::free job search tips & tools::
Resume StrategiesIncorporating Keywords into your Resume can improve the likelihood your resume will come up on a keyword searchKeyword theory is relevant when companies utilize resume databases, since hiring managers will search on specific keywords to find candidates appropriate for the position they are looking to fill. A good way to approach this would be to include either a Skills Summary or Highlights section with 4-5 key bullets that include your key skills. Since I'm in the technology field, I also have a laundry list of core technologies that I work with at the bottom of my resume so that keyword searches for specific technologies don't exclude me. Because of the sheer number of people applying for positions these days, many companies have turned to utilizing candidate management systems, including software and databases that store applicant resumes and can "weed out" individuals who don't match the job criteria based on the skills and qualifications listed on their resumes. To make the most of your job search and to ensure you are not weeded out at the onset, it's important that your resume contains the keywords that are related to the job opening or industry you are applying to. |
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What is a Resume Keyword?Resume keywords are words, generally nouns or noun phrases, that the resume / candidate software has been programmed to search for. The more keywords or "hits" the candidate software finds in the resume, the more likely the document will be read by a human resources professional. I have heard that, for some federal job openings, a resume must have a 95% or higher hit rate in order to make it past this initial, electronic screening process. For example, the keywords for a Marketing Assistant might be: For a web designer, keywords might be: Where to Find Keywords1. Current and Previous Job Descriptions In most positions, employees are given job descriptions. Using these, pull out nouns or noun phrases of what you do on a daily basis, so long as those tasks are still relevant to your current job search. 2. Resumes Cull data from the Professional Experience and Skill sections of your current or old resumes. These daily duties will provide relevant and significant keywords for your scannable resume. 3. Job Postings These are perhaps the most significant resource a candidate can use. By dovetailing past experience with required qualifications and skills, a candidate is effectively targeting the new job, while enhancing candidacy. How to Use Keyword Strategy in your ResumeThere are different ways to approach incorporating keywords into your resume. Here are a few strategies worth considering: 1. Create a keyword list for inclusion at the very beginning of your resume. 2. Embed keywords in a section, for example Career Highlights or Summary of Skills. For technical folks, including a table of Technologies Used is another way to address this. 3. Sprinkle keywords throughout your resume. Regardless of the method you use, remember that the rest of your resume, and of course your actual skills and experience need to back up the keywords you've chosen.
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| Roberta Dulay is a project management professional, a seasoned job seeker, and the developer of Jobfiler.com. She has developed a number of career oriented web sites and has taught seminars on job search strategy for career coaches and job seekers. You can contact her through this web site. | |||
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