Skip to main content

10 Words to Remove from Resume to Instantly Increase Credibility

10 Words to Remove from Resume to Instantly Increase CredibilityPhoto From unsplash

Originally Posted On: 10 Words to Remove from Resume to Instantly Increase Credibility – Resume Pilots

 

This Essential Resume Tip for 2021 Will Keep Your Writing Sharp and Concise

It’s easy for writer’s block to kick in when putting together a document as personal and important as your resume.

A key point to remember is that effective business writing is clear, to the point, and results oriented.

As Mark Twain once wrote in a letter, “I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words, and brief sentences.

“That is the way to write English — it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; and don’t let the fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in.”

By removing overused and flowery words such as the following from your resume, you’ll craft a stronger document that accurately highlights your skills and accomplishments.

1) “Responsible For”

When you start a bullet point with “responsible for,” you inevitably end up sounding quite passive — as if you went to work solely to fulfill your responsibilities and call it a day.

Instead of focusing on your day-to-day responsibilities, start your bullet points with engaging action verbs and make their content achievement-driven.

2) “Objective”

Listing objectives on your resume is a thing of the past.

What is your objective when you submit your resume for a job posting?

Presumably, it’s to land an interview for that role.

Enough said!

If you still have an objective statement, get rid of it. There are much better uses for the limited space you have to work with.

3) “I” / “Me” / “We” / “Our”

Your entire resume should be written in the third person.

In addition to being resume writing convention, eliminating first-person language will allow you to cut out excess words.

4) “A” & “The”

You can also eliminate filler words such as “a” and “the” from your bullet points, allowing you to squeeze more information and relevant keywords onto each line.

Before: “Led the research team in completing a study on the most effective hiring techniques.”

After: “Led research team in completing study on most effective hiring techniques.”

5) “References”

You don’t need to list references on your resume or say that “references are available upon request.”

In the early stages of the application process, recruiters aren’t likely to reach out to your references.

They also assume you’ll be able to provide references when requested.

6) “Helped” / “Assisted”

Take ownership!

Even if you weren’t the lead on a project, highlight elements that you had direct responsibility for.

While it can be a good idea to share credit in the workplace, your resume isn’t the place to be overly modest and humble.

7) “Successfully” / “Effectively” (or any other adverb)

Adverbs such as “successfully” or “effectively” can sound overly exaggerated.

Let’s consider the following example.

Before: “Efficiently completed month-end financial reporting and analysis.”

After: “Reduced time to complete month-end financial reporting and analysis by 20% by building new Excel models.”

By eliminating the adverb and explaining exactly how you completed the reporting and analysis “efficiently” instead, you end up with a more impactful bullet point.

8) “Hard-Working” / “Goal-Oriented” / “Driven” / “Motivated”

Instead of simply telling recruiters that you are “driven” and “accomplished,” provide concrete examples that demonstrate these characteristics in the context of your work experience.

By “showing” instead of “telling,” you’ll make your statements sound less generic and more believable.

When you use adjectives such as “hard-working” and “effective” to describe yourself, they come off as empty industry buzzwords that do little to differentiate you from other similar applicants.

Mark Twain continued to explain:

“When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don’t mean utterly, but kill most of them ― then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart.

 

“An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice.”

Flowery, vague writing is one of the most common pitfalls we see on resumes.

Pay special attention to this point.

Let your experience speak for itself instead of describing yourself with adjectives that are better suited for a high school report card.

9) “Problem-Solver” / “Effective Communicator”

You’ll often see soft skills such as “strong problem-solving ability” and “effective communication skills” listed on job descriptions.

Again, it’s not enough to simply list these skills on your resume!

Recruiters want to see clear-cut evidence of your problem-solving ability and communication skills.

What are examples of problems you helped solve? Were you invited to speak on any conference panels or represent the company in the news? Did you give any internal presentations?

10) “Worked on/in”

Instead of using generic, overused phrases, intentionally select powerful verbs to start each of your bullet points.

There are so many action verbs to choose from!

About Resume Pilots

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing, career coaching, and outplacement firm whose previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world’s leading companies. Its sister company, CV Pilots, was selected London’s CV Writing Service of the Year for 2019/2020.

About Resume Pilots

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing, career coaching, and outplacement firm. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world’s leading companies.

Here’s how we can help you:

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing: After a one-hour phone consultation, one of our expert writers will prepare your top-quality personal marketing materials from scratch.

Resume Content Review & Resume Editing: A professional pair of eyes will look over your existing resume to catch any errors and advise on areas of improvement.

Career Transitions: A powerful combination of our document writing and career coaching services helps position you to secure a new role.

To learn more, book an introductory call here or email team@resumepilots.com.

We’re a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. All of our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have solid industry experience.

Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Stock quotes supplied by Barchart
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.