

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