ATS · Part of ATS guide: how applicant tracking systems work
How to Find the Right Keywords for Your Resume
By RedvicaUpdated October 2, 20268 min read
Resume keywords are the words recruiters and employers use to describe a job: titles, skills, tools, certifications and domain terms. Using them well gets your resume found and makes it easy for a person to see the fit. Using them badly, by pasting lists or claiming skills you don't have, backfires. This is a method you can follow in about twenty minutes, with a worked example.
Why keywords matter, and what's documented
Recruiters can search resumes. Greenhouse, for example, documents full-text keyword search across candidates' resumes (Greenhouse Support). So the words on your resume influence whether you appear when someone searches. They don't replace a clear, truthful resume; a human still reads it next. For the wider picture, see the ATS guide.
Step 1: collect three to five similar postings
Don't work from one job post. Pick three to five postings for the same role. Copy each job's requirements and responsibilities into one document. Terms that repeat across postings are the ones the market uses, rather than one employer's phrasing.
Step 2: count what repeats and sort it
Highlight the nouns and phrases that appear in more than one posting, then sort them into five groups:
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Job titles | Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst |
| Hard skills and methods | data visualization, ETL, A/B testing, forecasting |
| Tools and technologies | SQL, Python, Power BI, Tableau, Excel |
| Certifications and credentials | Microsoft PL-300, PMP |
| Domain terms | supply chain, logistics, KPI reporting |
Step 3: map every term to your real experience
For each term, mark one of three states. This step keeps you honest:
- I have done this. Use the term, backed by a bullet that shows it.
- I have done something close. Use the posting's word only if it's accurate, otherwise keep your own and add context.
- I haven't done this. Leave it out of your resume. If it's important, mention a plan to learn it in a cover letter, or build a small project first.
A worked example
Here's a short, fictional posting excerpt and how the method turns it into decisions. (Sample text, for illustration.)
| Term from the posting | Group | Your situation | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analyst | Job title | Your title was Junior Analyst | Keep your real title; mirror "data analyst" in your summary only if it describes your work |
| SQL | Tool | Used daily | List in Skills and show it in a bullet |
| Power BI | Tool | Built dashboards | Name it in the bullet: "Built Power BI dashboards" |
| KPIs | Domain term | Tracked delivery metrics | Write "delivery KPIs" in a bullet |
| Python | Tool (a plus) | Only a course | Add under Projects or a course if relevant; don't list as an expert skill |
Before
Built reports for the operations team.
After
Built Power BI dashboards that tracked delivery KPIs for the operations team, using SQL queries refreshed weekly.
Sample text. It's only valid if your real experience includes those tools and results.
Step 4: place keywords where they're believable
- In bullets, next to a result. This is the strongest place, because it shows you used the skill.
- In a Skills section, as plain words grouped by type, so people and parsers find them quickly.
- In your summary, for two or three of the most important terms and your target title.
- In job titles and the education section, where the words are naturally accurate.
Spell out acronyms once with the short form, for example "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)", because people search both ways.
Step 5: check it reads like a person wrote it
- Read the resume aloud. Any sentence that sounds like a list of buzzwords should be rewritten.
- Ensure every keyword you added has evidence somewhere on the page.
- Make sure the file still parses: single column, plain headings (format guide).
- Save this version as the master, and tailor a copy for each job (how to tailor).
What not to do
- Don't paste a block of keywords or hide them in white text. A recruiter or a plain-text view will spot it.
- Don't claim tools you haven't used. Interviewers will ask.
- Don't copy entire sentences from a posting.
- Don't chase a number of keywords. There's no magic count, only accurate and relevant coverage.
Speeding it up with a tool
Doing this for every application takes time. Job-specific tailoring compares your resume with a posting, lists matched and missing keywords, and suggests changes that you approve one by one. It only rewrites what's already in your resume and doesn't add skills you haven't shown. The resume checker also shows missing keywords when you add a job description.
Frequently asked questions
How many keywords should my resume have?
There's no set number. Include the terms that repeat across relevant postings and that truthfully describe your work, each supported by evidence.
Do I need to copy the job description exactly?
Use the same terms for skills you really have, in natural bullets. Copying sentences reads as unnatural and can push you toward claims you can't support.
Where are keywords most useful?
In bullets next to a result, in a Skills section and in your summary. A list of words alone is the weakest use.
What if I'm missing a required skill?
Leave it off your resume, and address it honestly in a cover letter or by building a small project that demonstrates it.