Word clutter hides a clear focus.—Roy Peter Clark, How to Write Short
Today let’s focus on something close to my heart: cutting the clutter (aka jargon) from your sentences.
⚠️Yes, keywords matter, but beware.
It’s easy to get so caught up in trying to beat the ATS (applicant tracking system) or boost SEO (search engine optimization) that we lose sight of our message.
Keyword packing without strategic context won’t add the strength you need for a powerful profile. At best, that tactic will slow down the reader. At worst, it’ll cause some eye rolls on the other side.
Bottom line: Don’t confuse buzzwords with words that actually do bolster a phrase.
Here’s an example:
Original sentence:
Skilled strategist maximizing workable solutions and performance for key marketing goals.
(Wait…what?? As in, what does this person actually do, what do they deliver, and what are the results?)
Revised sentence:
Marketing strategist who introduces sustainable solutions that lead to multimillion-dollar results.
See how, by replacing a word salad with meaty specifics, the sentence is stronger?
💪 Try this exercise:
Print out a copy of your resume and ask a friend or relative (preferably one with a strong BS meter) to review it and highlight confusing or vague statements.
💡 HINT: Don’t ask them to edit. Ask them to just identify anything that doesn’t make sense with a quick read. Nothing works better than a fresh pair of eyes to catch statements that bog down your resume.
Once you have that highlighted document, play with the words, rearrange them, and see what you can cut. Hands down, the #1 reason resumes are a drag to read is that they’re bloated with unnecessary words.
🛎️…Or ask a professional for help.
My main service is re-writing resumes and LinkedIn profiles, but did you know that I’m also available to provide 1:1 guidance and feedback on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other career documents?
Not everyone needs a complete resume or LinkedIn overhaul—if you have questions about your strategy, content, or layout, I’m here for you.
I just got great feedback from a client regarding my process; she thought a tactic we used was helpful to landing her new job. 🎉
To be honest, the tactic is so simple that I’d taken it for granted.
I’m referring to the practice of using 1-3 job descriptions (a.k.a. job postings) to help you focus and tailor your resume to your target role.
The key to writing a compelling resume is to begin with the end in mind: In what role do you see yourself in 6 months? How can you help the employer envision YOU in that role?
Job postings help you future-proof your resume—and learn to think like an employer.
So, how can you use and analyze job descriptions?
🕵️♀️ Dig for themes
🏆 Gather your own examples of success
🎯 Align and get specific
🌟 Differentiate yourself
To listen to the full conversation, tune in to your favorite podcast app.
By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.
Your feedback is valued!
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), and Facebook (@CareersEmily)
She’s an expert at the art of developing a unique voice that resonates with readers and strengthens our connection with them.
As a marketer, she’s consulted with more than 100 tech companies, so believe me when I tell you she understands voice.
With her extensive knowledge and future-focused approach, Anne continues to serve as a trusted guide for aspiring writers so we can quickly adapt our writing to the evolving landscape of technology and reader preferences.
Anne demystifies the concept of voice and its impact on our writing through her engaging and relatable style.
Listen to our conversation about the importance of honing our writer’s voice and the transformative power it can have on how we connect with others.
In this episode:
Discover the power of developing your unique writing voice to unlock a world of creative expression, and create captivating storytelling. Gain useful insights into the art of sentence structure to create writing that flows seamlessly. Craft clear and concise content that captivates readers and keeps them engaged.
ABOUT ANNE+ RESOURCES
To continue getting guidance on writing, join Anne’s writing list at AnneJanzer.com. I guarantee she walks her talk about getting to the point quickly and adding value for her readers.
Did I mention that she gives away a 🎁 free book 🎁 on writing via raffle once a month? I know this is true because I’ve been a lucky recipient 😊.
If you’re interested in ordering Anne’s book 📖 The Writer’s Voice 📖 you’ll find it on Amazon and bookshop.org, as well as at retailers and other indie bookstores.
By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me at www.linkedin.com/in/emilysfwong. Please let me know if you heard me on this podcast, and let me know if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover.
Your feedback is valued!
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
Our readers’ inboxes are already overflowing. Grabbing their attention and making things easy for them is a non-negotiable for the modern business writer.
So I was grateful to have Erin Lebacqz of High Value Writing as my guest on Career Cohort to share advice for wrangling our words and hooking our reader right from the subject line.
(By the way, if this is one too many emails today and you’re not in the mood for reading, you can listen to our full conversation here. I’ve got you 😊.)
The following is a sampling of Erin’s advice:
✨ The Magic of the 2-part Subject Line
Imagine this: You’re rushing to leave the office, scanning through your emails, and you come across a message with the subject “Food Drive: Donate Soon.”
Without opening the email, you instantly know what it’s about and the action required.
💡 You know to pick up some cans of soup from the store on your way home.
Now let’s apply this principle to another context—your job search.
If you’re sending your resume to a recruiter, consider a subject line like “Opening for Marketing Director: Resume Attached.” It’s concise and immediately tells the recipient what to expect.
💪🏻 The Power of Action Verbs
For resumes, I avoid the phrase “responsible for” and any variation of the verb “to be.” Instead, I encourage clients to use action verbs to say more with less.
But Erin reminds us that action verbs aren’t just for resumes.
In any correspondence, verbs serve as a powerful anchor for conveying information concisely—and even setting the right tone.
Consider: “Please join us for the session.” vs. “Please attend the session.” How do you feel when reading those 2 nearly identical invitations?
🎯 Knowing Our Audience and Tailoring Content Accordingly
Tailoring our message to our audience is key. The president won’t need the same level of detail as the tech team that’s working with us on a project.
Let’s just remember…
🤝 Tailoring Content Doesn’t Mean Sacrificing Respect
If there’s one place where consistency matters, it’s how we communicate with others across our organization—no matter their title.
After chatting with Erin, I’m even more motivated to read every email (before I hit send) and ask myself, as the reader:
🤔 Do I feel motivated? Do I feel like my time is respected? Is there a balance between clarity (writing IQ) and empathy (writing EQ)? If not, I’ll need to work on my message. 🤔
To listen to the full conversation, tune in to your favorite podcast app.
Avoiding trigger words. Hint: You’ve heard the phrase, “Don’t should all over yourself.” Well, Erin challenges us to avoid “shoulding” all over others, too!
Giving feedback. How about starting with, Have you tried…? Also works as a great replacement for Should!
Balancing brevity with warmth. Concise doesn’t have to mean cold. As Erin says, we can be “concise AND nice!”
ABOUT ERIN
Erin Lebacqz helps you write with confidence, clarity, and strategy. Her book and curriculum, High-Value Writing offer strategies for informing and connecting with readers—and for using writing as a management tool. Erin has been teaching writing for 25 years, in the academic, business, manufacturing, and public sectors.
RESOURCES
Erin’s High-Value Writing program and book can also help folks understand the power of both words and reader interpretation.
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
Increase your chances of landing an interview with my 6 tips to cut the fluff. Write a concise and clear resume that wins over busy recruiters.
In this episode, you’ll:
💡 Learn how to replace and eliminate superfluous language to strengthen your resume.
💡 Grasp the importance of abbreviating and condensing language for a concise resume.
💡 Gain a better understanding of when and how to use acronyms on your resume.
RESOURCES
Your feedback is valued!
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
Have you ever felt like those who work with you don’t support you, even though you’re trying to achieve amazing results? Do they tell you you’re difficult to work with, or that you’re too much? Do you feel like they just don’t understand your intentions?
My guest, Parissa Behnia, coaches C-Suite and Senior leaders who are—what she calls—high-will, high-skill badasses. These leaders offer tremendous value to their company, but their edges may start to erode their relationships because their colleagues feel overwhelmed.
Parissa says badasses are like well-meaning bulls in China shops. They don’t mean to break as many dishes as they do, although let’s be honest, a lot of those dishes were ugly anyway.
Modern Badasses are often described as brilliant jerks (or worse). They’re told that they’re too brash, too much, or too colorful.
Live examples of Modern Badasses are Steve Jobs, Gloria Steinem, Thomas Edison, and Malala Yousafzai. You don’t have to like them personally to recognize the impact they’ve had on society. But Parissa is concerned about the ones we’ll never know because they’ve been sidelined, or they didn’t know how to get out of their own way. What technology or gifts to society do we not benefit from because we’ll never meet them?
How can we help Modern Badasses? What lenses have to be changed so they can be seen as important leaders instead of nuisances?
In our conversation, Parissa shares great advice—not only for badasses themselves—but for the people who interact with them every day. People who may be put off by the badass’s need for speed. Parissa knows that these badasses usually have a lot to offer, and if the rest of us can learn to harness that energy, we might find we’re in for an exciting ride.
Parissa is the author of Modern Badass: Tales from the Leadership Front.
RESOURCES
You’ll find the resources we discussed—including the assessment to find out if you have Modern Badass traits and the Sixense Empathy Model—on Parissa’s website:
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
As a resident of Northern California, I’m grateful for the signs of renewal and glimpses of spring, after a whooole lotta rain.
Personally, I’m fine with the rain. We needed to fill our reservoirs, and I’m convinced the bursts of extra-vibrant colors are, in part, a result of all those atmospheric rivers.
Speaking of renewal, I’m excited to see the new roles some of my clients have landed recently.
And speaking of new roles, if you have one…
Have you refreshed your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new position?
If we’ve worked together on your LinkedIn profile, I’ve already done the heavy lifting. So a quick refresh should be easy.
Just remember that your profile is a dynamic site. It’s meant to evolve just as you and your career are. So be careful not to set it and forget it.
Below are steps you can take now to refresh each LinkedIn profile section, assuming you updated them before you landed your latest job.
The best part? Unlike house spring cleaning, you should be able to do this in under an hour. Tune in to hear what to prioritize, tips on best re-writing practices, and how much time is reasonable to allocate for each section. The idea is to avoid overthinking it and managing your time.
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
Seriously. Are both planted firmly on the floor or is one wrapped around the other to make yourself small?
Grounding yourself is just one of the surprisingly simple tactics Catherine Johns shares for supporting a more assertive posture.
In business, showing up means being seen, being heard, and making an impact. Catherine Johns reveals how to step into the spotlight with confidence and a strong presence, no matter the situation.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
Project a confident physical presence, with only a few tweaks, whether the meeting is on stage, in a conference room, or online.
Communicate and connect virtually through gesturing and eye contact.
Cultivate an authentic, relationship-based approach to public speaking.
Easily maneuver through unexpected audience feedback during public speaking sessions.
Alter your tone without resorting to upspeak.
Catherine is a communication ninja with a wealth of experience in radio, stage, and other public speaking environments. Her expertise lies in helping professionals enhance their personal presence and transform the way they communicate.
I’ve been following Catherine for a while because I can always count on actionable tips, often wrapped in a humorous story from her own experience.
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
One of the challenges I see job seekers facing when they send me their resume is distinguishing between scope and achievements.
But there is a difference.
Scope is the context within which you do your job. Think of it as the setting for you to razzle dazzle your audience with your amazing achievements.
Scope captures the breadth of your job and/or leadership. Examples might include the number of people on your team, the value of a portfolio you inherited, or the territory for which you’re accountable.
Scope is important to include because it demonstrates your ability to lead and manage initiatives.
But it’s those BIG, JUICY achievements that set you apart.
Example #1
Let’s use territory management as an example.
🌐 You’re talking about scope if you say you managed markets that included North America, Europe, and Asia.
🏆 BUT you’re talking about an achievement if you say you expanded that market by 80% in under two years.
Example #2
How about team leadership?
🌐 If you say you led a team of 150 high performers, you’re still talking about scope.
🏆 On the other hand, if you say you built a team of 150 high performers from scratch, that’s an achievement.
Example #3
Say you’re communicating what you do in sales.
🌐 If you simply say you managed a $60M portfolio, that’s scope.
🏆 However, if you say you grew your portfolio from $10M to $60M in one year…now that’s quite an achievement!
TIPS
🌐 Include scope in the paragraph under each job title.
🏆 Reserve your bullets for those BOLD and BODACIOUS impact stories.
By the way, if you’d like to get tips like this more frequently, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. Please do connect with me. You can find me here.
Loved this episode? Follow Career Cohort on Apple, Spotify, and other major platforms—or sign up to get monthly tips delivered right to your mailbox (I guarantee no spam!).
We’d so appreciate a review and/or a 5-star rating. We provide an ad-free experience, so your support helps us reach new listeners and attract rockstar career experts so you can stay current on the latest tips and trends.
Thanks for listening!
Connect with me:
For more tips and advice for your job search, I post regularly on LinkedIn (emilysfwong), Instagram (@YourResumeCoach), Facebook (@CareersEmily), and Twitter (@CareersEmily)
