Buzzword Bingo

Are you on LinkedIn?  Of course you are.

Hard to work in business or professional services and avoid LinkedIn. For me, much of my reach for this blog is through my connections on LinkedIn.  Many of us work to refine our LinkedIn profile often and clearly want to attract great contacts and yes, potential employers.  Me, no different folks.

As with blogs or other writings on the internet, keywords are critical.  It is largely how we discover and find each other.  I recently read that LinkedIn published the top ten overused buzzwords (english only) for 2013. The idea is these words appear in so many profiles that they loss meaning and do not help one stand out in a crowd.

The number one overused buzzword?  Responsible.

As for me?  Nope, just checked my profile and not a responsible word to be found.

Of special note, the buzzword in the top 10 for United States and nowhere else is Patient.   Really, in the USA, today?  No, I do not have that one either in my profile.

To be clear, in the fine print LinkedIn states that they search out these words when used as adjectives only.   As Kevin Spacey’s character said in the movie Outbreak, “It’s an adverb, Sam. It’s a lazy tool of a weak mind.”  The same can be said of adjectives.  We have to be careful on when, how and why we use them.

While overall interesting, people have to be careful not to overreact to these so-called, overused buzzwords.   Instead of saying, “I am a responsible leader”.  Demonstrate how you are responsible through your accomplishments.  The same for patience and these other key words.

The details are below in the slide share.  Check these results against your profile.  If curious, here is my profile on LinkedIn.