Outdated Phrases to Leave off Your Resume

Writing a resume can be a daunting task, especially since you are forced to sell yourself to a hiring manager with only one to two pages where you can list out your extensive experience. Chances are, there are probably some phrases on your resume you can leave off or swap out for new terminology.

Here are some outdated phrases to take off your resume and make space for your most recent skills and expertise.

Lingo

There are buzzwords that come and go, but few stay forever. Check your resume every few years to catch any outdated phrases that were once commonplace in the office, but are now passé.

“There are many tech words that have been so overused in the last 20 years that they really have lost their meaning and now symbolize "old" thinking. Synergy and robust are two such words, and if I ever see them in a resume, I immediately tune out. Great substitutes would be cooperation or teamwork for synergy and potent, powerful or durable for robust,” states Jeff Kear, owner of Planning Pod.

Microsoft Office

When computers were new to the workplace, having experience using Microsoft Word was definitely something to brag about. Nowadays, its kind of a given. And if you have extensive knowledge, for example, you know the ins and outs of Excel or Microsoft Access, you should list out in more detail than just Microsoft Office.

James Lewis, Technical Marketing Director KEMET Electronics, INC points out that everyone claims knowledge of Microsoft Office " but few actually know more than just how to launch the applications. I have never interviewed someone who could explain why to use styles were in Word or the importance of editing a PowerPoint’s properties."

Outdated Programming Languages

Programming languages come and go, so it’s important to rid your resume of any outdated languages unless the job description explicitly states they want a candidate with that experience. And always remember to add in new version numbers as languages get updated.

Simon Slade, CEO and co-founder of Affilorama suggests leaving off languages such as, “Fortran, Cobol, QBasic, and Pascal. Unless the job requirements list out-dated programming languages, [you risk coming] off as someone that’s out of touch—not extremely skilled.”

Web Designer

Websites have gotten more complex since the dawn of the Internet and the required job titles to run a website have, in turn, grown more complex. Therefore, stating you are a web developer might not be enough to key a hiring manager into your knowledge.

Jonathan of Kroll CTO of an education technology company states, "Web Designer is the biggest offender that comes to mind. This used to mean that you designed the website and built it. But back then websites were simple. So what used to be Web Designer has now been fleshed out to specific categories: Interface Designer or Front-end Designer. Within this there's even people who focus on mobile design, i.e. Mobile Interface Designer, Front-end Engineer, User Interface Developer, or UI Engineer builds the designs into an actual interface.

Basic Computing Skills

If you’re applying for a job in tech, it’s going to be understood you have basic computing skills. Especially if you are applying to a job in IT, engineering, web development, or any other field that would require you to have a solid background in computing. Leave this off and save that space for your more impressive skills and qualifications.

Word Processing

Similar to listing Microsoft Office on your resume, if you haven’t deleted word processing off your skill set, it’s time to refresh your resume. If you’re in tech, it’s a given that you have experience word processing, and listing it on your resume could make it seem outdated.

Carol Cochran, Director of HR for FlexJobs states, “Certainly, things like WPM and word processing are outdated skills and, given the common use of computers and smartphones, hiring managers assume that the most basic level of tech skills are there.”

Passé Email Accounts

Changing your email can be a pain, but your AOL or Hotmail account might betray the tech knowledge you are trying to display. As Cochran states, “When I see contact information using @aol.com or another older email client, it does make me pause. It wouldn't necessarily take someone out of the running but there needs to be compelling evidence that the person tries to stay current with technology in other ways.”

There’s a reason many of us rarely change our emails, it’s the way we log into accounts, our family and friends all have it, and changing your contact information on every online account isn’t the easiest task. However, one option is to create a new email that you can use to apply to jobs. It’s a good idea anyway to separate your personal email account from the account you use to apply to jobs with. That way you can avoid any potential mishaps when emailing a recipe to your mom and accidentally CC’ing your recruiter.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is definitely a hot topic in tech right now, but chances are a lot of people are including it on their resumes. You should use terms that demonstrate your specific knowledge in cloud computing, such as different software and technologies.

As Slade states, “Although 'cloud computing' is a modern term, it's too broad and may lead employers to think that your understanding of the niche is not current. It would be similar to saying you can 'code.' Instead, applicants should name specific cloud technologies in which they have skills."

Outdated Experience

It’s great that you did an internship when you were a senior in college, but if you are more than ten years out from graduating, it might be time to consolidate this section of your resume. Instead of listing out everything you did at your ten year old internship, just list the company you interned with, and if the hiring manager happens to have any questions you can answer them in the interview. Chances are, they are going to be more interested in your most recent work experience and projects. But ignore this tip if you are a new or recent grad since internships will put you ahead of the game when your resume is lacking years of experience.