What are the best ways to avoid using buzzwords or jargon in your resume?

Ensure that your document is clear, concise and accessible to a broad audience. The goal is to communicate your skills and experiences effectively, so focus on clarity and specificity. Tailoring your language to your audience and providing tangible examples of your accomplishments will make your resume stand out without relying on buzzwords or jargon. Opt for straightforward and clear language. Avoid using terms that might be industry-specific and not universally understood. Replace complex terms with simpler, more widely understood alternatives Use specific keywords related to your skills and experiences without relying on vague industry buzzwords. If you're in a technical field, simplify technical terms without sacrificing accuracy.

Buzzwords are often used to impress employers. But, frankly, they hate words that could easily fit as a keyword in your resume without any weight at all. Let's say you mentioned hardworker as a soft skill. As much as it is a good word to use, employers can skip just by believing you aren't. Why? Because there's hardly any proof. Instead of saying you are a "hard worker," describe a specific time when you worked hard to achieve a goal. For instance, you could say, "Increased website traffic by 38% in six months by implementing a brand new SEO strategy." That right there is evidence. And, evidence matters.

The most important point, and usually the most overlooked one is to read the job description properly. The first step is screening (a thing big corporates don't handle manually). You'll be eliminated in the first round itself if you don't match with words they specifically want you for. Use keywords from the job description throughout your resume. This will help your resume get noticed by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Does it read "content creator"? Learn if they have mentioned SEO copywriting. Write it somewhere relevant. Use specific examples to show your experience. This will help employers understand how you have used your skills in the past to achieve results.

Most of the companies have ATS systems. So it is wise to avoid acronyms to make your resume more readable. for example: Managed a project with 20 team members using AGILE methodology Revised: Managed a project with 20 team members using AGILE project management methodology.