How to Use Keywords to Make a Resume Recruiters Notice

Do you tailor your resume to match the job you’re applying for? There are some compelling
reasons that you should. You already tailor other things you write to a specific audience, (e.g.,
emails, term papers, brochures). Why should your resume be any different?

Tips for Writing a Great Resume

Here are a few simple tips on how to write a resume and tailor it to a job description.

Know Your Skills

A good place to start is by making a master list of your skills. But why make a master list if
you’re just going to take keywords from the job listing?

The list helps you identify what kinds of job listings to target. Also, it will help you prioritize the
skill keywords you will take from the job listing.

So, think back on all of the jobs you’ve had and the skills you’ve learned over the years. As you
add them to your list, put the ones you feel strongest about at the top.

By putting your strongest skills at the top, you can see how close you are to being the perfect
candidate when you select different job listings. For example, when your strongest skills line up
with the skills the recruiter emphasizes in the job listing, there’s a better chance you’ll get called
in for an interview.

If you’re worried about whether a skill is relevant, add it anyhow. It’s best to get it all on paper
and save the cherry-picking for later.

Mine the Job Listing for Skills Keywords

Carefully read the job listing and highlight any skills the employer mentions.

These are keywords. When a hiring manager first looks at your resume, she will scan it for these
keywords. And she will only spend an average of six seconds trying to find them.

That means that you need to put the most important keywords at the top of your resume. Make
other keywords eye-catching with embellishments like numbers and accomplishments.

For example, let’s say one of the requirements in the job listing is “excellent customer service
skills.” You’ve decided to add it to your experience section as a key responsibility from your last
job.

But don’t just write

Responsible for handling customer service.

Add some value.

Spear headed a customer service initiative that saved the company over $50,000, and
resulted in a 10% decrease in returns.

Now the recruiter knows how excellent you are at customer service—$50,000 worth!

Here’s a tip: If you’ve ever cut costs or increased revenue, add that information. If you’re not
sure by how much, estimate. Just be sure that you can back up your estimation with proof.

Identify Vital Skills

Try to find two to three other job listings similar to the one featuring the job you’re applying for.
Read through them and mark the skills listed. If you find skills that are common across these
listings, there’s a good chance they’re either mandatory or highly desirable for the job you’re
targeting.

Next, take a trip over to LinkedIn and look at other professionals’ profiles. What skills do they
list? How are they similar? If you see a pattern, you’ve figured out which skills are most likely
relevant keywords for your resume.

Categorize the Remaining Skills for Perspective

The rest of the keyword skills should fall into one of three categories:

 Job-related
 Transferable
 Adaptive

Job-related skills are necessary for you to do the work at hand. They include things like
knowing Java and Python or having the ability to operate a forklift. Chances are if you don’t
have most of the job-related skills, you can’t do the work.

Make sure these skills go in prominent places on your resume, like the summary or leading bullet
points in your experience section. You want the hiring manager to check them off his must-have
list as quickly as possible.

Transferable skills are less important than the other types. They are basic skills that most people
have because they carry them from one job to another. They include things like knowing how to
create pivot tables in Microsoft Excel. Hiring managers welcome them on resumes but don’t
treat them as unique or extraordinary. What they can do for you is flesh out your resume and
give you extra value. So, feature them in your skills section.

Here’s a tip: Don’t just write Microsoft Excel.

Add the detail about the pivot tables: Microsoft Excel, pivot tables
Adaptive skills are the most elusive. They are skills like dependability and assertiveness.
Usually, they are self-taught survival skills that help us thrive in society.

The very nature of these skills makes them difficult to measure and demonstrate. If possible, pair
the ones you feel strongest about with accomplishments that illustrate them. Scatter them
throughout your resume where appropriate.

Tailored Resumes Get You Hired

In an age where we are constantly bombarded and overwhelmed with information, you can’t
expect a hiring manager to pick up a generic resume and find it relevant.

It is necessary to customize your resume to match both the job listing and a hiring manager’s
expectations. Otherwise, you might just miss that golden opportunity.

65 Powerful Words to Take Your Resume to the Next Level

Do you consider yourself a hard worker? A team player? A people person? Whatever you do,
don’t tell that to the person reading your resume. Why not? Because if they hear about one more
of those, they’re going to tear the resume into itty-bitty shreds.

As good as certain terms might seem, they’ve been on a few billion too many resumes to mean
anything to potential bosses. When you’re updating your resume, make your accomplishments
stand out by using words that are powerful and descriptive rather than stale and clichéd.

And it’s not just about the specific word: it’s also about paying attention to the company’s
buzzwords and focusing on skills related to the job. Read on to get the nitty-gritty on those
important steps, or jump straight to the suave and sexy synonyms that will make your resume
pop and let you ditch the duds like “dedicated,” “leader,” and “manage.”

Capitalize on Company Keywords

First things first: whether you’re applying to be a CEO or an intern, tailor your resume and your
cover letter to the company you’re applying to.

This is important not just to get the attention of the person reading your resume, but also to
ensure that a person does read your resume. Some companies automate the hiring process with
applicant tracking systems, which screen for resumes that use specific keywords—and if you
don’t have the keywords, you don’t get the interview.
But whether the company uses an applicant tracking system or has a human reading resumes,
including words related to the company’s mission shows that you did your homework and would
be a good fit for the team. Here are a few examples:

 If you’re applying for a job involving writing, don’t just write “wrote.” Use words like
published, reported, investigated. If possible, include page views, social shares, or the
circulation of your pieces.
 If you’re applying for a job in education or one that involves helping people, use words
like mentored, trained, cultivated, or facilitated.
 If you’re applying for a job in finance or business, use words like enhanced, expanded,
developed, yielded. Any specific numbers on gains or savings you’ve produced for
previous employers will also give you a boost.
 If you’re applying for a job at a startup, use words like innovated, disrupted,
spearheaded.
 If you’re applying to a job involving customer service (whether in a store or UX
research), use words like reached, served, communicated, aided, and experience.

That doesn’t cover every job out there, but it shows how you can shape your resume based on
what you’re applying to. In general, it’s a good rule of thumb to read the company description or
the “About us” page on their website and go from there. Use some of their words—without
copying language verbatim—and you’re more likely to get your foot in the door.

Showcase skills related to the job

Obviously, you wouldn’t throw in the phrase “user experience” if you’re applying to be a
teacher. It’s also important to focus on skills that you’ll be using if you get the job you’re
applying for. In other words, no matter how great a camp counselor you were in high school, that
probably won’t seem relevant when you’re applying to business school.

Look very closely at the job description of your desired position for hints about what they want.
For example, a list of responsibilities on a job description might include a line like this:
“Analyze, create, and document business and system processes through the use of templates and
process flows.”

In your resume, take a similar work experience you’ve had and tweak it to mirror, but not exactly
match, the language in the job description. For example: “At previous company, created template
for documenting analytic process and streamlining business flow.” Takes the language, tweaks it,
and makes you look like you’ll fit right in.

Power Synonyms to Make Your Accomplishments Pop

Based on the specific achievements and accomplishments you want to highlight, here are lists of
power words that will make your resume stand out from the crowd. Trust us: these look
impressive whether you’re applying for your first job or trying to land a CEO gig.
“I wrote stuff, created something, or did things”

If you’re at an entry-level position or are shooting for something new, you may not have
accomplishments like “headed company” or “raised $2 million.” But you can still showcase what
you’ve done in a way that will highlight your ability to rise to bigger challenges.

 Produced (articles, reports, spreadsheets)

 Coordinated (your own project, a group effort)
 Created (a process, program, venture)
 Founded (a student club or organization)
 Organized (an event or group)
 Fundraised (money, and how much)
 Designed (a website, poster, method)
 Analyzed (a spreadsheet, lab project, data set)

“I led or managed a team”

Here are some ways to communicate that you were in charge of a group of people and wore your
leadership mantle well. Whether it was a student group or a company of thousands, these words
will make you look the part.

 Headed
 Oversaw
 Steered
 Coordinated
 Orchestrated
 Oversaw
 Directed
 Cultivated
 Facilitated
 Guided
 Mentored
 Mobilized
 Supervised

“I came up with or was in charge of a project”

Regardless of the position you’re applying for, you likely want to demonstrate that you can think
critically and come up with solutions to the types of problems your potential company might
face. These are great words to show that you’re a responsible leader and a thoughtful problem
solver.

 Developed
 Engineered
 Implemented
 Established
  Formalized
 Initiated
 Instituted
 Launched
 Spearheaded
 Organized

“I made something better”

Maybe you improved a process, or you helped increase your company’s sales, revenue, or
efficiency. These words are an improvement on “improve.” And remember to back up your
claims with numbers if you can. Words can take you far, but it’s hard to beat an applicant who
gives evidence with hard facts.

 Accelerated (a process)
 Boosted (sales, efficiency, experience)
 Amplified (output, readership, response rate)
 Delivered (results—and be specific)
 Expanded (audience)
 Generated (revenue)
 Stimulated (sales, innovation)
 Sustained (growth)
 Transformed (a system, structure, method)
 Expedited (a process, a set of outcomes)
 Maximized (success—but again, be specific)

“I fixed something”

Here are ways to say that you came up with an idea and implemented changes. As you can see,
there’s nothing like a “re” word to show that you took something good and made it great.

 Customized
 Overhauled
 Strengthened
 Updated
 Upgraded
 Refined
 Redesigned
 Replaced
 Restructured
 Revamped

“I saved my company money”

You found waste, and figured out a way to get rid of it. In other words:
  Conserved (money—how much?)
 Reduced (expenditures)
 Deducted (overhead)
 Yielded (savings)
 Diagnosed (a problem—how big?)

“I dealt with difficult people”

Here’s where tactfulness really comes in. Whether you were herding kindergarteners or
managing relationships with finicky clients, this is an area to emphasize your impact without
sounding bitter about the tough folks you had to face

 Navigated (a situation)
 Negotiated (a solution)
 United (disparate individuals or groups)
 Arbitrated (an issue)
 Resolved (a problem)
 Consulted (a company)
 Forged (a relationship)
 Secured (a deal)

Where are the synonyms for “hard worker” and “team player,” you ask? If you picked the right
power words to showcase your skills in a meaningful and evocative way, those qualities will
come across all on their own.