As someone involved in marketing no one can ever accuse me of being shy of using the odd buzzword and it can be very difficult to avoid certain terms and words that are just so commonly used. Think of how many companies profess to offer ‘bespoke solutions’ or ‘quality that counts’. I call these ‘weasel words’. Words that are not untrue, but are either so overused that people stop listening to them, or are bland and generic.

Well it seems this phenomenon is spreading to how we present ourselves online, specifically with our LinkedIn profile. This week, LinkedIn released its list of 10 most overused professional buzzwords .

So counting down from 10 to the top spot at number one, we have

At 10      Dynamic – this just means moving, so what is that really telling anyone, that we can get to our desk?

At 9        Communication skills – yes you can talk, so what?

At 8        Problem solving – really? Like fixing the printer or negotiating world peace? Could mean anything (or nothing)

At 7        Innovative – we must all be a race of inventors, yet few of us are truly innovative. If you make this claim then back up with some examples.

At 6        Motivated – sort of a given really for work - and motivated by what, money, prestige, home time?

At 5        Track record – so you have history, doesn’t say whether this is a good or bad track record

At 4        Extensive experience – your career details will tell people that, no need to waste words on stating the ‘bleedin’ obvious

At 3        Effective – I should hope so, otherwise why bother turning up

At 2        Organisational – we assume a certain level of ability in this area and unless a very specific role that demands it then why is this so important?

At 1        Creative – excuse me while I strangle a kitten. Why does everyone claim creativity yet so many have so little to show to prove this trait. I understand creative doesn’t have to just mean artistic and that you can be a creative thinker, but demonstrate your creativity rather than just using the word (along with the majority of other LinkedIn weasels, or is that lemmings).

If you think of your LinkedIn profile as being your marketing page for yourself you should apply the three golden rules of direct marketing and if you want people to respond your marketing must be –

RELEVANT – you don’t have long for people to scan through your profile so make sure you use words that stand out and engage with the reader and are relevant and specific to you.

TARGETED – who is your audience? If you aer looking for career development or a new job then you should include specific technical terms that are specific for your sector or role. If, however you have your own business and you are using LinkedIn as a way of networking then you may wish to have words that describe your approach, your ethos and examples of what your business has achieved (but remember it is still your profile, not a company website)

TIMELY – keep your profile updated and don’t be afraid to make revisions and fine tune. Make comments and start discussions to keep your name a regular feature.

A final point form Nicole Williams , LinkedIn’s Connection Director,

“Competition for opportunities can be fierce, so craft your LinkedIn Profile and resume to stand out from the professional pack”

“Use language that illustrates your unique professional accomplishments and experiences. Give concrete examples of results you’ve achieved whenever possible and reference attributes that are specific to you.”

And (these are my words now) if you find yourself using one of these buzzwords, stop and have a good long think about what you really want to say rather than what clichés trip off your keyboard.

Excuse me now while I go and review my LinkedIn profile!