Job seekers use phrases such as ‘self-starter’, ‘enterprising’ and ‘innovative thinker’ in resumes to highlight their key qualities

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The most commonly used term by Indian recruiters in job descriptors is ‘scalable’, followed by other phrases such as ‘authentic’, ‘disruptive’, ‘evangelist’ and ‘value add’, used to describe the qualities expected in a potential employee, according to Indeed. Terms such as ‘cloud-based’ and ‘disruption’ are also highly used by recruiters looking to hire in the technology space. In addition, terms such as ‘Guru’, ‘Ninja’ and ‘Magician’ are popular, with a significant amount of potential employers using these terms in job descriptions. 

However, these job descriptors are at odds with the language used by job seekers to describe their abilities and showcase their skills. Even as recruiters have evolved from screening applicants purely based on qualifications and moved on to identifying individuals based on how well their skills fit the organization’s requirements, it is advisable to showcase an employer brand that job seekers can find a connect with.

In order to help recruiters write attractive job descriptions to attract the right candidates, Indeed offers features like Company Pages that can help in enhancing a company’s employer brand. Indeed Company Pages allow companies to showcase employee reviews and ratings on key workplace satisfaction criteria such as work-life balance, remuneration, and benefits, job security, the scope for career advancement, organisational culture and management, and so on, providing vital insights to job seekers that go beyond gimmicky phrases.

The term ‘team player’ is the most used descriptor by job seekers in their resumes. The words ‘organised’, ‘hardworking’, ‘dynamic’, ‘enthusiastic’ and ‘passionate’ have also emerged as some of the most commonly used phrases in resumes by Indian job seekers. In addition, job seekers view qualities such as ‘self-starter’, ‘enterprising’ and ‘innovative thinker’ of importance and thus highlight the same in their resumes. 

Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed India, said, “In order to ensure their story is heard in an increasingly crowded world of applicants, candidates are taking an active interest in storytelling, and rightly so, given that the average recruiter looks at a resume for only 6 seconds. Recruiters, in turn, should work on writing clear and specific job descriptions that provide job seekers with relevant information about the role they are applying for. Recruiters that can speak the language of their candidates help to reinforce the idea that the role they offer is the right fit for the candidate’s skill-set. When they see their own phrases mirrored back to them, candidates are able to gain insight into the key qualities employers are looking for and how best they can fulfill these requirements.”