How to use keywords in your job search

With so many resumes to review, a lot of companies use keyword searches to trim down the pile. If your resume doesn't have those matching keywords, it may never even get seen. (light upbeat music) Number one: what is a keyword? Keywords are the key to being found and considered for a job. Keywords are common buzzwords related to a specific job. They can be found in the job title or in the body of a job description or posting. They could be a skill you possess or a software that you've mastered. For example, job requirements such as fundraising or sales, job titles such as website developer or graphic designer, or certifications such as PMP or industry jargon such as medical devices. If you have experience with something basic, even Microsoft Excel, make sure that you put that on there, because recruiters will be filtering through for keywords. Number two: why are keywords important and where to put them? A.T.S., that stands for Applicant Tracking System, and it's a tool that many employers use. It's a database searchable by keyword. If a recruiter is looking for someone with a specific skill like Microsoft Project or fundraising and you have the experience but don't put the matching keywords on your resume, you will not come up in their database search. You should also consider putting keywords in your cover letter or in your social media profiles. Recruiters these days are searching in many different places. You have to get past a computer before a person actually looks at it. So those keywords are huge. If they're not there, the computer's not gonna pull your resume out for a potential job. Number three: how to come up with keywords. Go to your school's job board or a big job site like Monster.com or Indeed.com, and search for jobs that you're considering or you're interested in. Read a handful of job profiles, and pull out common job-specific keywords that are appearing across all the job profiles. (light upbeat music) Acronyms are good, but also write the full meaning out such as Project Management Professional, PMP, since one recruiter might search PMP while another searches Project Management Professional. You want to be found either way. Once you have your list of keywords that you're going to use, go back to the job board or website that you first did your research on, and search for those keyboards. You might find that using a job title like Project Manager gets you more results than Project Lead. You can also mix it up and use both terms in different places when appropriate to increase your chances. You're trying to mirror that job description and tailor it as best you can to your resume. They want to see that you're a great fit for their job posting. Keywords are the key. Do a little work and find and match some of the important keywords or buzzwords to help you make the cut. (light upbeat music)