In an age where resumes are dime a dozen, making yours stand apart becomes quite critical. Adding the right keywords to your resume is an excellent strategy while you are aggressively looking for a job or just testing the waters for your next probable career move. But what, exactly, are “keywords” and why are they so significant? Keywords are industry- or job-specific terms, jargon or buzzwords. In times when more and more, companies are using search engines to scan resumes, the right keywords have the ability to land your resume at the top of an employer’s pile!
So how exactly do you use keywords and what difference can they make in your resume? Read on to know more.
Job Description- The perfect place to locate the keywords
The job description of the role you are applying for is the ideal place to find keywords. If it says that a candidate needs to have good communication skills, then the keyword “good communication skills” should ideally show up at some place in your resume. It is also recommended that you search for ads of similar jobs of other companies. Every industry has its own jargon, and getting familiar with a broad range of ads help you see keywords that show up again and again in the ads.
Use them effectively
The usage of keywords while writing your resume should be done generously all through but using them near the opening, particularly in your Professional Profile or Summary Section makes more sense. You can utilize these sections to give your keywords a more general context in relation to your complete professional silhouette. While recounting your previous role and experience, focus on skills, job-specific terms, functions and industry terms. Make sure to bring out the types of products and services you dealt with in your earlier work and the particular industry, rather than just the name of the company so that the computer’s search engine can search these terms.
Use the ones that exhibit your worth
The trouble with most resumes is that they come across as biographies. Employers don’t really bother about the story of your life; all they care about is whether hiring you is of any value to them or not. That’s where keywords come in handy. Potential employers want to establish within 30 seconds what value you bring to the table. So, you have to emphasize on the work skill sets that make you eligible for the job that you wish to target.
Refrain from going overboard
As significant as keywords are in helping you get noticed, cluttering your resume with words that don’t exactly replicate your work experience may not work in your favour. Too often, candidates simply spoil their resumes by stuffing in too many keywords. The trick is to weave in the keywords with your accomplishments. Just put enough to help employers find you faster. Remember this equation: Excellent Resume + Keywords = Job Opportunities.
Remember one thing, after your resume is scanned and selected through technology; it goes through a review by the human eye as well. So, you don’t really want to stuff your resume with keywords that do not make sense or efficiently display your qualification for the job. Try and use the keywords in context. The overall presentation and good writing still count in making a perfect first impression.
