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The job market in 2025 is highly competitive, and employers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate relevant and up-to-date skills.
The job market in 2025 is more competitive than ever, and a strong CV can make all the difference in landing an interview. However, many job seekers unknowingly include outdated, irrelevant, or overused information that turns off employers.
Recruiters spend only a few seconds scanning each CV, meaning you must make an impact quickly. Listing unnecessary details or failing to highlight the right skills can cause your application to be overlooked.
To increase your chances of success, here are the things you should remove from your CV in 2025—plus better ways to present your experience and qualifications.
1. Basic Microsoft Office skills
In 2025, listing Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint as skills is unnecessary. These are considered fundamental skills that employers expect everyone to have. Including them can make your CV look outdated and take up valuable space.
What to include instead: Highlight advanced or industry-specific software relevant to your field. For example:
2. Generic social media management
Simply stating 'social media management' is no longer enough. Employers want candidates who can demonstrate specific expertise and measurable success in digital marketing.
What to Include Instead:
Be precise about your experience and expertise. For example:
Mention specific platforms you have worked on, such as Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or YouTube.
Highlight your ability to run paid advertising campaigns, like Facebook Ads or LinkedIn Ads.
Showcase your knowledge of analytics tools such as Google Analytics
This level of detail proves that you are not just familiar with social media but understand how to use it effectively for business growth.
3. Overused like ‘hardworking’ or ‘dedicated’
Words like 'hardworking', 'team player', and 'dedicated' are vague and do not provide evidence of your capabilities. Employers prefer real examples that showcase your skills.
What to Include Instead:
Use measurable results to demonstrate your achievements. For eaxmple:
Led a team of five to complete a project two weeks ahead of schedule, increasing efficiency by 15%.
Achieved 100% of sales targets for four consecutive months.
Employers are more likely to take notice when you provide concrete achievements instead of generic descriptions.
4. Basic customer service skills
Writing 'customer service skills' on your CV is not enough. Employers assume that anyone applying for a customer-facing role already has these skills.
What to Include Instead:
Show how you have excelled in customer service roles:
Highlight experience using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools.
Mention a time when you solved a complex customer issue and how it benefited the business.
Talk about how you increased customer satisfaction or retention rates.
Employers want to see how you go beyond basic customer interactions to create real business value.
5. Phrases such as ‘team player’
While teamwork is important, simply writing 'team player' does not prove your ability to work well with others. Instead, provide examples of how you have successfully collaborated with a team.
What to Include Instead:
Demonstrate teamwork through real scenarios:
Worked with a team of designers to launch a new product, increasing sales by 25%.
Collaborated with marketing and sales teams to create a new client onboarding process
This approach clearly shows your ability to contribute to a team in a meaningful way.
6. Unnecessary personal details
Many job seekers still include personal information that is irrelevant and, in some cases, legally unnecessary. This includes:
Marital status
Religion
Date of birth
Full home address
These details do not impact your ability to do the job and could lead to unconscious bias in the hiring process.
What to Include Instead:
Only provide essential contact details:
Your name
Professional email address
Phone number
Linked In profile (If Necessary)
This ensures your CV remains professional and focused on your skills and experience.
7. Hobbies and interests (If not relevant to the job)
Including hobbies and interests can make your CV look cluttered, especially if they have no connection to the job you are applying for.
What to Include Instead:
If you want to list hobbies, make sure they add value to your application. For example:
If applying for a marketing role, mention blogging, photography, or content creation.
If applying for a tech role, mention coding projects or hackathons.
If applying for a leadership role, mention volunteering in team-based activities or coaching.
This helps employers see how your personal interests align with your professional skills.
8. References available upon request
Writing 'references available upon request' is unnecessary. Employers already expect to ask for references if they reach that stage of the hiring process.
What to do instead:
Use the space to highlight additional skills, achievements, or projects that strengthen your application. If a recruiter needs references, they will ask for them.
Why does this matter?
Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan CVs for relevant keywords. If your CV includes outdated or irrelevant information, it might not even make it to a hiring manager’s desk.
Additionally, recruiters can quickly tell when a CV lacks industry-relevant skills. If they do not see evidence of modern expertise, they might assume you are not keeping up with trends—reducing your chances of being called for an interview.
How to keep your CV relevant
To ensure your CV remains effective in 2025, follow these tips:
Regularly update your skills – Stay informed about the latest technologies and industry trends.
Customise your CV for each job – Tailor it to match the job description and required skills.
Showcase results – Use numbers and specific achievements to prove your expertise.
Keep it concise – Avoid unnecessary details and focus on what matters most.