Six Words You Should Never Use In Your Resume

Writing your resume is one of the most important jobs you will ever have. Make sure the words you use convey what you want them to. There are some bad words you can use in your life that are not four letter words, but could cost you a job. Make certain you use the right words for your resume. These are six words you should never use for your resume.

Hiring managers will review a resume and notice certain words that will put your resume in the “don’t call” pile. How do you turn the right words out for your resume? Turn wrong words into the right ones.

Responsible for

Don’t use the words responsible for on your resume. No one is responsible for something when it comes to your job. You are should detail how many, how long, who, what or when. Don’t list a vague list of responsibilities. Detail information and use quantitative terms.

Employers enjoy numerical facts, provide them and make your resume stand out. Provide facts.

Wrong use-responsible for writing user guides on deadline

Correct use-wrote six user guides for 15,000 users for two weeks before deadline

Experienced

Detail what your experience details. Saying you are experienced at something and providing factual information or facts on that experience can make or break your resume. Never use on your resume.

Wrong use-experience programming in PHP

Correct use-programmed an online shopping cart for a Fortune 500 company in PHP

Employers want to know exactly what your experience, skills and qualifications are.

Excellent written and communication skills

This phrase is too vague to be of any use for a resume. Although this is a phrase, but it still qualifies under the six words you shouldn’t be using on your resume.

Wrong use-I have excellent written and communication skills

Correct use-wrote online help document which reduced our customer support and customer wait time by 3 minutes in one month

If you have excellent written and communication skills, provide details that demonstrate that. Have you written email campaigns or company manuals? If so, provide that information.

Team player

Are you applying for work with the NBA? If not, we need to get hard facts on how you are a team player.

Wrong use-team player working well with others

Correct use-worked with clients and internal drivers, developers, writers and pit crew on several major projects each year

Detail what teams you played on as a team player

Detail oriented

This is two words, but they still mean one thing---bad use of words of a resume. Provide details for detail oriented. Display your skills

Wrong use-detail oriented public relations professional

Correct use-wrote custom press release triggers for 13 subcontractors with the company

Share your detail orientation and management professional skills with the prospective employer

Successful

Successes should be listed on your resume. Show what your successes are or where.

Wrong use-successfully sold the service

Correct use-increased the sales of our overseas product by 25% in less than 12 months

Don’t be shy to strut your stuff when it comes to success. Sing your own praises

These are the six words (or phrases) that you don’t want to use on your resume. Remember to market yourself and allow your sun to shine to remove you from the herd. Get your foot in the door with the right words for your resume.