When you’re searching for potential employees on LinkedIn chances are the word “passionate” will feature highly.
Passionate has topped the list of the most commonly used buzzwords on Australian LinkedIn profiles last year.
The second most common description used by local LinkedIn users was “motivated”, followed in third place by “extensive experience”.
Australian professionals are also likely to describe themselves as creative, driven and strategic. Also in the top 10 buzzwords are track record, enthusiastic, responsible and innovative.
Independent career coach Sally-Anne Blanshard, director of Nourish Coaching, told SmartCompany employers are likely to grow tired of the same old buzzwords in LinkedIn profiles, which are the equivalent of giving “textbook answers” to job interview questions.
“The key is to create a level of authenticity,” Blanshard says. Employers should instead look for concrete examples of how job candidates have achieved something in their most recent role, instead of a candidate who just notes that they have developed a “creative” solution.
Blanshard describes the introductory paragraph in a LinkedIn profile as a “sales document”.
“People want to know the how, the what, how you did something and what makes you stand out from the crowd,” she says.
Blanshard also recommends employers look at the recommendation function of LinkedIn, which allows candidates to include personal recommendations from former employers and colleagues in their profile.
“They are describing what it is like working with [the candidate], it’s their words, not [the candidates],” she says.
Blanshard says getting past the buzzwords is important on LinkedIn for both job candidates and employers.
“It’s the real estate of [a]career,” she says.
Social media expert Catriona Pollard argues, telling SmartCompany she would be put-off as an employer if she came across a LinkedIn profile that was full of “jargon and buzzwords”.
“I always look at a potential employee’s LinkedIn profile no matter what, so it is critical that [a candidate’s profile] is up-to-date,” Pollard says.
Pollard says business owners should also steer clear of jargon when crafting their company’s LinkedIn profile.
“Avoid buzzwords and use it as an opportunity to build your brand and have a voice around your business,” she says.
News Editor
Prior to joining SmartCompany, Eloise was news editor at Books+Publishing, the trade press for the Australian book industry. Eloise has degrees in media and communications, marketing and business management, and political science. You can follow her on Twitter at @ellykeating.
