Words to Exclude From Your Resume
Your resume is your chance to make a great first impression. Before an employer even meets you in-person they have the opportunity to review your professional profile, and by making certain crucial mistakes you could severely inhibit your chances of making that good impression.
Words to Exclude From a Resume
That is why it is so important to avoid making any simple mistakes that could destroy your chances of getting job interviews. Writing this document is a complicated process. All the online content about it is truly a testament to that statement, but the process can be made easier as you learn what you should and shouldn't do.Certain words and phrases stick out like targets and notify recruiters that you are not aware of what you are doing. Provided below is a list of words and phrases that are considered to be big mistakes when you include them on a resume. Try your best to exclude these words to be seriously considered for job positions.
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A List of Words to Exclude
You can use the list below, showing the words to exclude from a resume. Trained professionals have certain expectations when it comes to resume writing. Although excluding these words does not guarantee you a job position, it may make you a more competitive applicant.- Good
The word “good” is so generic a hiring manager overlooks it. You want your writing to stand out from the rest, and using exhausted, boring language is going to put the employer to sleep. You should wow them with your writing, not make them want to skip over you.
This adjective can describe many things, but it should not be describing your work. Instead, trying using action verbs like “accomplished” or “increased value” to describe not only yourself, but your work and previous successes. - Motivated
Although it is beneficial to show the employer how driven you when it comes to your profession, they already expect this. Show how driven you are by listing examples of your accomplishments. Use other descriptions about yourself such as “defined initiative” to relay the message that they should hire you. You would work to the best of your ability and exceed their expectations. - Creative
This word is incredibly overused, rendering it ineffective. It is not very creative to use the word “creative.” There is surely a more specific and descriptive word that can be used in its place to impress the reader. - Effective
This word is extremely typical and expected. You don't want to bore a recruiter with the same old rhetoric. By excluding this word and replacing it with something more descriptive and objective, such as “accomplished” or “reduced error” you are pinpointing solutions to problems and providing concrete answers to questions that may have come up in an employer's mind. - Organized
Here is yet another example of a word that is overused and repetitious. Of course, you should have organizational skills at work; it is all about demonstrating real-world examples that will gain attention. Instead of saying that you have the organizational skills to put together a successful project. Show examples of how your use of organization let you exceed company expectations and get the job done ahead of schedule and under budget. - Problem Solver
This word is irrelevant to a resume, especially depending on your job title. If your job includes solving problems, then it would be silly for you to include that as one of your qualifying traits. They would already expect you to have this trait. Instead, show examples using some new buzzwords like “leverage” and “innovation” to grasp the attention of the reader and potentially make you the more desirable candidate. - Responsible
Finally, the last word that you should avoid fits into all the categories as to what word could be wrong to use on this document. Being responsible is not only what hiring managers expect any applicant to be, they expect them to be “dynamic.” These newer phrases that you should include on your resume are more on point with those for which recruiters are looking. Always show examples, they won't be able to discount quantifiable results.
