Legal Law

Resume Tip – Words to remove from your resume – "assisted, helped"

In lists of powerful verbs posted on some resume help websites, you’ll find the words “Assisted” and “Assisted.” Unfortunately, if you rely on lists like this, you may be sorely disappointed.

The verbs “Assisted” and “Help” should be used only when you are describing your work in a very specific category: Helping. That’s the *only* place these verbs belong! Examples are below.

Telling us on your resume that you helped someone with something is just as informative as it gets. Honestly, I don’t care that you’ve been on the set of a movie. I want to know that you held a camera or a boom; who ordered pizza (or handled catering orders); or that you solved problems in emergency situations.

It is essential that you do not be fooled into thinking that Assisted and Helped are always verbs of power. They often just lead to vague and uninteresting vignettes.

Compared:

on. Supported artists and personal network.

B. Accompanied artists to TV appearances and mediated between artists and network staff.

And compare:

on. Assisted with small claims cases.

B. Managed all phases of collection and litigation of small claims cases. He attended small claims court; he instructed the court clerk and court commissioner as to what action to take in company cases.

version b. in both cases it is much more interesting and descriptive than version a.

There are limited situations where it may be appropriate to use the words “Assisted” or “Assisted.” For example:

on. Helped disabled adults perform simple job tasks at their workplaces.

B. I assisted elderly residents with their personal and financial records.

Note in these last two examples that while there may be other ways to express bullet points, we’re not left wondering, “Well, what exactly did you do to help or help?”

Take a look at your resume. Did you find the words “Help” or “Assisted”? If so, can you be more specific about what you did? Draw us a picture. We want to know.

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