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Picking the Best Keywords for Your Resume and Your Social Media Profiles
Most resumes end up in a database of some sort: in the resume database of a job board, in an employer's applicant tracking system, or in a recruiters email inbox where they need to be "find-able" for the right keywords (for you). Social media profiles are also searched by recruiters using keywords.
Regardless of where the resume is stored, use of the "right words" (those used in a search through the database for people meeting a job's requirements) in that resume determine whether or not the resume is selected to appear in the search results. Those right words are typically called "keywords" and appearing in the search results is called "search engine optimization" (or SEO).
So, what are Key Words?
For job seekers, the "key words" that matter are the words and phrases a recruiter or employer uses while searching through resumes or social media, like the words you type into Google when you are searching for something.
The ones most relevant to your job search are the words and phrases someone would use to describe your next job (as well as your current job). You must be sure to include those words and phrases, where appropriate, in your resume so your resume will appear near the top in resume database search results. For an example see our sample ASCII text resume
Think of keywords as the jargon or "buzzwords" used by insiders in a profession or industry. It's how insiders describe themselves and others in their profession. These are the terms they give to the people writing job descriptions as the job requirements.
Keywords are the nouns, noun phrases, and verbs used by recruiters searching through applicant databases and Web job sites for resumes meeting the requirements on job descriptions. ["Assistant" and "manager" are nouns. "Administrative assistant" and "marketing manager" are noun phrases. "Managed" is a verb.]
Key words are a relatively new requirement. This requirement developed when employers and agencies began storing resumes in applicant data in databases rather than paper stored in physical files. Then, web job sites started appearing in 1994, and keywords became more important. In the past, we focused on "action verbs" in our resumes -- for example: "Managed a P&L..." or "Created and implemented a marketing campaign..." And, action verbs are still very important because they describe your may be used in a search.
However, you need more than action verbs in cyberspace. You need the key words - the right words used by someone searching a resume database, applicant tracking system ("ATS"), or social media for qualified applicants - to appear in your resume, so that your resume will appear in the results of a search.
Think of the education and experience you have had and the job you want, your accomplishments and awards, and brainstorm the nouns, noun phrases, and verbs that would be used in the description of the requirements of that job, using the suggestions in the section below. Look through the job postings you find for the skills, experience, professional certifications or organizations, etc. that will tell you what keywords will be used. If you can, get a copy of the job description for the job you want, and pick out the noun and noun phrases used. As appropriate (you do have the skills, education, etc.), add those words and phrases to your resume when you apply for that job.
Developing Your Keywords
When developing your list of job-related keywords, be creative, but not inaccurate.
Search for the job you want next on a few job boards, and note what unique, job-specific words are used in those job descriptions. Make a list of the following:
- The job title of the job that you want next.
- Standard
job titles that are used for your current and previous jobs, particularly
if current (or former) employer(s) used non-standard titles
- Names of
job-specific, profession-specific, and industry-specific tools
that you use or are qualified to use because of education and/or
experience (e.g. MRI, Mastercam, etc.)
- Software
and hardware that you use or have been trained to use, particularly
if it's unique to your job, industry, or profession (e.g. Microsoft
Project, SAP, etc.)
- Names of
techniques that you use or are qualified to use (e.g. Six Sigma, LEED, etc.)
- Industry
and professional organizations that you have joined (include committee
membership or association officer titles, as appropriate)
- Trade shows
and conferences that you have attended and/or where you have presented
papers
- Professional
and/or technical acronyms -- the more; the merrier, as long as
they are appropriate to your experience and education
- Certifications, licenses, or other proof of professional or industry knowledge you have achieved
- Classes of
employers who need your services, "national specialty retailers,"
for example
- Applicable
education that you have (degrees, majors, applicable course work,
post-graduate courses, and certifications, etc.)
- Other jargon (common "insider" words, terms, and acronyms specific to the profession and/or industry) that describe your work, typical products and/or services involved, and the people who do your job
Include the words that are appropriate for you and your target job, but don't be inaccurate or deceptive. Marketing "mode" is fine. Scam mode is not a good long term strategy. People are fired for lying on their resume or job application.
Adding Keywords to Your Resume
- Include
both the acronyms and the phrases that explain each of them
in the body of your resume. The acronym and the phrase explaining
it don't have to be in the same sentence or paragraph. Just use
both versions if you can. It will increase the probability that
your resume will appear in the search results whether the recruiter
searches on the acronym or the phrase that it represents.
- Be inconsistent.
If you were being judged on your writing skills, this wouldn't
be an advantage. In the resume search-ability game, however, it
is an advantage. So, without destroying the meaning of
the words on your resume, be as creatively inconsistent
as possible. For example, if you are looking for a job using social media, include (if appropriate for you!) all versions of the terms - "social media" and "social networks" and "social networking" plus the names of the most popular social networks. Assuming you have the experience and are not just throwing in the keywords
"Experienced in the use of social media/social networks for community building... Managed social networking for ..."
- Be complete. Don't assume that people will only be searching on the umbrella term. Continuing with the social media example, name the specific social networks you can use: "Facebook" and "LinkedIn" and "Twitter" in addition to the terms "social media," "social networks," and "social networking," so your resume will pop up in the results regardless of the
exact term used by the recruiters in their search.
"Have launched LinkedIn Groups and Facebook Pages to... Established both Twitter and Pinterest accounts for..."
- Add a
section near the top of your resume named "skills" or,
even, "keywords," where you concentrate as many
of your key words as possible. For an example, check out our sample
ASCII text resume. It has a "Skills Summary" section
which is really a collection of keywords - the nouns and noun
phrases that best summarize the experience and skills as well
as education and relevant association memberships.
- Hot Tips:
Be
sure to include the word "resume" in your resume.
"Resume" is a word frequently used by recruiters
searching for resumes. Put it in the top line (e.g. "M.
J. Smith's Resume"). Check
out our sample ASCII text
resume.
Be sure to save your resume with a file name useful to employers. You want them to be able to find your resume quickly and easily on their computers, and you want to make it clear what your field is. So, include your name (last name first) plus the word “resume” and important keywords in the file name. For example,the file name for Mary Jane Smith’s resume could be Smith-MJ-CPA-resume.doc or Smith-CFO-resume.doc.
Warning: Don't "fib"! Don't include keywords that are not appropriate for you. These days, it's too easy for an employer or recruiter to check Google, LinkedIn, and other sources to see if you have the experience you claim to have.
Now that you understand more about keywords for your resume (or for this version of your resume), put them to use. Read How to Optimize the Right Keywords for Your Resumes for methods of researching and using the best keywords. Optimizing your resume for an employer's or recruiter's search should increase the effectiveness of your resume.
More about Keywords:
More about Internet Resumes:More about Social Media:
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© Copyright, 1998 - 2013, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved.
About the author...
Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Google+.
