Passionate and motivated? 10 most overused words in Singapore resumes

SINGAPORE - Are you updating your LinkedIn profile today? According to the online network for professionals, statistics from previous years show that most of its members update their profiles on Jan 21.

But before you do that, are you sure your profile contains keywords employers are looking for? Or is it sprinkled with overused buzzwords recruiters are tired of reading instead?

If you've used the words "passionate", "motivated" and "responsible", delete them immediately. According to a study of more than one million Singapore LinkedIn profiles, these are just some of the most overused words that Singaporeans include.

While most of the overused words in Singapore have also been used and abused on LinkedIn profiles worldwide, two words - "responsible" and "track record" - are unique to the profiles here.

The top ten overused buzzwords in the LinkedIn profiles of Singapore-based members for 2016 are:

1. Passionate
2. Leadership
3. Motivated
4. Strategic
5. Driven
6. Track record
7. Creative
8. Responsible
9. Extensive experience
10. Organisation

Top ten overused words in LinkedIn profiles globally:

1. Leadership
2. Motivated
3. Creative
4. Passionate
5. Strategic
6. Successful
7. Driven
8. Organisation
9. Dedicated
10. Extensive experience

Roger Pua, LinkedIn's Senior Director of Corporate Communications for Asia-Pacific said in a press release that instead of building profiles with overused buzzwords, professionals should differentiate themselves by providing concrete examples of their achievements such as awards, presentations and research papers.

Here are some tips on how you can improve your LinkedIn profile:

1. Stand out from the crowd
Your summary is the first thing people look at after your profile picture. You may know you're capable of demonstrating 'leadership' with a 'great track record' but too many buzzwords make it hard for your profile to stand out. Use examples of your experience, focus on how you've demonstrated leadership with specific examples and highlight those great results with real numbers.

2. A picture is worth a thousand words
Instead of saying you're 'creative', why not show people by including presentations, design work and projects you take pride in? Remember, you've only got five to ten seconds to impress.

3. Share views and news
So you have 'extensive experience and great communication skills'? Tell the world by publishing a post on LinkedIn. By offering your opinions on industry matters, you're positioning yourself as a thought leader and sharing your knowledge.

4. Get to know people like you
If you want to show you are 'motivated' about succeeding in your industry, join a group. Share your thoughts on news or articles to show you care about the sector and widen your network. Members who are active in groups get 15x more profile views than members who don't take part.

5. Recommend a friend
If you think someone's 'exceptional', why not say it? Spend time writing meaningful recommendations using specific examples. Not only does this show you really know them, it also means they are more likely to return the favour. A couple of glowing recommendations are worth a hundred buzzwords.

ljessica@sph.com.sg