How can you optimize your resume keywords to stand out in a crowded job market?

Use the job description as a reference - get at least 10 job descriptions for similar positions, notice patterns (what reports in all or most of them), ask yourself if you have the skills/experience, and if the answer is yes, get ready to show it on your resume and LinkedIn profile. ChatGPT can help you to optimize this process. The tool TagCrowd is also very helpful. Show is instead of only tell it - listing keywords without any context or powerful examples is doing only half of the job. Go fully in. Use synonyms - once you identified the keywords, place them in different parts of the resume/LinkedIn profile and also use synonyms. You don’t need to guess the keywords, because you might guess wrong.

They are important because: 1. ATS Screening 2. Efficiency 3. Job Description Alignment 4. Relevance 5. Competitive Advantage 6. Visibility

To stand out in a crowded job market, incorporate relevant keywords from the job description. Tailor your resume to match the specific job requirements. Highlight your achievements, skills, and qualifications clearly. Use industry-specific terms and phrases to showcase your expertise. Ensure a balance between keywords and readability for human and automated resume screening.

This is dependent on how the ATS is set up. Often times, it isn’t about key words, but rather how you answer certain questions. For example, if there is a question about “How many years of xxx experience” and it misaligns with the minimum qualifications, then the ATS would potentially disqualify a candidate. Regardless of ATS, best practice is to ensure your resume clearly defines your experience to align to the qualifications required in the job description. Before applying, ensure you thoroughly read those qualifications and make sure your experience and skills align before applying.

I like to start each bullet with the relevant keyword. For instance: Project Management: Led a team of 5 developers to create a new .....

Utilize industry-specific terminology, action verbs, and relevant buzzwords related to your field. Incorporate a blend of hard skills, soft skills, and relevant certifications to showcase your expertise and proficiency. Furthermore, consider tailoring your resume for each application, highlighting your unique strengths and achievements that resonate with the desired role. By strategically integrating these targeted keywords, you can increase the visibility of your resume and capture the attention of potential employers in the competitive job market.

Word clouds are one way of identifying keywords, where you take multiple job postings, paste into the word cloud, and then pull out the most commonly used words and phrases. With the introduction of AI, it’s now much easier to identify keywords. Ask AI what keywords should be included for (insert job title). Or use a free AI resume builder, like arearesume.ai, where you can upload your resume and job description and get real time scoring and suggestions for improvement.

Start with performing a research: search and read through multiple job descriptions of a role you are potentially interested in and check for common phrases/keywords. Are they different across industries? What are the common words/phrases for the industry you are targeting? What are the patterns? Another way is to search for people in your target role in your target area and industry on Linkedin and read through their profiles catching common key words and phrases. Use those in your CV and Linkedin profile.

Here's your strategy for finding the best keywords for your resume or LI profile: 1. Find your target role using the FLIVS framework: Function, Level, Industry, Vertical and Stage of Company. That's extremely important because recruiters don't search for function alone. Searching for "Product Managers" will bring up too many people. They also don't search for functional skills implied in Product Management (like roadmap planning or product definition). Instead, they layer on search words that have to do with the company's industry, the verticals used in the role and sometimes the stage of the company. 2. Find as many job descriptions as you can for that target role (the same FLIVS) and weave the keywords into your resume and profile.

The best way to find relevant resume keywords is to scan at least 7 job ads with similar job title and industry. By doing that you will be able to find those keywords which come across often and are relevant. It is especially important when you work on your LinkedIn profile. Your CV and Cover letter can be adapted to every job ad, but you won't be able to do that with your LinkedIn profile. For your resume I also suggest using tools like jobscan.co to quickly find those keywords.

It's one thing to have keywords related to your target role and industry, but if presented properly, they will make a big difference in the eyes of a recruiter or hiring manager. Instead of listing your keywords as previous tasks/responsibilities, convert them into quantifiable accomplishments. For example; Instead of: - Responsible for designing a user interface that includes UX best practices Say: - Designed UI/UX for a mobile application with 50,000 users across 10 countries Providing specific examples of how you've added value will help you better demonstrate what you can do for your potential employer. It will undoubtedly help you stand out among hundreds of other applications.

Incorporate action verbs at the start of your resume bullet points and a few in your career accomplishments. Action verbs can help enhance your resume and make it more compelling. You can tailor to the job description. A few examples: - Accelerated - Adapted - Advanced - Advised - Built - Captured - Championed - Changed - Created - Delivered - Expanded - Improved - Implemented - Selected to do... - Facilitated - Headed - Increased - Influenced - Streamlined - Resolved - Transformed

Instead of saying you are a team player, show you are a team player (as one example). Your bullets should tell mini stories of problems, solutions, and outcomes. While keywords are important, your ability to show the company your ROC (return on compensation) is your number one priority in a resume. So while you are looking to level up your keywords, don’t lose sight of the real goal-impressing the reader over the other candidates.

Using key words and phrases effectively is very important. Make sure to try focussing on the top page of your CV and load your summary with key words and phrases, not just listing those, but rather creating clarity. Same thing can be called slightly differently across different industries - tailor your summary and CV to the industry you are focussing on. Try to not use single standing acronyms, but rather use them as complimentary (e.g.: "developed a TM (Talent Management) strategy"; managed an RPO (recruitment process outsourcing) supplier during hypergrowth stage"). Essentially the reason to use key words and phrases is to make it easier for recruiter and hiring manager to understand your background and how you could be the best match!

Absolutely do not follow the viral TikTok advice of putting keywords in white font. It doesn’t work that way, and you will immediately be seen as a liar. When creating a skills section, keep your list to ~15 keywords and adjust based on the varying keywords in each job description. Instead of listing Salesforce only in the skills section, use it in a bullet: Delivered a 30% decrease in onboarding time by deploying Salesforce platforms across 30 new enterprise clients per month.

A "Skills" section with long lists of keywords is an example of keyword stuffing that I see regularly. Instead, choose a small number of relevance skills matched to keywords and provide evidence of how you demonstrated each skill. This will optimize your resume for both ATS and human eyes!

Keywords are important! But keep in mind, you do not want to add too many keywords that your resume becomes exaggerated and challenging to read. Instead, focus on adding the keywords that are most relevant to the job description. Add these keywords to sections like your professional summary and skills sections. Then, you can find ways to weave keywords into your bullets and reorder your bullets, as needed, to ensure those most relevant are listed higher than others.

Incorporate key words and key phrases into your resume, rather than list those in a "key words paragraph". It does decrease trust significantly if the keywords are just stuffed together randomly in a paragraph or bullet point list. Make sure to use only those key words and phrases that actually reflect your experience!

As previously mentioned, there are several tools available to score your resume against any job description. Some of my favorites are arearesume.ai and cvwolf.com. As with any software though, you must use common sense and only include keywords you can confidently speak to in an interview.

Ensure that you share the impact of your skills, knowledge and expertise, not just list things that you have done or can do. If there are gaps, outline transferable talents. Highlight recent learning and link this to enthusiasm to retrain/ upskill.

I always suggest to my clients to first get clarity for yourself on the following - why do you believe you make a great candidate for a particular job. Read the job description carefully and make sure that everything (80%) that is on your resume is geared towards this job. Only then make an ATS check.

In implementing the FLIVS strategy I described above, be aware that: 1. Most Job Descriptions are poorly written, so select them carefully. 2. Sometimes your target keywords will be contained in the company description, if the Job Description uses boilerplate language for the role description. For example, an electric vehicle company may want the person to have experience with EVs, even though the role description does not call it out. 3. Use only recent Job Descriptions since skills, trends and the language in Job Descriptions change rapidly. 4. The resume is going away. LinkedIn is quietly introducing changes that make your LinkedIn profile the resume of record when you apply. Focus on optimizing your profile for your target role.