What are resume keywords?
Resume keywords are words and phrases that describe skills, qualifications, tools, responsibilities and experience relevant to a particular position.
Many of these terms can be found directly in the job description.
Keywords help show relevance
Employers want to understand whether your background matches the requirements of the role. Using clear, relevant terminology makes those connections easier to identify.
Applicant tracking systems may also be used to organize, filter or search applications, depending on the employer and system.
Start with the job description
Read the job description carefully and identify terms that describe the employer's most important requirements.
Pay particular attention to words that appear repeatedly or are emphasized in sections such as requirements, qualifications and responsibilities.
Excel, SQL, project management, forecasting, customer service
SAP, Salesforce, Figma, Google Analytics, Jira
Inventory planning, reporting, stakeholder management
Degree, certification, language or experience requirements
Extract keywords from a real job description
Imagine you're applying for a materials planning position with this requirement:
We're looking for a Materials Planner with experience in inventory planning, demand forecasting and supplier coordination. The candidate should have strong Excel skills and experience working with SAP.
If these skills and responsibilities accurately reflect your experience, they are useful terms to consider when writing your resume.
Use keywords in context
A keyword is more useful when it helps explain actual experience rather than appearing as an isolated word.
Forecasting, inventory, SAP, suppliers, Excel.
Planned inventory requirements using demand forecasts and SAP data while coordinating material availability with suppliers.
Where should resume keywords appear?
Relevant terminology can naturally appear throughout several sections of your resume.
Introduce your most relevant experience and expertise.
Show how you've used relevant skills in real situations.
Include relevant technical and professional capabilities.
Projects can demonstrate tools and capabilities not shown elsewhere.
Relevant coursework or certifications may provide useful context.
Resume keywords and ATS
Applicant tracking systems vary between employers. They can be used to store, organize and search applications, among other functions.
Clear terminology and straightforward formatting can make your resume easier for both systems and people to interpret, but there is no universal keyword formula that guarantees a particular outcome.
Explore formatting, structure, keywords and common ATS mistakes.
Don't stuff your resume with keywords
Adding a large number of keywords without context can make a resume difficult to read and may misrepresent your experience.
Project management, Agile, Scrum, leadership, Jira, strategy, planning, communication, analytics, reporting, stakeholder management, budgeting...
Coordinated cross-functional projects in Jira, tracked delivery milestones and communicated project risks to stakeholders.
Never add a keyword simply because an employer mentions it. Use it only when it accurately describes your skills or experience.
Learn how to write responsibilities and achievements with more context.
Resume keyword checklist
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