Bear in mind that you must use the right keywords in
your resume
if you want to grab an employer’s attention. Conversely, resumes that
lack the right keywords will get overlook. In the past employers would
manually sift through resumes to find the ones that grabbed their
attention.
Nowadays, employers happily rely on software that can electronically scan and
identify
resumes that contain keywords that relates to the skills, job
knowledge, and qualifications for a position(s) they are seeking to
fill. If you place the right keywords in your resume you could ultimately be selected for an interview.
So…you want to make sure that you place keywords and phrases somewhere in the text of your resume
that highlight your core competencies and identify the position in
which you are applying for. Learn how to use the right keywords in your resume by following these steps.
Step 1
Make a list of keywords for similar jobs
First, check the job ad (keywords will be included in ad) and other
similar jobs to identify which keywords are most frequently used in the
job(s) that interest you (including job title and the job description).
Make a list of those words so that you can include them in your resume.
Step 2
Make a list of your skills and accomplishments
Next, make a list of your skills and accomplishments (summary of
qualifications) and compare the keywords used in the employer’s ad and
other similar
job postings with
the terms that you have listed. Note the employer’s choice of words;
this should give you some idea ofkeywords that you should insert in your resume. It’s imperative that you use these terms in your resume so that the resume
electronic scanner can identify relevant keywords in your resume when
searching for resumes. I’ll break it down further, read on.
Step 3
List your hard skills
List your hard skills, they are tangible; these are keywords (nouns) that the hiring managers look for in your resume.
Examples of hard skills are industry-specific keywords such as:
administrative and technical job titles, accounts payable rep, accounts
receivable rep, word processor,
financial analyst,
machine operator, computer operator, software, hardware, degrees,
certifications, professional affiliations, schools, employers, etc.
Step 4
List your soft skills
List your soft skills, they are intangible; these are general keywords that correlate with your hard skills. Examples of
soft skills are leader, motivator, communicator, decision maker,
conflict resolution skills, organizational skills, and critical thinking skills.
Step 5
Use Action verbs
Use high-power
action words to describe your accomplishments and experiences and to strengthen your resume also. Keep in mind that these terms are scanned as well and will help bring your resume to the top of the pile.
Some sample action words are: managed, balanced, supervised, hired,
assigned, coached, trained, organized, executed, and increased.
The action words should precede your skills and accomplishments.
Examples: balanced-budget, supervised- staff of eight, trained-new
hires, managed-work flow, assigned-work to employees, coached- trainees,
increased-sales by 15 percent, etc.
However, if you are currently working at a job, you should list action words in the
present tense to describe your duties and responsibilities. Examples: supervise staff of eight, manage-work flow.
Step 6
Insert pertinent keywords in your resume
Now that you know which keywords you should place in your resume
(don’t exaggerate) you should take the time to carefully insert those
keywords in your resume before submitting to a potential employer(s).
Caution: it won’t do you much good to place the right keywords into a
poorly written resume. You want to make sure your resume is well
written along with inserting pertinent keywords.
Be sure to check for typographical and grammatical errors as well. Have someone proofread your resume
before you submit it to an employer. Hopefully you will be contacted
by a potential employer for a job interview after following these steps.
Much success!
TIPS:
*Don’t waste an employer’s time by adding keywords in your resume that you don’t possess
*Use action verbs to make your resume even more visible to the hiring manager
*Include at least 10 to 15 pertinent keywords in your resume
*Don’t forget to use keywords in your cover letter that relates to the job you are applying for also
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