How Important Are Keywords In Your Resume?

Consider your current resume for a moment. It’s your very first opportunity to make a positive impression on a prospective employer. You’ve worked diligently on communicating your successes and adding up all your accomplishments, and there’s no doubt in your mind that the message is clear and your phone will shortly ring with interest.

But before anyone can dial your number, they have to find it first!

It’s critical that recruiters can easily locate your resume and today that means working with technology to effectively communicate your story. Whether posting your resume to web sites like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, or applying to a company of interest, you must speak in a language that highlights keywords as a means of conveying your experience behind the scenes.

Keywords are how Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) identify you as a possible “match” to the desired skills and experience an employer is seeking. When a recruiter starts a search and enters selected words that compliment their targeted candidate, each and every word they choose will greatly effect what groups of candidates appear in their search results, much like a traditional search engine. In other words, if you don’t have the words on your resume they have chosen to search, they will never know of your well-crafted resume and your phone will not ring.

So how can you be sure your information is being seen by the right recruiters or hiring managers? One, do your homework. With many resources to choose from, dig in and learn which keywords are most commonly desired for your niche. Two, choose your keywords carefully. Just because a common term is used within a particular industry, doesn’t mean it’s definitely a fit for you professionally. Three, use keywords, acronyms and punctuation carefully. Remember with Boolean search rules, how your write your keywords is also important, like slashes for example. If you listed marketing/advertising, a recruiter searching marketing or advertising would not find you had you written the above. Lastly, use your keywords, don’t just list them. Once the software finds you and lists you as a candidate, the human recruiter will then be reading your resume.

Proper use of keywords will also demonstrate your depth and knowledge of any given industry or profession. When used incorrectly, your resume will make you seem amateurish, unqualified and will not be a good representation of your experiences. When used correctly and in the right context, keywords will accentuate your credentials and reinforce to potential employers that you are the ideal candidate for the job.

When crafting a successful resume, be sure to use different combinations of keywords and variations of job responsibilities. For example, if you were a Customer Service Manager, use terms such as “client services,” “customer support,” technical assistance” and so on. They all mean the same thing basically, but it expands on the frequency and variations of keywords so your resume will show up in searches more often.

Qualifying and detailing your unique experience using appropriate keywords will not only hit the mark, but allow your individual skills and talents to stand out from the masses and entice the recruiter to finally pick up that phone.

Forget Iced-Tea, THIS is the BEST STUFF ON EARTH!!

Update on the job search...

From Vicky: I landed a new teaching job in SANTA MONICA!!!! And I owe a piece of my success to you for your amazing encouragement and positivity!!! Thank you thank you thank you for keeping me sharp with my resume and keeping the spirit alive!!! We MUST hang when I get back to the island, which I will be able to do since the money will be SO much nicer than what I was making this year!

I'm so proud of Vicky...just days back she was feeling like her budding career was smashed out like a half-smoked cigarette, after receiving the news of her unexpected lay-off. This was a normal reaction, but from such a seemingly strong person like Vicky? That isn’t the Vicky we’ve all grown to know and appreciate! However when any professional is handed this unfortunate decision, it’s a normal reaction to feel muted and as though there are few career options ahead in this unique job market.

So Vicky and I got to work! We identified her challenges and faced them head-on. We took out the red pen and went to work updating her resume to truly express her depth of knowledge, strengths and contributions to both her employers and her students. We found new ways to get interviews for job openings, dispelling rumors that no one is hiring today. And with a deep breath, some new tools and a lifted confidence, Vicky headed back into the market space, ready and willing to talk shop with any and all relevant prospects.

Vicky thanked me…but she really needs to thank herself as well. I’m a coach, I only influenced her direction and decisions, Vicky got the gumption and made it happen! (…and I bet, no - I know, it didn’t even hurt a bit!)

Go get ‘em Vicky!!! You are an inspiration to job seekers everywhere!!
~Jennifer