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Writer's pictureDiane Wilkinson

Phrases to Stop Using in Your Job Search




Are you guilty of the worst offenders in job search?

  1. Speaking in 3rd Person Diane cannot help but eye roll when candidates refer to themselves in 3rd person. This always sounds awkward and often switches back and forth between 1st and 3rd, which makes no sense. This never sounds good. There is no common 3rd party entity that writes about how great people are so the reader is imagining the candidate speaking in 3rd person in everyday life, which is just creepy.

  2. “Again…” or “Like I said”? These phrases sound as though the listener is being accused of not listening, not comprehending, or being redundant and forcing the speaker to repeat themselves. It comes across as irritation or arrogance.

  3. “literally” This is one of the most improperly and over-used words out there. This should only be used in a situation where the opposite figurative meaning is possible and it should never be over-used. I listened to someone explain that their daughter “literally got a pony…” and my immediate question was around the meaning of figurative ponies.

  4. “To be honest…” This would imply that statements lacking this phrase are not honest either entirely or in part.

  5. “I could care less” The term is “I couldn’t care less” and is meant to express that the person does not care to the degree that there is no lower level of care in existence. As is, the phrase is vague and leaves the listener wondering just how much the speaker cares as it could be anywhere on the spectrum from very much to almost not at all.

  6. “quote-unquote” The term is often misused and overused. It should only be used to express subjects with dual meanings or to convey skepticism.

  7. “For all intensive purposes” The correct term is “for all intents and purposes,” but quite often changed to focus on intense situations.

  8. “Each one worse than the next” Please do not use this in a job interview unless you are describing your ability to see into the future or knowledge of time travel.

  9. “…giving leadway” “Leeway” would indicate space or freedom. “Leadway” is not a word.

  10. “Irregardless” “Regardless” means without regard. “Irregardless” does not exist.

  11. “Doing a 360” “Doing a 180” would indicate a polar change resulting in the opposite of the location at the start, while “doing a 360” would put you back in exactly the same place you began.


More Words that are not words

Sorta

Kinda

Ain’t

Conversating

Should of

Buzzwords that incite eyerolling everytime

Low-hanging fruit

Think outside the box

…not in my wheelhouse

Ping me

I don’t have the bandwidth

Take it to the next level

Drill-down

Take this offline


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