Resume Buzzwords to Remove in 2025 (And What to Use Instead)

Your resume might be filled with powerful words. But are they the right ones?

With the rise of AI recruiting tools and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), the words you use on your resume in 2025 are more important than ever. Some buzzwords not only fail to impress—they can actually harm your chances of getting noticed.

Let's cut through the clutter and show you what to remove, what to replace, and what to use instead to increase your interview chances in today’s hyper-competitive job market.

❌ Why Resume Buzzwords Hurt You

Recruiters and hiring managers read hundreds of resumes a week. When they see generic, overused language, it feels lazy, vague, and unoriginal.

Even worse, many of these words aren’t optimized for ATS software, which means you might never make it past the bots.

Want to understand how ATS software blocks your resume? Read: Why Your Resume Gets Rejected by ATS (And How to Fix It)

🚫 Top Buzzwords to Ditch in 2025 (and Why)

Here are the biggest offenders still haunting resumes this year:

“Hardworking”
- 🚫 Vague. Everyone says it.
- ✅ Instead: Show it. Use metrics or achievements. E.g. "Worked 50+ hours/week to meet deadlines 3 weeks early."
“Team player”
- 🚫 Overused and generic.
- ✅ Instead: Mention team collaboration in context. E.g. "Collaborated with cross-functional teams to launch product in 6 markets."
“Results-driven”
- 🚫 Means nothing without proof.
- ✅ Instead: Use the results. "Increased user retention by 28% in 3 months."
“Go-getter”
- 🚫 Sounds like you're trying too hard.
- ✅ Instead: Focus on initiative. "Proposed and implemented a cost-saving process that saved $15,000 quarterly."
“Synergy”
- 🚫 Feels like corporate filler.
- ✅ Instead: Say what you actually did. "Partnered with marketing and design to align messaging across all channels."
“Innovative”
- 🚫 Unless you're describing a patent or product, it's fluff.
- ✅ Instead: Be specific. "Developed a feature that improved load time by 42%."
“Strategic thinker”
- 🚫 Sounds good, but again—no context.
- ✅ Instead: Show the strategy. "Created go-to-market plan that led to 120K downloads in 30 days."

💬 Words That ATS Might Ignore or Misread

Applicant Tracking Systems are built to scan keywords—but not all buzzwords qualify.

Here's why these won't help:

“People person” → doesn’t match any job requirement.
“Rockstar” → fun in a Slack message, useless in a resume.
“Dynamic” → what does that even mean in practice?
“Guru” / “Ninja” → ATS software can’t process informal terms like these.

Instead, include real job-specific keywords like:

“Project Management”
“SQL” / “Python”
“Client Onboarding”
“Figma” / “UX Design”
“CRM Optimization”

If you want to find out what keywords you’re missing, try uploading your resume and job description to ResumeAdapter. It’s free and automatic.

✅ Power Words That Actually Work in 2025

Use action verbs and measurable impact. Here are recruiter-loved words that still work:

| ✅ Good Verbs | 🎯 Purpose | |------------------------|-------------------------------------| | Implemented | You built or delivered something | | Optimized | You made it better | | Resolved | You fixed a problem | | Delivered | You shipped or completed something | | Analyzed | You used data and logic | | Increased / Reduced | You made an impact in metrics | | Streamlined | You simplified or automated | | Collaborated | You worked effectively with others |

📉 What Happens If You Keep These Buzzwords?

A resume filled with fluff won’t rank on an ATS. It might even get flagged.

It makes recruiters think:

“This person isn’t self-aware.”
“There’s no proof of actual experience.”
“They copied a resume template without thinking.”

You have 6 seconds to make an impression. Don’t waste them on clichés.

👀 Let’s Look at an Example

Before:

Results-driven team player with a passion for innovation. Go-getter with strong communication skills and strategic thinking.

After:

Spearheaded a CRM overhaul that improved retention by 27%. Collaborated with 5 departments to streamline onboarding, reducing churn by 15%. Delivered data insights that influenced Q4 roadmap.

See the difference? The second one shows, not tells.

🧠 Pro Tip: Match the Job Description

Hiring managers want to see alignment with their open role. Use the same terminology from the listing. That means:

Scan for hard skills (tools, platforms, certifications)
Identify nouns (like "campaign optimization" or "stakeholder reporting")
Echo those exact phrases in your resume—authentically

We explain this in detail here:
👉 How to Optimize Resume Keywords for ATS

🎯 Final Thoughts

It’s tempting to throw in trendy, ambitious words to sound impressive—but that’s what everyone else is doing.

In 2025, the best resumes:

Avoid fluff
Focus on measurable outcomes
Match the language of job postings
Pass ATS scans with real keywords

Stop sounding like a "hardworking go-getter".
Start sounding like someone who gets things done.

Want to test how your resume performs against ATS filters?
Try ResumeAdapter today—it’s free and takes 60 seconds.

Ready to stand out from the noise?

🧪 Let the data guide your resume, not the buzzwords.