Business
Strange! These six magnificent words can easily ruin your employment chances and must be avoided on the CV
Job applicants make every effort to furnish and most times revamp their CV to give it the needed details that can possibly boost their chances for employment. They spend hours putting together a CV and cover letter in the hope of being considered for a dream job.

Most information on the CV can easily ruin employment chances
Ironically, most of the information on their CV can easily end up ruining their chances.
In line with the above, career coach and recruitment consultant Simon Bennett has warned job applicants to cut six buzzwords from their CV which could be ruining their chances at the first hurdle.
It’s often difficult to stand out from other applicants and grab the attention of the employer, so choosing the right strengths, examples and words is vital.
Simon warned that including common buzzwords in your CV could be ruining your chances of securing an interview.
According to him, many words are frequently overused and rarely backed up with concrete examples, and although many employers may be looking for positive traits, anyone can say they possess them.
Speaking further, Simon revealed to Seek that, “Candidates often include the words thinking they are enough to make them sound competent,” But employers want to see how you embody these traits.”
He advised job candidates to make effort and ensure that the following six words are avoided from their CV:
i. Loyal
ii. Energetic
iii. Punctual
iv. Motivated
v. Hardworking
vi. Team player
For Simon, giving examples of the traits instead are recommended. So, rather than simply stating you are a loyal employee, demonstrate it by saying how long you stayed at one company and why.
Job candidates should replace these buzzwords with ‘powerful action verbs’, such as ‘achieved’ and ‘managed’, giving examples which can be proved.
“These types of action verbs capture attention and excite the reader,” said Simon. “These words help to highlight your skills and abilities and demonstrate the success you have achieved in previous jobs.”
He said it will help the reader quickly get a grasp of your previous roles and responsibilities, adding: “This will add far more value than sprinkling overused buzzwords in your resume.”
-
Football5 days agoFrance confirms U-20 Women’s World Cup participation amid FIFA-UEFA rift
-
Business5 days agoNigeria’s external debt service falls 31.5% to $954m in Q1 2026
-
Football3 days agoWAFCON 2026: Super Falcons battle South Africa for World Cup play-off spot
-
Latest5 days agoMessi reportedly faced multiple bomb threats during 2026 World Cup
-
Business20 hours agoBigi, Fearless take campus engagement to new level, reach 20 tertiary institutions
-
Latest3 days agoOsun 2026: Oyinlola group backs Oyebamiji, faults Adeleke over exclusion
-
Featured5 days agoOsun Governorship Election: Adeleke faces tough test as APC, ADC mount challenge
-
Latest4 days agoNFF denies calling for Infantino’s resignation


