5 Cliche Statements That Can Bomb Your Job Search

5 Cliche Statements That Can Bomb Your Job Search5 Cliche Statements That Can Bomb Your Job SearchPicture this cartoon thats circulating on the Internet A woman sits across the desk from a job hunter and says, I eliminated all the platitudes and cliche statements from your mission statement, and Im left with this blank sheet of paper.Like with mission statements, when writing cover letters andrsums or interviewing for a new position, its too easy to eagerly conform to what you think others want to hear. This may be due to thefact that you are intimidated by the process itself and have yet to gain the confidence needed to claim your skilled, job-hunting voice. One of the most overused claims found onrsums is excellent communications skills, and this can be detrimental when you demonstrate just the opposite. Here are five common communication fails that limit job search success1. Dear Sir. So many people begin cover letters with this outdated and pascha salutation it boggles the min d You might eliminate the sexist part with, Dear Sir or Madam, but that will still sound far too stilted. Instead, take the time to research who is the hiring manager or human resources staffer in charge of this job requisition. Address your letter directly to him or her by name Dear Ms. So-and-So. If you strike out and cant find a specific name, begin with Dear Hiring Manager, Dear Recruiter or Dear Hiring Team.2. Im ideally suited (or perfect) for this job.Whether in a cover letter or conversation, this statement can be seen as a boast, an assertion or a conclusion. No matter how you see it, its a judgment you cant and shouldnt make.You dont know how you stack up against other candidates or the hiring authoritys precise priorities. Plus, more likely than not, this statement will make you look brash or arrogant. Instead, its your role to provide all the facts that demonstrate your value based on your experience, skills, knowledge, certifications and education. In short, you need to make your case in such a way that leads the employer to conclude that you are ideally suited for this job.3. Hard working, results-oriented, team player with excellent communication skills. Its hard to count the number of times hiring managers have encountered constellations of buzzwords assembled into jargon-richyet meaninglessself-descriptions at the tops ofrsums. Remember You are trying from the outset to distinguish yourself from others. Who is going to begin with the opposite? (Im a lazy, lone-wolf worker, interested in punching a clock rather than actually producing anything.) No one, of course4. When it comes to salary, Im negotiable. When you respond to the what are your salary requirements question this way, you can easily be perceived as noncooperative. This is not generally a sought-after quality Moreover, while you might intend this statement to mean Im flexible, it can be heard as just the opposite. You might give someone a false impression that youll play salary h ardball at the end of the process. On the other hand, you dont want to box yourself into a lower salary than you might otherwise receive or eliminate yourself from consideration because you have stated marginally higher expectations than some other candidate.Show a spirit of cooperation by talking about your past or current salary. Calmly explain that while this can provide a measure of guidance, you dont yet know precisely what would be appropriate for the job in question. 5. References available upon request. Everyone knows that references are part of the hiring process and that at an appropriate time, youll supply them. Have you ever heard of anyone saying the opposite on arsum?(I wont supply references to share with you.) Of course not By eliminating this statement at the bottom of yourrsum,you gain a line or two. Use the extra space to add a bit more detail about some relevant accomplishment. Or even an extra line of white space is better than this over-used clich.Happy hunti ngArnie Fertig, MPA, is passionate about helping hisJobhuntercoachclients advance their careers by transforming frantic Ill apply to anything searches into focused hunts for great fit opportunities. He brings to each client the extensive knowledge he gained when working in HR staffing and managing his boutique recruiting firm.