The Case of the Lackluster CV: Overused Words. 10 cliché words or phrases to be avoided in the CV

Imagine you are an employer evaluating over a hundred curriculum vitae’s, or CVs and the same cliché words or phrases are repeated like a bad pop song. With that in mind, as candidates we should be more cautious with our word choice. The following list is a warning for those plagued with mechanical CV writing:

1. Worked: When at a loss for words it seems best to describe your work with the common phrased “worked on/with/for”, which is a step away from saying you simply “did” something. Think of what the actual task is such as: organized, assisted, strengthened or finalized. 
2. Motivated: In motivational psychology this term suggests there is a consistent force with direction and effort. Consider words that are synonyms of consistent, focused and determined.
3. Helped: Surely you are helpful but unless the job description specifically asks for candidates skilled at helping, avoid this unhelpful word.
4. Creative: Creativity is important as our careers move away from physical labour, but try to give an example as to how your are creative or were creative rather than simply labeling yourself.
5. Strong Communication skills: What are communication skills to you? What does this term include? Breaking it down will result in a more specific skill.
6. Exceeded goals: How did you exceed the goals? Also avoid saying “great” as a measurement when you do not provide why. Be sure to give actual numbers. This colloquialism leads to a common CV mistake.
7. People Person: Similar to “strong communication” this lacks specific skills or knowledge. Suggestions: Extroverted, Eloquent speaker, experienced in a diverse environment.
8. Reliable/ dependable: Those who expect rewards for ordinary accountabilities will be sorely disappointed. There is no need to list timeliness, dependability or loyalty. Focus more on genuine skills.
9. Flexible: Perhaps this could mean adaptive, or accommodating. Giving an example of flexibility would be better than classifying it.
10. Passionate: It is beautiful to have passion for something or someone but using this word on a resume seems a bit inappropriate. Try to explain why what ever it is you are passionate about is important to you and how this can be seen in your work.

When in doubt be sure to check out the University of Michigan list of action words here : http://careercenter.umich.edu/article/resume-action-words

This list of Action words from Wellesley College:
https://www.wellesley.edu/sites/default/files/assets/departments/cws/files/complete_list_of_action_verbs.pdf

And a nicely organized list from WriteExpress:
http://www.writeexpress.com/action-verbs.html

By: Caitlin Margoulis