Quintessential Careers Press:
The Quintessential Guide to Words to Get Hired By
Chapter 8: Words to Avoid
Page 171
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Avoid phrases that sound like legalese, such as "including, but not limited to..." That's another phrase that comes right out of a job description. Employers use it to cover themselves in case they hire you and add job duties they had not initially thought of when they advertised your position.
For the most part, avoid articles - those little words "a," "an," and "the." Generally speaking, resumes aren't written in sentence form, but in concise "telegraph" phrases that have become an accepted shorthand that employers understand. Articles tend to clutter up that shorthand; your resume will read in a more streamlined manner without them. Consider the "before" and "after" examples in the table below:
| BEFORE: | AFTER: |
| Recruited to manage the women’s division and oversee the opening of the Madison Avenue Store. | Recruited to manage women’s division and oversee Madison Avenue store opening. |
| Promoted within five months to Vice-President and General Manager of the Beverly Hills store. | Promoted within five months to Vice-President and General Manager of Beverly Hills store. |
| Managed and controlled all aspects of the company’s presence on the West Coast. | Managed and controlled all aspects of company’s West Coast presence. |
| Coordinated and supervised all aspects of the opening of the Beverly Hills Store. | Coordinated and supervised all aspects of Beverly Hills store opening. |
| Facilitated the development of management and staff to ensure store growth and minimize turnover. | Facilitated management and staff development to ensure store growth and minimize turnover. |
| Created a high profile for the store through effective personal relations with the entertainment community, Chamber of Commerce, the City of Beverly Hills and charity organizations. | Created high profile for store through effective personal relations with entertainment community, Chamber of Commerce, the City of Beverly Hills and charity organizations. |
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