CON-04 — Missing or clichéd summary
Short answer
CON-04 checks whether the CV opens with a professional summary and whether that summary is buried in clichés. Adjective stacks like "dynamic, dedicated team player" match no job-posting keyword, so the first three lines a recruiter reads are wasted.
Clichéd
- A dynamic, dedicated professional and strong team player.
Evidence-based
- Backend engineer with 6 years in high-volume payments (Go, PostgreSQL). Cut p95 latency 38% on a service handling 40M requests/day.
Impact
7 pts
Penalty
content · medium
What it checks
- Presence and length of the summary (35–65 words)
- Match rate against the cliché dictionary
- Whether the summary names a role, tools and a measurable result
Why it matters
Clichéd adjectives match no ATS keyword — postings look for Go and Kubernetes, not "team player". The three lines a recruiter actually reads are wasted and the CV drops into the general pool.
How to fix it
Use this skeleton: "[X] years as [role]. I solve [domain] problems with [core tools]. [Strongest measurable result]." Write evidence, not adjectives.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good summary?
Role, years, core tools and one measurable achievement — in three lines, carrying both keywords and proof.
Related rules
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