'Dynamic Indian': Words to Avoid in Your LinkedIn Profile and Resume

In December 2010, LinkedIn did what it does best — it mined its own data — and published a list of the most overused words in members' profiles across the globe. The results were a small window into national working cultures.

India's standout was "dynamic." The word appeared in Indian profiles at a rate that suggested an entire generation had collectively decided that "dynamic" was the correct adjective for anyone with a job. It was not exactly wrong; it was just no longer informative. When everyone is dynamic, nobody is.

America had its own empty favorite: "extensive experience" — a phrase that manages to say everything and nothing, the professional equivalent of a firm handshake and a blank smile. Other global contenders included "innovative," "motivated," and "proven track record," words that recruiters had read so many times they had begun to pass through them like water through a sieve.

The point LinkedIn was making, with the cheerful data-driven tact of a company that profits from profile optimization, was simple: a profile is not a thesaurus. Words that everyone uses become wallpaper. If you want to be found, show what you did; if you want to be believed, say what happened.

So, Indians with extensive experience: raise your hand if you are guilty. Then go edit the profile.