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.