What To Know About Resume Keywords

What To Know About Resume Keyrogers The 3 things every job seeker needs to know about keywordsEnsure you have the proper keywords on your resume. When you submit a resume online, you probably feel like youre sending your materials into a giant maw full of thousands of other resumeswhere it will most likely beswallowed by the computer and never seen again.And youre right.Todays use of applicant tracking ordnungsprinzips means that you absolutely need to usekeywords to ensure that your resume gets past the robots, andseenby human eyes.But the wrong tack on this strategy can backfire.Usekeywords effectively with the following tips..embed-container position relative padding-bottom 56.25% height 0 overflow hidden max-width 100% .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed position absolute top 0 left 0 width 100% height 100% 1. Be specificStart by checking the job description to determine which target keywords are actually relevant. Broad keywo rds such as marketing or accounting dont tell recruiters and hiring managers much about what youve done, says Lisa Rangel, founder and managing director of New Jersey-based Chameleon Resumes.You could have had any role within those departments and the reader wouldnt know which position you held, she says.Plus, the system is probably programmed to look beyond those words, since just abouteverybody applying for a marketing position will have marketing on their resume.Better move Find ways to incorporate specific terms or titles. Accounts receivable, head of market research, or digital media recruiter are terms that are more specific and increase possibilities of your resume or profile being found, Rangel says.2. Provide contextMichelle Robin of Brand Your Career in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, says she often sees resumes that simply list the keywords under a heading of core competencies or key skillsbut this is a mistake.Applicant tracking systems are getting smarter and looking for conte xt, she says.Instead, strategically work the keywords into stories.Provide examples of what youve accomplished around the keyword.When you tell the story, the keywords will fit in naturally, saysAtlanta-based career advisor Jacqueline Twillie.Robin suggests usingthe keyword asa lead to an achievement bullet. For exampleProcess improvement Eliminated redundancies in training logs and reallocated 8+ hours/month for HR generalist to focus more on partnering with the geschftlicher umgang.In this example, the keyword process improvement leads to a specific achievement that highlights the applicants skills and abilities, boosting the keywords relevance and providing information beyond the word itself.If you doinclude a keyword in your skills section, make sure that skill shows up elsewhere on your resume, says Stacey Sykes of Sweet Resumes in Dallas, Texas. Because the more sophisticated applicant tracking systems check for context, using a keyword only once can be a red flag.3. Dont over do itYou can overdo it with keywords, Twillie says. Once your materials get past the computer, they have to get past the first reader (maybe someone in HR) who further narrows theoptions.If your resume is so packed with keywords that its difficult to understand, youll need to cut back.To find the right balance, write your resume with keywords and ask a colleague to read it, she says. If they dont understand after reading your resume one time, you need to revise.Get resume reassuranceNow that you know the rules about using keywords, its time to put your knowledge to use on your resume. Evaluate the job ad to determine which keywords are, well, key, and then strategically add them in your resume. Could you use some help making sure youre getting it right? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts atMonsters Resume Writing Service. Youll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review ofyour resumes appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiters first impression. Its a quick and easy way you can strengthen your chances of passing the robot test and getting your resume seen by the humans responsible for hiring.