Resume Keywords List of 170+ Key Examples

Resume Keywords List of 170+ Key Examples Resume Keywords: List of 170+ Examples Resume keywords are words and phrases that highlight industry-specific skills employers are looking for. We explain how to use them in your application, and provide a list of 170+ good examples. Build My Resume Now Where to Find Resume Keywords The best place to find resume keywords is in the job posting for the role. When you’re scanning a job ad, pay attention to the kinds of words and phrases listed in the “desired qualifications” and “responsibilities” sections. Tip You can also get an idea of the action verbs  you can use in your work experience bullets from the job description. Check out this example from Apple: This Apple job description contains resume keyword examples. After you’ve located several important ones, simply include them in your resume and cover letter. By using the keywords listed in the job ad, you maximize your resume’s chances of getting through the application tracking system (ATS) â€" software used by companies to filter out unqualified applicants. ATS software scans your resume and cover letter by looking for keywords the hiring manager has programmed into it. If it doesn’t find any of these keywords, the ATS automatically rejects your application. Almost 75% of companies use or plan to use an ATS, so it’s vital you check the job posting and use the same keywords throughout your resume and cover letter. Otherwise you might miss out on an interview despite being perfectly qualified. Tip Besides strategically using keywords, there are other methods to create an ATS-friendly resume. How to Use Keywords in Your Resume ATS software is not always accurate. So when you’ve found the keywords to put on your resume, you need to include them clearly so that the ATS can read them. Don’t: Embed resume keywords in images or use fancy fonts. Do: Use standard fonts and avoid images in favor of plain text. 1. Use a Standard Resume Font Pick a standard font for your resume? When the ATS scans your application, it can only read resume keywords if they’re written using common fonts. Fonts like Calibri, Cambria, and Georgia come preinstalled on most computers. Also be sure to avoid uncommon fonts â€" particularly ones downloaded from the internet. 2. Stick to Plain Text For an ATS, images are hard to read. While it might be tempting to spice up your graphic design resume by embedding keywords for your resume in fancy images, doing so will mean the ATS can’t read them. Tip Need another way to create an eye-catching creative job application? Use one of our creative templates. 3. Include a Mix of Skills, Qualifications, and Industry-specific Words The ideal keywords to include in your resume should be related to soft skills and hard skills. Other keywords include any certifications you have â€" as long as they’re specified in the job listing. For instance, if the job ad for a web developer role mentions “programming languages,” your skills section might look like this: C++ Java Python TypeScript These languages are good examples of industry-specific terminology. Only people specializing in IT are likely to know what “TypeScript” is. It’s important to use job-specific resume keywords so that the hiring manager knows you’re familiar with the industry â€" even if you’re looking for an entry-level job. Including these words shows you’ve done at least the minimum amount of research, and have an interest in the field. Also, use synonyms to increase the variety of keywords on your resume. A “programmer” should also refer to themself as a “coder” because these two words mean roughly the same thing, and you never know exactly what terms have been programmed into the ATS. Tip Dont forget to include powerful resume words that convey your ability to succeed in the workplace. 4. Scatter Keywords throughout Your Resume and Cover Letter Repeating keywords in a resume is another great way to highlight important job skills. For instance, if you’re writing a teacher resume, you might use the keyword “classroom management” in the skills section. You can also repeat “classroom management” in your resume summary to illustrate how you applied this ability in a real-world situation: This teacher uses the keyword classroom management on their resume. Notice the percentage given in this example? Including accomplishments for resume like this in your bullet points helps hiring managers know what you can achieve. 5. Run Spellchecker Misspelled a word? The ATS might not know what you meant, and won’t count that keyword. Always double check your spelling, and enlist a friend to help you proofread your resume and cover letter before you submit them. Resume Keyword Practices to Avoid We’ve established that using resume keywords throughout your application boosts your chances of a human hiring manager seeing it. However, be careful not to overdo it. Packing your resume full of keywords is almost as bad as not including any at all. Don’t forget that a real person will (hopefully) see your resume at some point. So use natural language that engages that person. Tip Make sure you balance hard skills vs soft skills on your resume to show you’re a rounded candidate. Otherwise, they’ll think you’re either a bad writer â€" which indicates your communication skills aren’t good â€" or assume you’re trying to beat the ATS, making you seem dishonest. Here are the main practices to avoid: 1. Keyword Stuffing Keyword stuffing refers to using the same keyword again and again in an unnatural way to get your resume past the ATS. People engage in keyword stuffing because some ATS software gives applications a higher ranking when it detects a keyword is used more. For instance, an ATS might assign a higher score to a candidate who mentions “search engine optimization” six times over one who mentions it three times. Here’s an example of how one applicant tried to stuff the keyword customer satisfaction in their resume: An applicant stuffs the keyword customer satisfaction on their resume. See how extreme this is? This technique might get your resume past the ATS, but will immediately turn off the hiring manager â€" ruining your chances of getting hired. 2. Hidden Keywords This is a sneakier trick some applicants use. It involves copy-pasting a keyword several times, but applying a white font so that the keywords are invisible. But because the ATS scans all words despite their color, it counts all instances of a keyword. For example, a resume might contain five “invisible” instances of the keyword “business analysis” but only three “visible” ones. The Find tool can reveal where invisible keywords are: Invisible keywords are used by some candidates. The ATS counts all eight instances though, and “ranks” that resume higher. However, since most ATS software lets the hiring manager see a plain text version of the resume, “hidden” keywords appear, and they’ll see your trick. The result? You’ll come across as untrustworthy, and not worth hiring. 3. Dishonest Keywords It’s tempting to simply include all of the keywords you see in a job posting on your resume to maximize your chances of getting past the ATS. But hiring managers are going to be suspicious if they see a resume that’s too perfect. And even if you make it through to the interview, expect to be pressed with some tough questions about your skills. Stick to the abilities and qualifications you actually have. Adding skills you lack will waste everyone’s time. Tip No matter your level of experience, theres sure to be plenty of skills for your resume that you can list. Resume Keywords List: 170+ Keywords for Your Resume Below is a list of 170 common industry-specific keywords to use in a resume and cover letter. Accounting and Finance Administration and Office Support Business and Management Construction and Maintenance Creative and Culture Customer Service and Retail Education and Human Services Emergency Services Engineering Food Service Healthcare and Wellbeing Information Technology (IT) Law and Legal Marketing and Sales Personal and Child Care Spa and Salon Transportation and Logistics Accounting and Finance Account management Business volume Client accounts Budgeting Financial reports Risk analysis Quantitative analysis Qualitative analysis Auditing Forensic accounting Administration and Office Support Data entry Microsoft Office Office supply inventorying Typing Schedule management Filing Call screening Kronos HR (human resources) policy Google Calendar Business and Management Business analysis Structured Query Language (SQL) Client outreach Budget management Negotiation Market insights Public relations Strategic oversight Capital raising Six Sigma Construction and Maintenance Power tools Carpentry Masonry Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-certifed Customer service National Electrical Codes (NEC) Troubleshooting and diagnostics Hand tools Cleaning Machine operation Creative and Cultural Accents Singing Sculpture Adobe Photoshop Item cataloging Record-keeping Handling pressure Dean Evans EMS Graphic design InDesign Customer Service and Retail Complaint resolution Point of sale (POS) operation Customer satisfaction Business administration Data entry Evacuation procedures Technical support Diplomacy Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Product displays Education and Human Services Lesson planning SMART boards Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) Dewey Decimal Archiving Classroom management Differentiated education Child development Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) Curriculum planning Emergency Services Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/Automatic External Defibrillator (CPR/AED) First aid Emergency response Fire safety Equipment maintenance Gang outreach Self-defense Community policing De-escalation Surveillance Engineering S-Frame Trigonometry Hazard assessment Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-certified Bid preparation Visual Studio Electrical systems MATLAB Prototyping methodologies Technical drawings Food Service Cocktail preparation Latin American cuisine Point of Sales (POS) terminals Salesmanship Menu presentation Kitchen hygiene Reservation management Food handling and safety Equipment cleaning Upselling Healthcare and Wellbeing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Patient care Hoyer lifts X-rays Periodontal treatment Taking vital signs International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) designations Physical examinations Emergency treatment Body combat Information Technology (IT) Visual Basic WordPress Agile project management Scrum Market analysis Data mining Data protection OmniGraffle iOS Back-end programming Law and Legal Contract drafting Public defender Tort law Litigation software Typing Interview techniques Intellectual property Filing Negotiation LexisNexis Marketing and Sales Search engine optimization (SEO) Google Analytics Screaming Frog Marketing strategy Web-based advertising Accuranker Social media Campaigning Financial forecasting Business development Personal and Child Care Potty training Conflict resolution Games Safety awareness Applying dressings Housekeeping Driver’s license Story reading Meal preparation Handling pressure Spa and Salon Massage Laser procedures Hair dye Facials Skin care Balayage Color effects Theatrical makeup Customer service Cleaning Transportation and Logistics Vehicle maintenance Route planning Commercial driver’s license (CDL) Forklifts Punctual Vehicle inspections Account retention Interpersonal skills Dump trucks Teamwork Takeaways Now that you know the best keywords to use in a resume (and how to use them), you can add them to your application. But before you start writing, download a free resume template to freshen up your application and save time. Also, give our simple-to-use resume builder a go. It helps you create a tailored, professional resume in five minutes, giving you the best chance as you apply for jobs.