Words to Avoid in Your Resume/CV

Term	Reasons to avoid	Example	Possible rephrasing
Assist, assisted	Hiring managers want to know how you did, not how you helped. If you’re familiar enough with a task to put it on your resume, you can choose a better word that assist.	Assisted marketing director by researching…	Researched for marketing department.
Experiment	No one wants to hear about what you tried to do – only what you have accomplished	Experimented with new management software.	Tested and evaluated new management software.
Skillfully, effectively, carefully, quickly, expert, mastered	Hiring managers often object to words that describe how well you do a particular task. In many cases, it comes across as boastful – and it’s unnecessary. “If you aren’t good at it, why are you putting it on your resume?” one recruiter said.	Skillfully managed transition from Windows NT to Windows Server 2003	Migrated organization from Windows NT to Windows Server 2003 with no downtime during business hours.
Cutting-edge, detail-oriented, facilitate, coordinate, transform, synergy, and liaison	Hiring managers say such words take up space without communicating much. They’ve seen them so often that the words have lost their original energy. Provide details and substance, not tired business jargon.	Detail-oriented manager with proven ability to oversee day-to-day network operations and to implement major technology initiatives.	Supervised an eight-member staff; completed two full-scale platform migrations; consolidated equipment and resources following facilities move.