What are Resume Keywords?

The following article was written by Kate Lorenz who is the CareerBuilder.com Editor as noted.  As I have a resume writing service as part of Jeanne Armonk Enterprises, I continue to research the job market and key articles at employment sites such as Career Builder.  The articles that I find extremely helpful I will continue to share/post here from the Career Builder site.  This article is very helpful in zeroing in on keywords that help a resume to stand out from the rest.

For more articles on resume writing please visit http://www.careerbuilder.com/.

What are Resume Keywords? Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

What's all this talk about keywords? We're told they're essential to a job search -- we should use them in our resume and cover letters and use them when searching for job openings. But what are they really, and how do you know you're using the right ones?Keywords are specific words or phrases that job seekers use to search for jobs and employers use to find the right candidates. Keywords are used as search criteria in the same way you do research on the Internet. The more keywords you use, the more closely the job will match what you're really looking for.For example, if you type the word "retail" into a search engine, you'll get literally thousands of job descriptions. But if you type the phrase "merchandising manager," you're going to get fewer and more useful results.Get keyed up.Most job postings are loaded with industry- and position-specific buzzwords. Take your cues straight from the source and include those same words in your resume. To find more keywords, research industry trends and visit professional association Web sites to uncover current buzzwords -- especially those used by the hiring company or industry leaders.Don't get lost in translation.Most companies use applicant tracking software, which scans resumes for keywords relating to skills, training, degrees, job titles and experience. Make sure your resume gets through the gatekeeper -- present your qualifications as if the reader is comparing the words on the resume to a list of desired qualifications.Remember the magic words.Here are some specific examples of popular keywords. Make sure to also use keywords that are specific to your industry.
Strategic planning
Performance and productivity improvement
Organizational design
Infrastructure development
New media
Internet
E-commerce
Change management
Team-building
Leadership
Competitive market
Product positioning
Investor and board relations
Oral and written communications
Problem-solving and decision-making
MBA
Project management
Customer retention
Business development
Corporate vision
Long-range planning
Cost reduction Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Last Updated: 28/02/2008 - 8:35 AM