Keeping your CV current isn’t just a suggestion; it’s essential for success in today’s fiercely competitive environment.
Listing outdated resume skills can significantly reduce your chances of catching an employer’s eye and, more importantly, successfully navigating Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that many companies use to screen applications.
It’s not merely about what skills you include, but ensuring they align perfectly with current industry demands and future trends.
5 Skills to IMMEDIATELY Remove from Your CV (and What to Add Instead!)
According to career experts, here are five skills you should avoid listing on your resume in 2025, along with actionable advice on how to replace them with more relevant competencies that truly resonate with Nigerian employers:
1. Basic Microsoft Office Suite Knowledge
Why it’s outdated: Basic knowledge of programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is now a universal expectation across almost all professional roles. It’s assumed, not impressive.
What to list instead: Highlight specialized software directly relevant to your target industry. For instance:
- Project Management: Asana, Trello, Monday.com, Jira
- Data Analysis: Tableau, Power BI, Python (with libraries like Pandas), R, SQL
- Design/Creative: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Figma, Sketch
- Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace (advanced features)
These specific tools demonstrate industry-aligned expertise and instantly make your profile stand out.
2. General Social Media Management
Why it’s outdated: “Social media management” is now far too generic. The digital landscape, especially in Nigeria, is dynamic, and platforms constantly evolve.
What to list instead: Employers in 2025 are looking for much more specific, quantifiable social media expertise. If you have social media experience, focus on:
- Content Creation & Strategy: Video editing (e.g., CapCut, Adobe Premiere Rush for short-form content), graphic design (Canva), storytelling.
- Paid Social Media Advertising: Proficiency in platforms like Meta Ads Manager (Facebook/Instagram Ads), LinkedIn Ads, X Ads (formerly Twitter Ads), TikTok Ads.
- Analytics & Reporting: Google Analytics, Meta Business Suite Insights, social media specific analytics tools (e.g., Sprout Social, Hootsuite analytics).
- Community Management: Experience building and engaging online communities, crisis management.
Highlighting these specialized skills shows employers you are current with advanced digital marketing trends and strategies.
3. Overused Buzzwords: “Hardworking” or “Dedicated”
Why they’re outdated: While qualities like being hardworking or dedicated are indeed valued, these terms are subjective and cannot be directly proven on a resume. They’re generic descriptors that don’t differentiate you.
What to list instead: Instead of stating these traits, show them through specific, quantifiable examples of your achievements.
- Instead of: “Hardworking employee”
- Try: “Streamlined a workflow that reduced project completion time by 15%.”
- Instead of: “Dedicated to tasks”
- Try: “Exceeded monthly sales targets by 20% for six consecutive months.”
This approach provides tangible evidence of your abilities, work ethic, and impact. Use action verbs and quantifiable results.
4. Basic Customer Service Skills
Why it’s outdated: Employers now consider basic customer service skills a fundamental expectation for almost any role involving interaction, whether internal or external.
What to list instead: Elevate your customer interaction skills by highlighting your expertise in modern tools and advanced soft skills:
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Tools: Proficiency in Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, Zoho CRM.
- Conflict Resolution: Specific examples of successfully resolving complex customer issues or de-escalating challenging situations.
- Relationship Building: Demonstrated ability to build long-term customer loyalty and foster positive client relationships.
- Data-Driven Service: Using customer feedback or data to improve service processes.
Emphasizing these areas shows you can make a deeper, more strategic impact on the overall customer experience and business goals.
5. The Generic “Team Player” Phrase
Why it’s outdated: “Team player” is one of the most overused and vague phrases on resumes. It tells the employer nothing specific about your collaborative abilities.
What to list instead: Demonstrate your collaboration skills with concrete examples from past projects.
- Instead of: “Great team player”
- Try: “Collaborated with cross-functional teams (marketing, sales, tech) to launch a new product feature, resulting in a 10% increase in user engagement.”
- Describe: A project where you actively contributed to group goals, highlighting your specific role, the challenges faced, and the collective results achieved. Emphasize how your input led to successful outcomes for the team.
This approach provides tangible evidence of your ability to contribute effectively within a group setting.
Why Outdated Skills Hurt Your Job Search (ATS and Beyond)
Including outdated resume skills on your CV can significantly reduce your chances of getting noticed, primarily due to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
These systems, widely used by employers in Nigeria and globally, are designed to screen resumes for specific keywords that match the job listing.
If your resume contains irrelevant or outdated skills, it may lack the keywords the ATS is actively searching for, causing your application to be prematurely filtered out.
Furthermore, an ATS might interpret these outdated skills as a lack of knowledge regarding newer technologies or industry standards, negatively affecting your chances of progressing to the interview stage.
Beyond ATS, a human recruiter reviewing your CV will quickly spot irrelevant skills, which can signal a lack of awareness about industry trends or a failure to continuously develop your professional competencies.
Stay Ahead: Keep Your CV Relevant
To avoid listing outdated resume skills, it’s crucial to regularly review and update your CV.
Make it a routine practice! Proactively research current job descriptions for roles you aspire to.
Identify recurring keywords, tools, and responsibilities specific to your industry in Nigeria and beyond.
Staying informed about emerging technologies, evolving industry practices, and desired soft skills will ensure your CV remains relevant and perfectly aligned with employer expectations.
By focusing on in-demand competencies, you dramatically improve your chances of passing through ATS filters and securing that all-important interview.
Your CV: A Reflection of Your Future
Your resume is more than just a list of past jobs; it’s a powerful reflection of your current professional capabilities and your potential for future contributions.
By meticulously focusing on current, industry-relevant skills, you can make a stronger, more impactful impression on employers and truly stand out in Nigeria’s rapidly changing job market.
Keeping your CV up to date is not just advisable; it’s the key to unlocking exciting opportunities in 2025 and well into the future.
