21 Words To Never Include In Your Resume

21 Words To Never Include In Your Resume21 Words To Never Include In Your Resume We have all heard the saying, Youll never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is perhaps most true when it comes to a job resume . While many companies use screening software to initially evaluate a candidates resume, recruiters are largely the first people you must impress.The language or content of a resume can definitely tank a job seekers chances of landing their dream job, says Jamie Hichens,Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at Glassdoor. Y ou have a limited amount of time to catch a recruiter or hiring managers eye use it wisely.Filling precious resume space with verbose language or overused buzzwords can certainly backfire. Therefore, we tapped a group of HR and resume experts to give us the inside scoop on the 21 words and terms to never include in your resume. Scan your CV to make sure youre leidlage guilty of including these red-flagged termsYour employmen t dates already show if youre unemployed you dont need to highlight it, says Hichens.We hope you are a hardworking individual who shows up to work on time and is self-motivated, but you dont need to call it out, she adds.Misspelled words like this one should never appear on your resume, says Elizabeth Harrison, Client Services Manager and Senior Recruitment Partner at Decision Toolbox . Read your resume numerous times, print it and take a pen to it and have someone else read it. One misspelled word can completely eliminate an otherwise strong candidate from consideration because it demonstrates lack of attention to detail.Popular resume templates and HR pros prompt job seekers to include a list of strategic skills on their resume, says Glassdoor expert Eileen Meyer. From Java to Final Cut Pro, speaking Arabic to spearheading 150% growth, be sure to include elend only the relevant skills that make you a perfect fit for the role, but also the skills that make you stand out. Take n ote, command of Microsoft Office is not a skill. Its a given.Is your career trajectory pretty straightforward and lacking major gaps between jobs? Then you probably dont need an objective statement, contends Glassdoor writer Caroline Gray. If your resume is self-explanatory , theres no need to take up valuable space with anything thats redundant. Also, if youre submitting a cover letter with your resume, that should be more than sufficient in addressing your objective for your application.Words like synergy and wheelhouse are completely overused lingo, insists Hichens. Steer clear.7. Reference Available Upon RequestHaving references upon request at the bottom of your resume is a sign that a candidate is overeager. If a recruiter wants to call to know more about you, they will reach out directly. There is no need to point out the obvious. As one HR expert said , everyone assumes we want references, but honestly, we can ask.Talking in 1st or 3rd person reads weird did someone wri te your resume for you? Just state the facts, says Hichens. For example write, Led a gruppe of 4 not I led a team of four people or Jamie led a team.I ts been overused in the last five years, insists Jennifer Bensusen, Technology Lead and Senior Recruitment Partner at national recruiting firm Decision Toolbox . Unless you are truly a singing superstar, applying for a wedding singer or entertainer role that isBensusen says do not use technology or systems you have touched or were exposed to but really dont know. For example, stay away from sentences like, a Software Engineer who dabbled with Python in college seven years ago but has been developing in .NET professionally since. In this case, dont add Python to your resume if youre not a pro.Again, a candidate being on time is an expectation. Instead craft a well thought out, concise resume with interesting content on accomplishments, KPI success or significant highlights with bullets on what you did, advises Bensusen. Did you creat e efficiencies that saved the company big bucks? Did you hire a stellar team that accomplished world peace?Stay away from the word expert, unless you truly are, says Bensusen. Otherwise, be prepared to be peppered with questions regarding your expertise.Negative words should not be included in a resume. Resumes should demonstrate what you can do and not what you can not do, saysHarrison.14.Unnecessary personal informationHarrison advises that your date of birth, family status, personal interests etc. should be avoided on a resume. These items do not pertain to the qualifications of an individual for a position.Skills are the most common resume lies, writes Heather Huhman,career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended . Although you may think that having every skill listed in the job description will get you the internship, thats not always true. Telling the truth about your skills can set you up for successin your internship. You can leise l and the internship by being honest, and can gain valuable training and learning experiences on the job.Content that does not relate to the job and does not address what qualifications a candidate has for a job can absolutely eliminate a candidate who may have accomplished many of the tasks that job is looking for, but was not articulated in the resume, adds Harrison.Substantiate your accomplishments with numbers, says Nicole Cox,Chief Recruitment Officer at Decision Toolbox . Some recruiters prefer to see actual numbers (such as cut manufacturing costs by $500,000), while others prefer percentages (cut manufacturing costs by 15 percent). Either way, provide enough context to show the impact. If your objective was to cut manufacturing costs by 10 percent, make it clear that you exceeded the goal.Instead of saying you are accomplished, show it. Accomplishments are currency when it comes to resumes, advisesAnish Majumdar, CEO of ResumeOrbit.com . The more you have, and the more app licable they are to the job you want, the greater your perceived worth. This can have a big impact not just on whether you receive an interview, but how much youre ultimately offered. Front-load the accomplishment, then describe how it was achieved. For example, Improved customer satisfaction 30% within 9 months through re-engineering support processes and introducing new training materials to staff.Like personal information, do not feel obligated to explain gaps in your resume. Personal information about age, relationships or children can expose you to discrimination, warns Cox. Employers arent allowed to ask for that kind of information, and you shouldnt offer. However, if youd like to address a gap because you are re-entering the workforce, Cox says, You can be creative, such as putting Domestic CEO as the title and listing Successfully managed procurement, budgets and scheduling.Often, careerists will write, Responsible for at the beginning of a statement where a more powerful lead-in would energize e.g., instead of, Seasoned sales management executive , write, Regional Sales Manager for Largest Revenue-Generating Area, exceeding competitors by 25-55% in revenue growth, year-over-year, says master resume writer Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter. In other words, strengthen the story through muscular verbiage and results. Lead with strength and energy.While many other words are misused or diluted by overuse, these are the weakest and most abused, says Barrett-Poindexter. If your resume language or content is weak, unfocused and/or rambling, youcan obliterate your chances of landing that dream role.