Using Keywords to Make Your Resume Stand out Online

Thinking about posting your resume online? Find out how to make sure it gets noticed.

Companies are relying more and more on technology to sort their way through the stacks of resumes they receive. That doesn’t mean that the traditional paper resume is dead, but it does mean that in order to get noticed, you’ll need to get savvy about posting or submitting your resume online.

How Employers Use Keywords
Whether they’re searching personal Web pages, a job board’s resume database, or in their own databases of job applicants, employers retrieve online resumes via keyword searches.

When a recruiter does an electronic search for a candidate, the results are ranked by the number of times the keywords searched for are found in the resumes listed. You can make sure your name is at the top of a recruiter’s search results by anticipating the keywords he or she will use.

What Makes a Good Keyword Resume?

1. Keywords. In a traditional resume, your focus is on action verbs, and on explaining the positions you’ve held. Keyword resumes need to be searchable. To make sure yours is, use keywords—nouns and phrases that succinctly detail your skills and competencies. Recruiters also search for buzzwords or jargon that pertain to the position or industry, so be sure to include these.

Examples of keywords include: Microsoft, product management, SQL Server, HR, human resources, communications skills, MBA, technical writer, data delivery, administrative assistant, developing, creating.

2. Appropriate terminology. Most recruiters search for resumes using the terms listed in their ads.

Ask yourself, “What kinds of keywords are included in the job ad? How are they used in describing the qualifications [a company is] looking for?” Smith suggests comparing one ad to another to find similarities in the ways keywords are used. You’ll want to make sure your resume includes the most-used keywords.

3. A “skills” section. Place a “key skills” section at the top of your resume, and list all keywords, separated by commas or periods. Nouns should dominate your skills section. List all programs and software you know well, and highlight specific capabilities you have, such as communications skills, organizational skills, or management abilities. Keep your keyword summary to between 20 and 30 items.

Skills are a very important component of a resume, and oftentimes can get buried in the resume itself. Listing them at the top of the resume gives the reviewer a quick idea of what he/she can expect to find throughout the rest of your resume.

4. Using different keyword forms. If you used “coordination” in your skills summary, use “coordinate” in the body of your resume. In using different keyword forms, you’ll maximize the exposure your resume will receive.

5. Full keywords and acronyms. Utilize both complete-word keywords and acronyms. For example, your resume should include both “MBA” and “Masters in Business Administration,” or both “HR” and “Human Resources.” Try to cover all your bases.

Writing an Entry-Level Resume

Make the most of undergrad experiences when writing your resume.

If you’re about to graduate, you may find yourself worrying that you don’t have any worthwhile experience to list on your resume. Employers are often eager to see internships, volunteering, school activities, and other non-traditional work on entry-level resumes. Don’t sell yourself short by discounting your experience.

Internships
 Internships are the prize gem of the entry-level resume. If you interned while in college, list your experience prominently at the top of your resume—unless you have other, more relevant experiences to place ahead of it. Internships show that you are accustomed to a professional environment and that you've been actively exploring your career options.

Although many internships involve less-than challenging work, the key is to spin the mundane tasks to emphasize your transferable skills. For example, if you answered the phone all summer, you can say: “Assisted clients by responding to daily inquiries and directing calls.” Describing your experience this way indicates your customer service, communication, and organizational skills.

Volunteer Work
Don't hesitate to list unpaid volunteer work on your resume. It’s perfectly legitimate to list unpaid positions, so long as the titles are accurate. If a position title doesn’t suggest the nature of the work, consider adding the word “volunteer” in parentheses after it. For example, if your title was “Fundraiser,” say “Fundraiser (volunteer).”

Extracurricular Activities
Undergraduate extracurricular experiences can be valuable, particularly if you occupied a leadership position. If you list such activities, be sure to illustrate how your past responsibilities correspond to the skills the current job requires.

Consider the talents the following activities require:

• Athletics: teamwork skills
• Performing or fine arts: communication skills, creativity, and the ability to meet deadlines
• Philanthropic work: leadership, organizational, and self-management skills

Courses and Academic Projects
List basic academic information—your college, major, and expected date of graduation—separate from your work experience. If you've completed courses or projects that are relevant to the position, you can list them in the experience section.

For example, if you’re applying for a job with a biotech company, you may want to list lab work or independent projects you completed for science courses. On the other hand, if you’re a political science major applying for a financial services job, your classroom work may be less relevant.

Formatting Your Resume
Many students distinguish paid from unpaid work; however, there is nothing wrong with listing various types of experience under one heading. For example, if you’re applying for a position as a Web designer, you may include both a paid Web design internship and a significant design project you completed for a course under your “Work Experience” heading.

You may also include extracurricular activities and volunteer work under your experience heading, but be certain to distinguish between those that are and are not relevant to your job search. For example, if you’re a member of the film club, but only attend the free monthly movies, you should confine your description to an “Activities” or “Interests” section.

Consider dividing your experiences into “Related Experience” and “Other Experience,” or be more specific in your divisions. For example, if you have a significant number of relevant academic experiences, you may want to include a section entitled, “Related Academic Experience.”

Whatever mix of experience you have, be flexible, creative, and don’t be afraid to highlight your most impressive qualifications. 

Learning to Customize Your Resume for Different Positions

Sending a generic resume is a sure-fire way to end up in the reject pile. Find out how to tailor your resume to the position.

Tempting though it might be, you shouldn’t start a job search by making hundreds of resume copies at your local print shop. Resumes are not, as they once were, just a bland chronological listing of your every job and qualification. They should be tailored to the particular job you want, with specific information emphasized in order to grab the hiring manager’s attention.

Resumes are like letters. You wouldn't write the same letter to your mother as you would to your girlfriend. So you shouldn’t send the same resume to IBM as you would to Lucent Technologies. They both want different things.”

Use the Job Description as a Guide : 


Students or employees with limited experience in a particular field use a reverse-chronological resume, with most recent jobs at the top and bullet points under each job heading. The bullet points should represent skills used in each position, and should be based on the requirements of the job you are applying for.

A job description will list the most important [responsibility] of the position at the beginning, That should also be your [first] bullet point.” If the job description is vague, research the company and the position to determine what skills the hiring manager is looking for. If you strike out on company research, talk to someone in a comparable position at a similar company.

Prepare Several Resumes for One Job : 
More experienced job seekers should consider using a chronological resume to get an interview, then offer a skills-based resume during the interview. The second version can highlight everything you weren't able to fit on the original resume.

Find Appropriate Keywords : 
Nowadays, a computer is more likely to scan your resume than a human. Many companies and recruiters are using computer-based automated tracking systems to quickly sort hundreds—or even thousands—of online and hard-copy resumes. Loading a resume with relevant keywords increases an applicant’s chances of getting hits, often the first step to obtaining an interview.

Keywords, generally nouns, are specific to each [job]—Java, records management, MBA. Without the powerful keywords, you're digitally dead,  Base your skills on research of the professional niche, industry and company.” However,  Don't claim skills you lack. Even in a wildly successful economy, liars get pink slips.

Remember the Basics : 


Even a perfectly customized resume is useless if the hiring manager can’t read it. Keep in mind that words in special type can change when scanned with optical-character-recognition software.

Try to find out in advance if the company to which you are applying uses such software. If it does, print your resume on white paper and don’t italicize, underline or boldface. “When companies scan resumes into an applicant-tracking system, [anything in special type] merges and looks like mush. Save the pretty version of your resume for the interview.

Ten Tips for Submitting Electronic Resumes

Five dos and five don'ts to keep in mind when sending your resume and cover letter via e-mail.

More and more, companies are asking job seekers to send in their resumes and cover letters via e-mail. Here are some things you should keep in mind when you're sending yours.

1. Don't include your resume as an attachment unless you include it in the e-mail's body, too. While many recruiters like to see the hard copy—after all, it's prettier—they won't look unless they like what they see in the e-mail version. Reading an attachment is an extra click, and many folks don't have time for it.

2. Do include your resume as part of an e-mail. Most recruiters spend their days working from their computers. Resumes reside somewhere on a network folder; that's where yours should be. If you send it in as a hard copy, you may get a call back—but it may get lost.

3. Don't write a one-line cover letter. What's the point? One line that says something like "I have most of the skills for the job" doesn't say anything about who you are, why you're applying, or what prompted you to apply at that particular business. Recruiters want some context for your resume. Provide it.

4. Do include a cover letter. Anybody who sends a resume without a cover letter gets an automatic ding in my book. That doesn't go for all hiring managers, but it goes for many. Why? Because no matter how great a resume is, if you're not saying why you applied and why you might like the job, you're not providing the proper context for understanding your resume. A hiring manager wants to know that you know what his or her company does and why you'd like to work there. Give that basic information in your letter.

5. Don't write a cover letter that's too long. People are busy. They don't have time to read about everything you've done. And if you go on and on, you increase your chances of showing exactly why you're not right for the job. One paragraph is fine. Two will suffice. Tell why you're applying at that particular company, what job you're applying for, and what you've done that shows you can do the job. That's all.

6. Do write well. Hiring managers want a letter that's well written, to the point, doesn't waste their time, and shows that the candidate can communicate effectively. Good, clear writing shows you're attentive to detail and can communicate, and those are critical skills in most open positions out there.

7. Don't forget to check out the website. If you don't know what the company does, then there's a red flag about why you'd ever in this lifetime want to work here. Hiring managers think: "If you don't know what we do, then why should I bother with you?" Remember point number five, though: Show you know what the company does, but don't belabor the point. Recruiters don't have time for it.

8. Do read the job posting. If you know what the job is, you can explain why you can do it and why you want it. Hiring managers want people who want the job and they want.

Five Tips for a Strong Resume

Write the best resume possible with these basic tips : 

The path to a finished resume is often strewn with many versions (usually crumpled) of the work in progress. You can get it right the first time with these tips.

1. Review the job description. Many job seekers write their resumes without first reading the job description. The result is a resume that doesn’t strongly highlight applicable skills and experiences. Most recruiters don’t have the time or patience to search your resume for the required qualifications. If you don’t make them obvious, you may not get an interview.

If the company doesn’t provide a formal job description, contact the hiring manager to obtain a list of the required qualifications. If you can’t reach anyone, review job listings with similar titles for a group of core competencies.

2. Choose the best resume format. There are two basic resume styles: chronological and functional. A chronological resume organizes your work history by date and is best for emphasizing experiences that directly apply to a particular position.

A functional resume works best if you have little or no past experience in an industry. It presents your abilities in categories that showcase the particular skills the job requires. For example, if the job description emphasizes strong sales experience, consider dividing your resume into such categories as “communication skills,” “negotiation skills,” and “persuasion skills.”

3. Present the tangible results of your accomplishments. Many people forget to explain how their past employment contributed to their companies’ bottom lines.

“It’s important not only to just express what you’ve done, but also describe the results of your actions. The best resumes I see do this," says Amy Driscoll, the director of human resources at NextDoor Networks. “Creating a context will make your efforts more powerful to the person reading your resume."

Answering the questions “How much?” and “How many?” will also distinguish you from the pack. For example, if you implemented a new accounting system at a previous job, instead of merely referencing the accomplishment, explain the amount of time and money your actions saved the company.

4. Consider a highlight section. Recruiters and hiring managers often take less than a minute to read a resume. To make your minute count, consider including a highlight section at the top of your resume, directly below your name, and, if you use one, your objective. Highlight sections most benefit job seekers whose qualifications don’t exactly match the job description. You’re more likely to get the recruiter’s attention by emphasizing your transferable skills and exceptional accomplishments at the top of your resume instead of scattering them throughout.

Your highlight section should be formatted in a bulleted list. In her book, Ready-to-Go-Resumes, resume expert Yana Parker recommends that a highlight section cover these bases:

• Number of years’ experience in the field or line of work
• Relevant credentials or training
• An accomplishment that directly relates to the job
• A personal “quality” or “characteristic” that relates to the job
• Another accomplishment or characteristic that relates to the job

Don’t worry if your cover letter reiterates some of the information in your highlight section. In fact, consider using the cover letter to expand upon one or two points from your highlight section.

5. Proofread. Typos, misprints, and grammatical errors will likely land your resume in the trash before the recruiter even sees your qualifications. A polished, error-free resume is key to a successful job search.