Phrases & Words Not to Use in a Resume

Request a Consultation from an Award-Winning Recruiter and Resume Writer

(Board, C-Level, VP, Director & Mid-Career Professionals)

Phrases Not to Use in a Resume

You might not be aware of it, but by using weak words and phrases in your resume, you are sabotaging your own chances of landing a great job. These employment-speak clichés can make even the most qualified candidate come across as incompetent, dull, and lacking both initiative and confidence to succeed in the workplace. Our professional resume services recommend you remove these phrases from your resume!

Take a minute to go through your resume line by line and see if any of these seven phrases are the reason why you haven’t received as many interviews as you’d hoped for.

    1.  Responsible for / In charge of

Saying that you were “responsible for” or “in charge of” something does not mean you did it well. In fact, these statements create the impression that you might be hiding some major mishaps or know next to nothing about the subject in question. So spell out what your responsibilities entailed using active verbs. For example, instead of saying “Responsible for opening and closing the store”, write “Opened and closed the store independently every day” and add any other relevant details. A small tweak like that instantly makes your profile much more attractive.

    2.  Duties included

Again, by using this phrase you’re essentially saying what you were supposed to do instead of what you’ve actually achieved. Your best bet here would be to shift focus from your duties to your accomplishments.

   3.  Selected as

This phrase makes you sound passive and unenthusiastic. To avoid that, emphasize your work in the role you were selected to perform. For instance, even if you were appointed head of some task force or committee, you’d be better off saying you’ve supervised a certain number of people or led a project to completion.

   4.  Helped with

This statement is just too vague. Take the time to list exactly HOW you have helped. If there’s nothing worth mentioning than your “helped with”, it shouldn’t have been on your resume in the first place.

   5.  Attempted

A potential employer is interested in what you can do for their business. So while attempting something new might have been a valuable learning experience for you, keep it off the resume. That’ll free up space for you to elaborate on the outcomes of the tasks you’ve actually completed.

   6.  Familiar with

Technically, I can say I’m familiar with karate after watching a documentary about it. On the other hand, a black belt champion can safely make the same claim. As you see, being “familiar with” something says absolutely nothing about your level of expertise on the subject. So please be more precise about your knowledge of procedures, legislature, software or anything else that applies.

   7.  Approximately

You don’t want to come across as uncertain and incompetent, do you? But that’s exactly what you’ll accomplish by using “approximately” in your resume. Numbers and figures make the HR’s eyes light up. So if you want to say that you have been instrumental in increasing your employer’s revenue, take the time to calculate or find out the exact percentage. Otherwise, don’t bother.

One final piece of advice: don’t be afraid to play around with words as you tweak your resume. Getting it right isn’t easy, but if you use active, positive verbs, and take care not to blow things out of proportion (lying on employment documents is never okay), you should do just fine! For examples of some of our award-winning professional resumes please check out our samples.

If you need assistance with your resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile development, contact Arno Markus for a free consultation.

Let us help you land your next position by crafting the best ATS optimized resume or by managing your entire job search. Here’s more information about our Resume Writing Services and Reverse Recruitment Service. Book a call today to speak directly with our CEO and Founder, Arno Markus!

About iCareerSolutions

iCareerSolutions, America’s #1 Executive and Professional Resume Writing Services, Reverse Recruitment, and LinkedIn Profile Development Company. 28X award-winning resume writers deliver professional resumes that get interviews. We have successfully landed our executive clients senior-level leadership positions at companies like Apple, Amazon, EA, Oracle, GM, Google, Facebook, DoJ, Gap, and 2U just to name a few. iCareerSolutions has 200+ 5-star reviews and offers a 60-day interview guarantee. Every resume template created is Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) compatible and highly customized to meet your unique needs.

Active Members of The National Resume Writers’ Association (NRWA) │ The Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches (PARW&CC) │ Career Directors International (CDI) │ Career Professionals (CPC) │ Forbes Coaches Council

One of the Top Multi-Award-Winning Resume Writing Services in the country.

Book a complimentary consultation for your Professionally Managed Job Search now!

Forbes Coaches Council
60 Day Interview Guarantee

Here are some of our Top Resume Testimonials

Mo Daeisadeghi
Arno and his team helped me update my resume. The team was very professional , responsive and helpful. I strongly recommend Arno.
Mo DaeisadeghiGeneral Manager
Aadil Ahlawat
Highly recommended to anyone looking for a professional resume I reached out to Arno and had a consultation for my resume. He was very professional, and responded within 24 hours. He went above and beyond to understand my skills and experiences, and figure out how I could highlight my experience for specific companies. I am very thankful to have found him for my professional resume….
Aadi Ahlawat
Greg Adkins
Arno is a mentor, motivator, and proffessional guru. Not only does he have a great understaning of the current market place to help drive undetstanding and interest; He takes the time to understand your needs, direction, and goals. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Arno and find the next organization I can make and impact. Anyone that works with Arno will be lucky to enjoy hi…
Greg AdkinsSenior Sales Manager
Vanessa Dos Santos Oliveira
Arno Markus Certified Professional Résumé Writer Arno and his team helped me write a concise, engaging, and on-target resume. I also had the opportunity to gain long-lasting experience by employing proven strategies to secure a job through his 1:1 Coaching session.
Accountant
Ronnie Sevilla
I met Arno through Linkedin services. Linkedin had recommended 5 companies for my resume writing. After interacting via phone, email and messaging with all 5, I decided to go with Arno. I can’t say how happy and satisfied I am not only with the end product but with his process and his demeanor towards me. He is very professional, delivered all work ahead of schedule, facilitated conference calls s…
Ronnie Sevilla
V
“Hi Arno, The resume looks amazing.”
Raphael BouchereauSales & Marketing Manager
blank profile picture
Greatest Image and Brand Transformation My sincere gratitude Arno for all your time, patience and refined skills in word smithing my resume, and guidance during these past few months. You and your firm’s expertise has been a game-changer. The results have transformed and elevated my brand that is uniquely me and the value I will bring to the right organization of my choice. I have only just beg…
RLynnO
blank profile picture 1
Amazing Experience with Arno Markus I researched and solicited recommendations from friends and business peers. I received a recommendation from a trusted friend to hire Arno Markus at iCareerSolutions to write my resume. I made the decision to lean into the experience of working with Arno. It’s something I do not regret. He was very much up front, sharing every detail for what to expect and he…
A future Scrum Master
blank profile picture 1
Arno is truly an artist with words when it comes to resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn. After being displaced due to my company being purchased, I was convinced that I could write my resume, after not doing one for over 16 years, as well as create the perfect LinkedIn profile. I soon learned that my new resume and LinkedIn profile were not getting the attention that I expected. A trusted friend …
John ThreadgillChief Information Officer
Matthew Getz
I have worked with Arno on two separate occasions. The first time was to create my resume and cover letter. He writes beautifully and taught me the importance of focusing on, not only what I want to be, but the best way to present it. His advice was invaluable and I landed a job quickly as a result. The second time was the creation of my LinkedIn profile, which I am delighted with. His input guide…
Matthew GetzVice President

Top Resume Writing Awards

Employers who have Onboarded Our Clients

Scroll to Top
Scroll to Top