Why does everyone illustrate “buzzwords” with a bee? Knee jerk onomatopoeic need fulfillment, I guess. |Image: Wikimedia Commons; Steve H; CC w/attribution.
Here’s a good list of buzzwords to avoid on your resume — especially for PR and marketing types — courtesy of the good folks at the Bradford Group.
I have to say, I agree with all of them except for No. 3.
First of all, I think you would be better off eliminating the need to use the word comprise. Or compose for that matter. Second of all, as one of the astute commenters noted, AP style adherents may take exception to No. 3. And, that would be me.
I think that AP style is the most readable of the conventionally used style manuals, even though I do think that sometimes it gets in its own way. Still, the way AP defines “comprise” and “compose” is the crispest and easiest definition to understand.
That said, I still stand by my first recommendation: use another word!
Mark Blackmon 