Words you should remove from your resumé

Your resumé is a chance for you to secure an interview. To ensure that your resumé stands out and avoids the risk of being overlooked, it must move past generic language and common buzzwords.  

Hundreds of applications are often reviewed by recruiters (especially in high-volume industries like BPOs and shared services), and your potential can be powerfully highlighted when vague claims are replaced with clear achievements. 

We asked Elizha Corpus, a Human Resources Consultant specializing in Talent Culture Transformation and Leadership Development, how Filipino job seekers can best articulate their value and what phrases hiring managers are truly looking for instead. "If you would like to differentiate yourself from other applicants, replacing common phrases with specific evidence will significantly boost your profile," advises Corpus. "Recruiters are looking for evidence of behavior, not just adjectives. Show, don’t tell." 

Replace these 9 buzzwords with high-impact language 

To have a competitive resumé, terms like “Masipag” (hardworking), “Madiskarte" (resourceful), and "willing to be trained" are well-intended, but they have become too generic to be effective. 

To ensure your application stands out, you should replace these overused terms with concrete evidence of your performance. Here are the words local HR practitioners strongly recommend you swap out so your achievements truly shine: 

• Hard worker / masipag 
• Willing to learn / fast learner 
• People person / pleasing personality 
• Team player / Works well with others 
• Self-motivated / Self-starter 
• Can work under minimal supervision 
• With good communication skills 
• Fast worker 
• Loyal 

Corpus also advises how to demonstrate professional loyalty, especially given the cultural concept of utang na loob (debt of gratitude). "Loyalty isn’t about never leaving a company," she says. "It’s about staying long enough to make a meaningful impact. Employers want to see how you handled responsibilities or saw key projects through. That consistency and growth are the best measure of 'loyalty' beyond just words." 

Start showing results in your resumé 

The main strategy for Filipino job seekers is to transform duties into achievements by pairing strong action verbs with measurable, quantifiable results. To illustrate how to rephrase a generic claim, consider this shift: 

For example, instead of saying, “responsible for handling customer complaints,” you could say “Resolved an average of 20 customer complaints a week with a consistent 93% satisfaction rating. Corpus recommends the format: verb + describe what you did + the measurable result or contribution and don’t underestimate the value of local achievements. “We often underestimate the value of the on-the-ground, community-level work many Filipinos do outside their formal jobs." She notes that involvement in volunteer groups, church ministries, or local barangay projects demonstrates real leadership, coordination, and malasakit. 

Job seekers should actively use these experiences as concrete examples of initiative and teamwork. For instance, highlighting community work, such as organizing a donation drive for the local parish, mobilizing 50+ volunteers or showcasing transferable skills from part-time or BPO/Service Roles, such as ‘Handled an average of 80 customer interactions daily, maintaining a 95% satisfaction rating'. 

"These aren’t small things," Corpus adds. "Whether it’s from BPO experience, LGU work, or community involvement, what stands out to employers are stories that show impact, ownership, and genuine engagement. These examples show your ability to manage projects, influence people, and get things done with limited resources—skills that translate across all Philippine industries." 

How to impress a local recruiter or hirer 

While multinational companies rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), many local companies still use manual screening. For these local HR managers reviewing hundreds of applications, one factor stands out immediately: clarity and format. 

"Being clear is being kind," says Ms. Corpus. "Recruiters are tired. A clean, easy-to-read resumé will be inviting a recruiter to review." 

Ensure your resumé uses: 

• Consistent font styles and professional layout. 
• Clear headers (like education and work experience) that are easy to scan. 

“After making a great first visual impression, your quantified achievements must hook the reader. If you successfully write your bullet points using action verbs and results, your resumé starts telling a story. It becomes more exciting, and more interesting to read," concludes Ms. Corpus.