The 10 Most Hated Business Phrases to Avoid in Your LinkedIn Profile

A new survey of more than 3,000 workers has revealed the professional world’s most hated phrases – a collection of toxic business jargon designed to ruin even the most promising careers. This list of hated jargon, researched by Careerminds.com, will help you avoid falling into the trap of clichés in your LinkedIn profile. After all, using catchphrases and clichés to describe your resume or share your story on LinkedIn could be a pain rather than a chance. These 10 jargons are what employees hate to hear their bosses use, and they’re exhausting for everyone.

After all, phrases like “after all” are filler words, empty phrases that don’t communicate value and need to be retired immediately. Buzzwords, jargon, and TLA take away from true leadership communication.

What is “TLA”? It’s a “three letter acronym.”

Trying to sound like an “insider” often leaves your audience (online or in person) wondering what you’re really trying to say and why you’d resort to letters or worn-out catchphrases to get it across. It’s not a good way to write a resume or carry a conversation if you want to be heard and understood.

Do you want to sound cryptic on your LinkedIn profile or sound like a techie at your next job interview? Choose your answers and words carefully.

Here are the top 10 most hated corporate buzzwords in the business world: Interview tip: Don’t mention this here.

1. Acting on wages – A reminder to focus on work that is commensurate with your pay grade, this snappy tagline is designed to keep you in a box, keeping your mouth shut and your head down. Has someone ever told you this and it made you feel good? Skip the acting advice and focus on what matters most:
2. Ball in the air – Referring to juggling and as a metaphor for multitasking, this witty retort has multiple meanings. The phrase underestimates the actual value you bring to a variety of tasks. Rephrasing it as more clearly and literally (not metaphorically) indicative of your skills and abilities:
3. Pushing the limits – By implying a willingness to do more and push the envelope, this snippet of jargon raises the question of what’s in the envelope. If it’s not clear what the “envelope” is, the fact that you’ve pushed it is a big “so what?” question. Clear communication is not just about content. It’s the context that matters.
4. Effective accelerationism – Try saying that 10 times quickly. This phrase could be referring to speed to market. It misses the point and makes the overall impression sound pretentious. Because the wording doesn’t matter. See what I did there?
5. Change Agent – Driving innovation is always important. But real, lasting change doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Does this mean that one person singlehandedly transformed the culture, team, or organization? Gunga Din, you seem to have left out a detail: other people who assisted you in your agent quest. Consider using the word “catalyst” instead, and make sure to give credit where credit is due, because no agent survives in a vacuum.
6. Deliverables My writing coach always said, “Show, don’t tell.” Such general, generic language robs you of the opportunity to share scale, scope, and other details. Do you want to leave out details, write or speak in broad generalities, and hope someone will guess your intentions and what you can offer? If you’re a leader, be clear; otherwise, your “deliverables” won’t deliver.
7. Cutting edge – Where exactly is this edge? Edge metaphors can be exhausting. Why? Because these enigmatic phrases feel like hype. Not every business or project needs to be endlessly hyped.
8. Mission Critical – Right? It would be better to state what the mission is and speak frankly about what you have done. If a manager uses this phrase, team members will feel a kind of “life or death” obligation in it. Would threats and pressures lead to better performance?
9. Collecting ideas – Along with “ideation,” this phrase is another name for brainstorming. Research shows that this phrase can make employees feel that their ideas are undervalued (are they harvested like grain? You know grain is a commodity. Good ideas aren’t). But what really matters in ideation is the outcome. What you discover is more important than the process (the “harvest”). So why not focus on what matters most?
10. Spider Sense – We know that the ability to sense danger is something Spider-Man has. And we know that Spider-Man isn’t real. Talking about real issues and fears is an important aspect of transparency and vulnerability. Expressing real human emotions through a fictional character with powers bestowed by a radioactive spider (which also isn’t real) is not effective communication.

Which of these words and phrases are common in your everyday conversations? If you use any of these buzzwords on your LinkedIn profile, it’s time to update. Raymond Lee of Careerminds.com says, “By choosing clear, meaningful terminology, leaders can foster a more inclusive, engaging, and productive environment.” Don’t be swayed by catchphrases and clichés, choose the most useful words on your LinkedIn profile. Research shows that these words aren’t on this list.