For Some Reason, Everyone On LinkedIn Likes To Call Themselves “Responsible”

The reign of “creative” LinkedIn profiles appears to be over.

The company is releasing its list of the most overused buzzwords in 2013, based on the words that appear most frequently on the professional networking site’s profiles. In 2011 and 2012, the most overused word was “creative”, but this year “creative” was beaten by “responsible.” On one hand, that’s less obviously self-defeating than describing yourself as creative. On the other hand, it’s more than little … uninspiring.

Personally, I find the whole idea of pumping up your LinkedIn profile with flattering adjectives to be kind of strange, but then, my profile says, “I write stuff,” so what do I know? However, in LinkedIn’s own press release, the company’s “career expert” Nicole Williams says that including buzzwords in your profile isn’t a great idea: “If you sound like everyone else, you won’t stand out from other professionals vying for opportunities.”

And if you’re staring at the buzzword list below with dawning horror because it’s basically the same as your entire LinkedIn profile, well, the company has some suggestions. Among other things, it says you should let other users vouch for you (given the random requests and recommendations I get, I’m not crazy about this feature either, but, uh, let’s move on …), include actual work or results that show you’re creative or (bleh) responsible, and be more specific in your wording so that it’s better tailored to the jobs, companies, and industries you’re interested in.

Anyway, here’s the top 10 list:

1. Responsible
2. Strategic
3. Creative
4. Effective
5. Patient
6. Expert
7. Organizational
8. Driven
9. Innovative
10. Analytical