| It's often been said that saying the right words at | | | | including critical keywords in your resume copy is |
| the right time is the key to success in the | | | | not enough to secure an interview for the job |
| business world. If you have a line in your | | | | you desire. You'll also need to place keywords |
| presentation that really captures attention...or if | | | | appropriately within the text. At one time, |
| you say something particularly clever in a job | | | | resume-writing experts recommended placing a |
| interview...you may be able to achieve a career | | | | simple list of keywords at the beginning of your |
| high you never dreamed possible. | | | | resume—but that conventional thinking doesn't |
| It's also no secret that a resume needs to be | | | | seem to hold true anymore. While you should try |
| worded quite carefully if it is to accomplish the job | | | | to place keywords near the beginning of your |
| applicant's hoped-for results. While you're drafting | | | | resume rather than at the tail end, it's best if you |
| the wording for your career highlights, job duties, | | | | incorporate keywords throughout the body of |
| and other essential information for your resume, | | | | your document. |
| you should give some serious attention to | | | | By crafting your resume in this way, you will |
| keywords. | | | | achieve two important goals: 1.) |
| How the High-Tech Revolution Changed Resume | | | | keyword-searching software will pick up all |
| Reading | | | | relevant keywords within your text and 2.) you'll |
| There was a time when employers took a stack | | | | be able to attract and hold the attention of a |
| of resumes that had been handed to them by | | | | company manager who might be bored by a long |
| their secretaries and proceeded to read through | | | | list of keywords headlining your resume. |
| them, carefully laying aside those resumes that | | | | Also, don't forget about the often-overlooked |
| featured applicants that appeared to be suitable | | | | synonym. While you can make an educated guess |
| to the companies' needs. Of course, this was a | | | | about the types of keywords an employer is |
| painstaking, time-intensive process, and a manager | | | | looking for, you're not a mind reader. Therefore, |
| who was bored or tired might inadvertently | | | | in addition to a generous use of one of your |
| misclassify a resume in the process of getting | | | | keyword favorites, be sure to include synonyms |
| through the stack. | | | | for the word as well. By following this advice, it's |
| However, with the advent of sophisticated | | | | more likely that your resume will have the |
| technology, the resume-reading process has | | | | keywords the employer is actually searching for. |
| changed dramatically. A number of human | | | | How Many Keywords Are Enough? |
| resource executives note that such changes were | | | | Once you begin the process of selecting |
| inevitable, given the large volume of resumes that | | | | keywords, it's imperative that you make sure |
| are routinely delivered to a manager's inbox. If | | | | that you include a sufficient number of keywords |
| hundreds of resumes are submitted for a given | | | | in your resume. One Internet resume expert |
| job, a corporate headhunter must find some way | | | | recommends aiming for 25 to 35 keywords, and |
| to scale that paper mountain in order to find the | | | | also suggests that you include as many variations |
| right candidate. As a result, an increasing number | | | | as possible. In this way, you can work to make |
| of employers are digitizing the resumes that pour | | | | your resume as keyword-rich as |
| into their offices. The documents can then be | | | | possible—without making it a dull read. |
| placed into keyword-searchable databases in order | | | | Once you've devised a keyword-intensive |
| to isolate those resumes that contain "the magic | | | | resume, think of the document as being subject |
| words." | | | | to change. After all, in your conversations with |
| Getting Noticed | | | | your colleagues, you may discover that new |
| One resume-writing expert now estimates that | | | | keywords have come to the fore in your field. It's |
| more than 80 percent of all resumes are | | | | also a wise idea to refresh your resume for each |
| searched for job-related keywords. Given the | | | | position you're applying to...since different |
| fact that both Fortune 500 companies and smaller | | | | companies—and different jobs—may require |
| firms are now routinely engaging in keyword | | | | a different list of keywords. A highly customized |
| searches, it only makes sense to make your | | | | resume is often a successful resume. |
| resume as keyword-attractive as possible. | | | | Should You Avoid Certain Keywords? |
| You will need to craft your resume so that it | | | | While you may think that you've developed a |
| contains the keywords that a manager is | | | | comprehensive list of resume keywords, you |
| searching for with regard to a particular position. | | | | might be wondering if there are certain keywords |
| While job titles often serve as keywords, you | | | | that should never see the light of day in your |
| cannot change the titles you've held, so you | | | | resume. The quick answer to this is an emphatic |
| should consider focusing instead on job skills. If | | | | "yes!" When posting your resume on the Internet, |
| you're applying for an IT job, for instance, you'll | | | | you'll want to steer clear of those keywords that |
| want to list specific technological skills in your | | | | might be associated with the type of job you |
| resume. You'll also want to be sure to include the | | | | don't want. For instance, if you don't want a |
| names of software and hardware that you've | | | | position selling insurance, it might be wise for you |
| worked with (This is probably true, even if you | | | | to avoid the word "sales" in your resume if at all |
| are not applying for a job that does not require a | | | | possible. Avoiding keywords is not |
| BA in computer science). | | | | deceptive—it's simply a good marketing |
| If you are searching for a position as a business | | | | concept. |
| executive, the term "Fortune 500" can be an | | | | An Eye-Catching Resume |
| incredibly helpful keyword to have in your resume. | | | | By selecting the proper keywords, you should be |
| Some large firms recruit exclusively from other | | | | able to create a resume that truly sets you apart |
| large corporations. Therefore, if you do not include | | | | from your competitors, garnering the types of |
| "Fortune 500" in the text of your resume, you | | | | job interviews you're looking for. A resume that |
| could be missing out on an incredible opportunity. | | | | has its fair share of winning keywords can usually |
| Key Things to Consider About Keyword | | | | pass the keyword-searching test, getting you one |
| Placement | | | | step closer to the position you deserve. |
| It's highly important to recognize the fact that | | | | |