Interview hack: 5 misused words on your CV that can make you look dumb

It’s possible you’re misusing common words unknowingly, and these mistakes don’t just make a poor impression, they could change the message you’re trying to communicate.

As you write your curriculum vitae, make sure that you are using words as they should be so your CV doesn’t land in the rejection pile.

1. Less/Fewer

When deciding whether to use less or fewer, ask yourself whether what you are trying to describe is countable or not. Fewer should be used only for plural numbered/countable nouns while lesser for singular mass nouns that can’t be reasonably counted. You can also use lesser for numbers that are a single or total unit, which is usually paired with the word than.

#2. Assure/Insure/Ensure

Assure means to reassure or to give confidence in something. Ensure means to make certain and it’s considered a power word by some CV experts. In a CV, you should write: “I ensured customer satisfaction with a 30-day money-back guarantee, as evidenced by a 40 per cent growth in sales.” Insure can sometimes be used interchangeably with ensure but it is better to use the power word ensure.

#3. Elicit/Illicit

These words may sound alike, but they have very different meanings. Elicit is a verb, meaning to draw out or call forth a response or reaction. For example, “I implemented an unlimited policy, eliciting a 30-per cent jump in employee retainment across a two-year span.” Illicit is an adjective, meaning something illegal or a behaviour that is socially disapproved.

4. Further vs. Farther

Although they’re sometimes used interchangeably, further and farther technically have different meanings. Use farther when talking about physical distance. For example, “I left my previous job because I moved farther away.” Further should be used for figurative distance. For instance, on a CV you might write that you “furthered the team’s skill with your unlimited policy.”

5. Perspective vs. Prospective

Perspective relates to a particular way of looking or thinking about something. For example, “My unique background and perspective helped the team sell products to niche markets, boosting sales by 50 per cent.” Prospective means an expected result. Example: “Based on the prospective market analysis, I invested $40,000 into digital technologies, increasing productivity by 25 per cent.”