Infographic: Useless corporate buzzwords

Can we open the kimono for a minute? We need to touch base about your lack of synergy.

There are certain words that continually appear in résumés, emails, websites, intranets and press releases. They might sound professional and impressive, but terms like “thinking outside the box” and “thought leadership” jumped the shark long ago.

Employment Background Investigations posted an infographic listing 10 of the most egregious, pervasive corporate buzzword offenders, and what they really mean. They caution against using vague, hackneyed duds like “team player” and “strong organizational skills”—which the graphic translates as “the ability to save documents in a folder.” “Detail-oriented,” “self-motivated” and “jack of all trades” are on the naughty list, as is the undisputed heavyweight champion of meaningless jargon, the dreaded “synergy.”