As technology evolves, the role of keywords in resume writing becomes even more important. Long gone are the days of walking into a business and filling out a paper application or handing your resume to a manager. Almost everything is done online instead.

Appealing to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Many employers use applicant tracking systems or ATS to pre-screen candidates’ resumes. These systems are programmed to look for specific words and phrases, and if your resume doesn’t have what it’s looking for, it gets passed over. Even if your resume is reviewed by a human, that person will still be skimming it for these same keywords and qualifications.

ATS may also look at the frequency with which you use keywords as well as the context. That means you need to be strategic. Overloading your resume with target words can get it rejected because the system recognizes that you’ve used certain words an unnatural number of times. This is known as keyword stuffing. You don’t want to keep plugging in words just for the sake of using them.

Where to Find Appropriate Keywords

In order to effectively use keywords in your resume, you have to know where to find them. What are ATS looking for? You may not know exactly what terms an employer is searching for, but you can get a pretty good idea by doing a little research. Try pasting the job descriptions into a word cloud generator to see which terms are most prominent.

  • Check the job description. Carefully read through the job posting and see which words pop. Are there certain terms that are used multiple times or sound important? The most important aspects of the job are often listed first, so focus your attention there, as well as on the qualifications section. Here you can generally find a breakdown of essential skills.
  • Check the website. You can also look at the company website and get a feel for the terminology they use when discussing their products, services, customers, and culture. Try to make your resume reflect that.
  • Check similar job openings. Compare several postings for the same job title and see if there are keywords that appear across multiple descriptions. This is a good indicator that it is important for the role and probably something you should incorporate into your resume.
  • Check higher-level positions. Are you hoping to advance in your career? See what keywords are used in more senior roles and how those align with your abilities. Sprinkling some of these phrases throughout your resume can set you apart from other candidates and let an employer see your potential.

Also keep in mind that employers are looking for terms that apply to a variety of areas, including:

  • Hard skills
  • Soft skills
  • Education
  • Certifications
  • Software

How to Use Keywords in Resume Writing

Now that you know what terms you want to use, the next step is to effectively weave them into your resume. Keep in mind that you want your keyword use to sound natural. You don’t want to be grammatically incorrect or read awkwardly just because you’re trying to cram in a certain word.

The phrases that you’ve identified should be used throughout different sections of your resume, including the summary, core competencies, experience, and education. This allows you to use them more than once, to incorporate a variety of words, and to effectively convey your knowledge, skills, and experience.

Change things up.

Consider using different variations of keywords in resume writing. For instance, in the summary and competencies you might use “project manager,” but then in your experience and certifications sections you might use “project management” instead. You could also alternate between using “data analysis” and “analyzing data.” Since you don’t know exactly what keywords the employer might be screening for, this can help your chances of hitting on a wider range of terms.

Tailor for each role.

While it can seem time consuming to adjust your resume for each role you want to apply to, it can be worth it. The better your resume aligns with the position, the greater chance you have of landing an interview. Pay attention to the exact keywords used in the description. For example, if the company uses “clients” instead of “customers” or “partners” instead of “suppliers.”

Use full terms and acronyms.

Although certain abbreviations may be common in your industry, you don’t know who wrote the job description, what they entered into the ATS, or who will be reading your resume. It’s a good idea to use both the full phrase and the acronym, such as Key Performance Indicators and KPIs or Learning Management System and LMS.

Capitalizing on Keywords in Resume Writing

Using the right keywords in resume writing can have a major impact on your job search, allowing employers to more easily find you and see how you align with the role. They can also help you appeal to ATS and make it through the initial screening process.

Don’t leave your job search up to chance. Make sure your resume contains appropriate keywords for the roles you’re seeking and is formatted to work with applicant tracking systems. Contact Grammar Chic at (803) 831-7444 or resumewriting@grammarchic.net to get started.