What You Should Not to Put on Your CV in 2025

The job market in 2025 is fast-paced and competitive, making it more important than ever to tailor your CV to what employers really want to see. 

It’s not just about listing skills, it’s about showcasing the right skills that align with today’s job demands. Including outdated or irrelevant skills can hurt your chances of landing an interview. Here are some things you should avoid putting on your CV in 2025 and what you can include instead.

Basic microsoft office skills

In 2025, mentioning your ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint is unnecessary. These are considered basic skills that most employers assume you already have. Listing them wastes valuable space on your CV.

What to do instead: Highlight specialized tools that are relevant to your field. For example:

• If you work in project management, mention tools like Trello, Monday.com, or Asana.
• For data roles, focus on software like Tableau, Power BI, or SQL.
• In creative industries, emphasize programs like Adobe Photoshop or Canva.

These tools show employers you’re up-to-date with the latest technologies in your industry.

Generic social media management

Simply listing “social media management” no longer impresses employers. In 2025, they want to see specific expertise that proves you can deliver results.

What to do instead: Be specific about your skills and experience. For example:

• Mention platforms you’ve worked on, like Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn.
• Highlight your expertise in running paid ad campaigns (e.g., Facebook Ads or LinkedIn Ads).
• Talk about your ability to use tools like Google Analytics, Hootsuite, or Buffer to track performance.

This level of detail shows that you’re not just familiar with social media but also understand how to use it strategically.

Overused Buzzwords Like ‘Hardworking’ or ‘Dedicated’

Terms like “hardworking” or “dedicated” have lost their impact. Why? Because they’re vague and subjective. Anyone can write these words, but they don’t provide concrete proof of your abilities.

What to do instead: Use specific examples to demonstrate these qualities. For instance:

• Instead of saying “hardworking,” you could write, “Led a cross-functional team to deliver a project two weeks ahead of schedule, resulting in a 15% increase in productivity.”
• Instead of “dedicated,” say, “Consistently met monthly sales targets, exceeding expectations by 20% over the past year.”

Actions speak louder than buzzwords. Provide measurable results to back up your claims.

Basic customer service skills

In 2025, basic customer service abilities like handling complaints or answering questions are considered a given. Simply stating “customer service skills” doesn’t add value to your CV.

What to do instead: Highlight advanced customer service competencies, such as:

• Proficiency in using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools like Salesforce or HubSpot.
• Success in resolving complex customer issues or improving customer retention rates.
• Examples of building long-term customer relationships that boosted business growth.

These examples demonstrate how your skills go beyond the basics and directly contribute to business success.

The phrase ‘Team Player’

While being a team player is important, writing it as a phrase on your CV doesn’t carry much weight. It’s overused and doesn’t explain how you’ve actually contributed to a team’s success.

What to do instead: Show, don’t tell. Use examples to highlight your collaboration skills, such as:

• “Collaborated with a team of five designers to launch a new product, resulting in a 25% increase in sales within three months.”
• “Worked closely with the marketing and sales departments to develop a new client onboarding process, reducing onboarding time by 30%.”

By sharing specific situations, you prove your ability to work well in a team.

Why this matters

Listing outdated skills or generic terms on your CV can hurt your chances of passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These systems scan for keywords that match job descriptions. If your CV includes irrelevant skills, it might fail to make it through the screening process.

Employers are also quick to spot when a CV lacks modern, industry-relevant skills. They might interpret this as a sign that you’re not keeping up with trends or technologies, which could cost you the interview.

How to stay relevant

To ensure your CV stands out:

• Regularly review job descriptions in your field to identify in-demand skills and tools.
• Replace outdated skills with more relevant ones, even if it means learning something new.
• Tailor your CV for each application, focusing on what the employer is looking for.

Your CV is your first impression. By avoiding outdated terms and emphasizing current, 

practical skills, you can position yourself as a top candidate for the jobs you want. In 2025, it’s not just about having skills—it’s about having the right ones.