Optimize your resume with keywords for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

In the modern job market, strengthening your job searching materials with keywords is crucial. More employers than ever are utilizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) to filter job seekers by their qualifications. When your resume displays all the right keywords, you will have no trouble passing through initial screening to get seen by a hiring manager.

Read and understand the job description

The keywords you need to mention on your resume are included in the employer’s job description. Read the job description carefully and spot the keywords. When describing your skills and experiences on the resume, use these keywords. If you are reading a job description for a project management position and spot phrases such as “kanban,” “stakeholder management,” or “PRINCE2” in the job description, they are keywords that your resume must mention.

Spot the core skills

One important step in keyword-optimizing your resume is to fortify your resume with the right core competencies. Read the job description carefully and spot the core skills that the employer has demanded. Then, prominently display those skills on your resume in a way that grabs the hiring manager’s attention. If you are applying for a job as a web developer, PHP, Django, UI/UX design, GitLab, Atom, Yarn, and Trello are some good keywords to add to your resume as skills.

Use variations

When you discuss certain skills and experiences on your resume, it is important to use synonyms and variations of terms. There is no guessing exactly which term the ATS will pick up on, so you can improve your chances by using similar and adjacent terms to describe your skills. For example, if you are creating a resume for content development, you should also use terms such as content creation, content writing, proofreading, and editing on your resume.

Use keywords in context

The keywords should never appear as if they were forced into your resume as an afterthought. Your resume should mention keywords naturally. One way to do this is by mentioning keywords in context when writing the work experience section of your resume. So, the next time you are writing a resume, instead of saying that you “increased sales by 10%,” you can say that you “utilized targeted marketing campaigns to boost sales by 10%.”

Mention certifications and degrees

Most employers list certain certifications and degrees as requirements to apply for a given position. These certifications and degrees are keywords that you must definitely add to your resume. Your degrees usually go in the education section of the resume. Mention each degree you have and be sure to spell out any abbreviations. The best strategy you can use is to type the long form of the degree first, followed by the abbreviation within brackets. Your certifications can go in a separate “Certifications” section so that hiring managers can easily spot them.

Rewrite the resume

Keyword optimization is not something you can do once and be done with it. Even if you are applying for the same job title, the keywords you must use on your resume will differ greatly with the employer. Whenever you are applying for a new job, be sure to rewrite your resume to include the right keywords. This will ensure that your resume is relevant to the new position you are applying for.