Effective word choice is what really appeals to hiring managers. Here's a rundown of some words that hiring managers say detract from the persuasiveness of resumes they see. Assist, assisted Reasons to avoid: Hiring managers want to know what you did, not how you helped....

1. Use action verbs. Portray yourself as active, accomplished, intelligent, and capable of making a contribution. Examples: managed, launched, created, directed, established, organized, and supervised. 2. Avoid personal...