Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Great Resumes Fast offers C-suite, executive, and professional resume writing services to clients across the country. It also publishes guides to help professionals make better applications for senior positions. One of the tips Great Resumes Fast gives people seeking employment opportunities is to use keywords in their resumes.
Keywords are the industry-specific buzzwords that relate to a position. They are typically nouns and are often included in job ads. For example, a nonprofit management job advertisement could have keywords like budget oversight, fundraising, volunteer training, or community outreach.
Today, employers pass applications through applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen them for candidates who are a good fit. These systems scour through hundreds of applications looking for keywords that are relevant to the job position being advertised, highlighting those from applicants whose backgrounds appear best suited for the position. If you are applying for a position at a company, it is highly recommended that you incorporate keywords into your application.
To identify appropriate keywords for a position, look at the job description carefully. Single out the words that are repeated and appear to be important to the company. These words communicate the high-priority skills and experience an organization is looking for. Other keyword sources are the organization’s website, LinkedIn profile, and other social media profiles. You can go further and research similar listings on other job boards. Note the words that are regularly repeated, and then strategically include them in your resume and cover letter.
