When I look at resumes with clients, the words you choose matter more than people expect. Phrases like “team player” and “excellent communication” sound good, but they are not the words recruiters and hiring managers actually search for. And almost everyone writes them, so they stop meaning anything.

Look at how often these show up:

  • Good team player
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Outstanding problem-solving skills
  • Proactive and enthusiastic

If you read a hundred resumes a day, you stop seeing these lines. They lose their power. So the real question is: how do you make your resume effective, and what should you actually include so it stands out? Here is how I help clients use keywords well.

What resume keywords are

1. The words that describe the job

Resume keywords are the specific words and phrases that describe the skills, tasks, qualifications, experience, or education tied to the job you want. They are the terms a hiring manager, or an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), looks for to decide whether your resume is worth a closer read.

2. Why they matter

Many companies use an ATS to do the first pass on resumes. The software is set up to pick out the keywords that match the advertised role. A resume that does not include those words can be set aside automatically, even when the person is well qualified. That is why this is worth getting right.

How to find the right keywords

A blurred resume on a dark desk with a pen on top, suggesting a recently reviewed job application in an office setting.

1. Read the job advertisement closely

The job description is your best source. Look at the skills, qualifications, and responsibilities it lists, and use the same words the employer used. If they wrote it, they are likely screening for it.

2. Use the language of your industry

Know the terms people use in your field, and use them. This shows you know your work, and it keeps your keywords current and relevant.

How to use keywords in your resume

Two individuals at a job interview, with focus on hands and a resume on the table, indicating a professional evaluation or discussion

1. Match the job titles and headings

Use the exact job titles and skill headings from the listing. If the role is “Sales Executive” and not “Sales Representative,” write “Sales Executive.”

2. Spread them through the resume

Do not bunch keywords in one place. Work them into your professional summary, your work experience, your skills section, and your education and certifications where it fits.

3. Give them context

Do not just list keywords. Put them inside your real experience and achievements. Instead of writing “project management,” describe a project you led and let the related words come through naturally, like “cross-functional teams” or “budget management.”

Keeping it balanced

Close-up of a hiring manager holding a digital tablet displaying a candidate

1. Do not stuff in keywords

Resist filling your resume with keywords. If it does not read naturally, it puts off the human reader, and an ATS can flag it as spam. Write for a person first.

2. Keep them relevant

Make sure every keyword is true to your experience and the job you want. Words that do not belong make your resume look unfocused.

Keeping keywords fresh

Interviewer holding a resume with a job candidate and beverages on the table, depicting a professional job interview scene.

1. Fields change

As industries change, the keywords change too. Keep an eye on your field and update your resume so it stays current.

2. Tailor it for each job

Match the keywords to each job description. There is no one-size-fits-all version. The resume you send should fit the role in front of you.

3. Review and revise

Go back to your resume regularly and refresh the keywords for your industry and the roles you are aiming for.

When you choose your keywords with care and weave them in, you give your resume a much better chance of passing both the software screen and the human one. The point is to use them honestly, so they reflect your real skills and experience and catch the eye of the people doing the hiring.

Where to place your keywords

Put two or three of your strongest keywords near the top, like a subtitle under your name, so they land straight away. Then list another twelve to fifteen in a dedicated skills section.

Are you thinking about moving countries and trying to find work in a tough job market? If you would like a hand with your resume and the keywords to include, that is something I help job seekers with all the time, wherever in the world they are heading. If you would like me to take a look, get in touch and tell me a little about the roles you are aiming for.