The words you choose on your resume can matter just as much as your experience and some could be costing you interviews without you even realising it, an expert warns.
This is according to the business ResumeCoach which reports that recruiters are seeing the same vague and overused phrases appear again and again on CVs, making it harder for candidates to stand out, particularly as more employers rely on AI tools to screen applications.
“When recruiters look at a resume, they want to quickly understand what you’ve done and trust what they’re reading,” according to a report. “As long as you can support your claims, you’re in a good place – but swapping out weaker words for clearer ones can definitely improve your chances of scoring an interview.”
Calling yourself an ‘expert’
One word that often causes issues is ‘expert’. While it may sound confident, the report suggests this can easily backfire if a CV doesn’t clearly show seniority, specialist responsibility or long-term impact.
Calling yourself an expert can feel vague on its own. Recruiters tend to respond better when experience explains it for them. For example, by saying you specialized in something, led a project, or worked extensively on a particular area, with clear detail to back it up.
Using the phrase ‘responsible for’
The phrase responsible for appears on a huge number of CVs but it rarely adds much detail. It tends to describe what sat within a role, rather than what someone actually achieved.
Using clearer verbs such as managed, developed, oversaw or delivered helps recruiters see responsibility more quickly and understand the level of involvement.
Relying on buzzphrases
When you’re writing your CV, you want to highlight your skills and experience in a way that helps you stand out from the other hundreds of resumes companies receive.
And when you use buzzphrases, you are doing exactly the opposite of that, especially because these phrases, like think outside the box or results-oriented, rarely add useful detail.
Describing personality instead of outcomes
Words like hard-working and motivated are meant to sound positive, but on a CV they rarely add much on their own. Because they show up so often, they tend to fade into the background rather than help someone stand out.
“Most employers already assume effort,” the report observes. “What recruiters respond to more is seeing how that effort actually showed up in the role – whether that’s projects completed, targets met, or specific improvements delivered.”
The language that tends to work better on CVs
According to ResumeCoach, CVs that perform better usually rely on clear, action-led wording and specific detail.
Small wins still count. Showing even modest results helps employers understand your impact, especially when an algorithm is reading your CV first. A quick example of a challenge you tackled can also say a lot about how you work.
Another green flag is using language that fits the role you’re applying for, and showing how you’ve grown over time.
“That might be taking on more responsibility, picking up new skills or widening your remit and it helps employers see where you fit and where you could go next,” the report indicates.
The finidngs also note that structure matters, especially now as many companies rely on AI for a first scan. CVs that are easy to scan – with clear job titles, short bullet points and concise descriptions – make it easier for both recruiters and screening tools to pick out key information quickly.
“The strongest CVs don’t rely on buzzwords,” the report concludes. “They focus on clarity, which makes it easier for recruiters and screening systems to understand someone’s value.”
