Corporate Life

People Hate These 10 Phrases Common in Job Posts — And Each Generation Has Its Own Lexical DealbreakerMany applicants don't want to be a company's next "rockstar."

On average, it takes about six months to land a job, with high-paying white-collar roles being especially tough to secure due to a post-pandemic hiring surge and subsequent slowdown, according to *The Wall Street Journal*. Despite submitting numerous resumes and enduring multiple interview rounds, many job seekers are reluctant to accept positions that don’t feel like the right match. Job postings often serve as a candidate’s first glimpse of a potential role, and the language used can discourage applicants. A recent Adobe Acrobat study, surveying 1,060 people (807 job seekers and 253 hiring managers), identified the top "red flag" phrases that deter applicants, with variations across generations. The study found that “customer-obsessed” and “wear many hats” tied for the top spot, each cited by 33% of respondents as reasons to reconsider applying. Other turnoffs include “rockstar” (32%), “high sense of urgency” (29%), and “fast-paced environment” (25%). The full list of disliked phrases includes: 6. “High energy” (24%) 7. “Works well with ambiguity” (21%) 8. “Family” (20%) 9. “Entrepreneurial spirit” (18%) 10. “No task too small” (16%) Gen Z and Millennials are most put off by “wear many hats” (38%), while Gen X and Baby Boomers are more wary of “rockstar” (37%). Millennials are also 29% more likely than Gen Z to view “fast-paced environment” as a dealbreaker. Although some hiring managers still use these off-putting phrases (one in seven includes “customer-obsessed”), the report suggests replacing clichés with clear, direct descriptions to set realistic expectations and make job listings more appealing.