Top 99+ Resume Buzzwords to Use in 2024 [& Clichés to Avoid]

Resume buzzwords are an essential part of resume writing—a balancing act where you’re constantly juggling various details while trying to make a compelling case about what makes you the best person for the job.

To make all the information about your skills and experiences stand out, you want to leverage these buzzwords and, well, generate buzz with your document.

In this article, we’ll explore the complexities of resume buzzwords, explain why it’s important to use them, and show you what some of the best ones are. Additionally, you’ll find out how not to fall into the trap of sounding cliché. Let’s dive in!

What Are Resume Buzzwords?

Resume buzzwords are strategic terms and phrases you can use to significantly increase the impact your writing has on recruiters and hiring managers. They are designed to capture the reader’s attention and make your resume more memorable.

Buzzwords can take many shapes in your resume. They can help you pass the ATS scan as keywords, take the form of action verbs to emphasize your accomplishments, help you highlight industry knowledge through specific terminology, and more.

By using them, you’re transforming your resume into a personal marketing tool. That way, it will optimally convey all the relevant information about skills and qualifications while simultaneously leaving a lasting good impression on recruiters.

Resume Buzzwords vs. Resume Clichés

There is a significant difference between resume buzzwords and clichés. While the former improves your writing and makes it more impressive, the latter has the opposite effect.

Resume clichés are overused terms that recruiters are tired of, and incorporating them into your document can be detrimental to your success.

Some of the most notable examples of resume clichés include:

All of these are bland statements, and you’re better off providing specific examples of your actions than merely stating that you’re a “hard worker.”

Why is It Important to Use Resume Buzzwords?

Resume buzzwords help you stand out in the crowd of other candidates. However, their benefits extend beyond their attention-grabbing aspect.

Some of the key reasons why you should use resume buzzwords are because they:

99+ Top-Notch Resume Buzzwords to Use

To avoid sounding cliché, you need to know exactly what resume buzzwords to use. Additionally, you don’t want them to sound vague but be a reinforcement of your experience and expertise.

Lastly, but most importantly, the right buzzwords will help your resume pass the screening portion of the hiring process.

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the top-notch resume buzzwords you could use.

#1. Leadership

If you’re aiming for a C-suite position, your self-presentation could use some resume buzzwords for leadership skills.

These are mostly action verbs and will help you come across as leadership material in your interview, so make sure to include some of the following ones in your resume:

#2. Communication with Colleagues

Good communication with colleagues is an important asset to have when joining a team, and these are the perfect buzzwords to emphasize skills relevant to a good communicator:

#3. Task/Project Management

If you’re applying for a project manager role, you need some project manager resume buzzwords that will make you stand out from the fierce competition.

First off, they can structure your resume by topic of discussion. Next, and more importantly, they can help you showcase your knowledge of the position and your expertise.

To accomplish both, you need to know where to insert which buzzword. That is why we’ve categorized them into three groups: resume buzzwords you can use for skills, tools, and concepts.

#4. Teamwork

Since the phrase “team player” is one of the washed-up, has-been resume buzzwords to avoid, you need powerful tags that will accentuate your team spirit and teamwork skills.

These action verbs will accomplish just that:

#5. Creativity & Brainstorming

Creativity is a highly important asset, but stating that you’re creative sounds rather vague. That’s why we offer innovation and brainstorm buzzwords to accentuate your creative thinking skills.

#6. Research

If the job you’re aiming for requires solid research skills, these are the buzzwords that will help them shine:

#7. Achievements & Improvement

Important achievements and professional improvements should have their own spot in your resume. To draw attention to them, you should use the right buzzwords so they align with the description of the job you have your eye on. Here are some of them:

#8. Proficiency

While it may seem too basic, one of the buzzwords for proficiency is “proficient.” Well, in some cases, simplicity is key. In that spirit, let us offer a few effortless ways to accentuate your proficiency. You can use them to highlight your language or computer skills, as well as industry-specific ones.

4 Examples of How to Use Resume Buzzwords in Your Resume

Having the right resume buzzwords is wasted potential if you don’t use them the right way. Many adjectives or action verbs in a row can be tiresome to read. Additionally, if you use too many buzzwords, you’re not accentuating anything, which is defying the very point of buzzwords.

Your selection and placement of buzzwords throughout your resume should also depend on the section. Therefore, we’ll categorize examples of how to use resume buzzwords in your resume by sections and highlight the differences between good and bad examples.

#1. Resume Buzzwords in the Summary

The summary section of your resume is a brief introduction, so you need to use it wisely. Using the wrong buzzwords or having a lack thereof can make an experienced candidate appear underqualified.

The difference between these two is clear. The first candidate is tech-savvy, proficient, and keen on assisting the team and facilitating communication. Moreover, they have experience in increasing team productivity to back up those claims.

Meanwhile, the other candidate has all the qualifications, but their resume won’t stand out. Additionally, their delivery is dry, making them seem less enthusiastic about the job.

#2. Resume Buzzwords in the Education Section

If you want to accentuate your academic accomplishments and milestones, you should sprinkle the education section of your resume with the right buzzwords.

However, you need to be careful to avoid sounding too vague. Take a look at the table below to see how this should and shouldn’t be done:

As you can see, the person on the right (and in the wrong) is vague about their achievements and has only two buzzwords, while the one on the left has managed to include four without overstuffing their resume.

#3. Resume Buzzwords in the Professional Experience Section

The professional experience section is where you want to highlight your technical skills, industry-related knowledge, and work experience relevant to the job in question.

As always, there are right and wrong ways to do it—take a look:

This comparison once again shows how four buzzwords in one sentence aren’t too much if you use them correctly. It’s also another example demonstrating that vagueness isn’t your friend when it comes to crafting your resume.

#4. Resume Buzzwords in Other Resume Sections

Other resume sections can involve your volunteer work and personal statements and projects. You can present your achievements in those areas as impressive or ordinary.

4 Valuable Tips for Incorporating Resume Buzzwords

For final touch-ups on your resume, we offer a few valuable tips for incorporating buzzwords. Whatever the job you’re applying for may be, following these simple guidelines will bring you closer to your goal.

#1. Analyze the Job Post

The job post itself may include some buzzwords that will enhance your resume. Analyze it to determine what skills the employer is looking for and how to make them stand out in your resume and cover letter by mimicking the keywords used in the ad.

#2. Research the Company

In your summary section, you should emphasize your values and expertise. Researching the company will offer insight into how they envision their perfect candidate. You can then use your newfound knowledge to present yourself as such by tailoring your resume to include the right buzzwords.

#3. Include Industry-Related Keywords

Whichever the industry and the sector you’re applying for, you’ll want to showcase your job-related skills. The best way to do that is to include industry-related keywords and highlight relevant skills with buzzwords.

#4. Highlight Your Strongest Assets

Highlighting your strongest assets is especially important if you don’t have a lot of experience. In that case, you’ll need to focus on emphasizing your potential and learning skills. Assets such as creativity and research skills are the ones you should aim to accentuate with the right buzzwords.

Final Thoughts

Landing a job can be a challenging task, but the right resume buzzwords will make you stand out as an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and experienced candidate. However, knowing how and where to use them may not come naturally. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered, as our selection of buzzwords can make you the most memorable applicant.

Thus, learning which buzzwords to use and which are cliché, as well as what skills and traits to accentuate and where will get you a long way ahead of the competition!