10 Words and Terms That Ruin a Resume. Your resume needs an update -- that is, if your resume is like that of most people, it’s not as good as it could be. The problem is language: Most resumes are a thicket of deadwood words and phrases -- empty cliches, annoying jargon and recycled buzzwords. Recruiters, HR folks and hiring managers see these terms over and over again, and it makes them sad. Wouldn’t you rather make them happy? It’s time to start raking out your resume, starting with these (and similar) terms. 1. Yes, they know. 2. See the preceding comment about unnecessary terms. 3. Reading this term, the recruiter can almost picture the C-average, uninspired employee mechanically fulfilling his job requirements -- no more, no less. 4.
Again, experience is something that happens to you -- not something you achieve. 5. 6. So, you pay attention to details. 7. Have you ever heard the term “show -- don’t tell”? 8. See the preceding comment about showing instead of telling. 9. This is a completely deflated buzzword. 10. “Secret Knock Gumball Machine” talk notes and resources. “Secret Knock Gumball Machine” talk notes and resources.
The links and notes here are from my talk on making the “Secret Knock Gumball Machine” or “How to Make A Dull Project Interesting” first given at the 2011 Bay Area Maker Faire in San Mateo. Summary: Using the Secret Knock Gumball Machine from issue #25 of Make Magazine as a framework we discuss how the project came about, taking a bunch of simple concepts and combining them into interesting and compelling projects. The Gumball machine started with the Knock Detector illustrated here. It was decided that this was underwhelming.
It was decided that opening a lock would be a good substitute to launching people through walls. All of these things were bodged together to make the Secret Knock Detecting Lock. However when asked to show it at Maker Faire it was decided that presenting people with locked doors wasn’t the most compelling way to show off the device. The full instructions are in Make Issue 25. EE109L - AC Apparatus and Devices Laboratory - Windows Live. Www.copperinfo.co.uk/power-quality/downloads/pqug/513-introduction-to-unbalance.pdf.