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By Louise Garver

Imagine you have the perfect qualifications for a position advertised online. Your background, track record and skill set are ideal for this position. You are neither over- nor under-qualified. The job is yours for the taking. Or is it? There’s a chance you may not be offered an interview.

In today’s technology-driven world, you may not be considered a qualified candidate even though you are. The reason? Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have automated the application process for recruiters and human resources personnel. The process essentially follows this pattern:

You submit your resume online. You may be able to upload your resume and the system extracts the information, sometimes known as “resuming inhaling.” All you do is verify that the information has been extracted correctly. Other times you may need to upload your resume, verify the extracted information is accurate, and then complete a series of questions related to the position(s) you are seeking.

All the information then goes into a database, allowing recruiters to search for ideal candidates. Recruiters enter search criteria, and the database produces a list of candidates that meet the criteria. To increase your odds of being found by recruiters, you need to develop a resume that will be flagged as meeting the criteria. To do this, you need to understand and develop a keyword-rich resume.

Keywords are generally nouns that identify experience, skills and qualifications relevant to a specific industry, profession or position. Although keywords may also include industry “buzzwords” and verbs, the majority of keywords are nouns. Examples include: Vice President of Sales, Marketing Communications Manager, Finance Director, UNIX, SQL, integrated logistics support, supply chain management, financial analysis and reporting, sales territory management, key account management, MBA, BA in Business Management … the list goes on and on.

Obviously your resume will contain keywords in the positions, skills, education and other information you include on your document. The question is, are they, or have you, included the right keywords? To help maximize your chances of making it through the these automated screening tools, use the following tips.

• Review the job advertisement for keywords. The listing will contain most of the keywords the employer or recruiter will use to filter out resumes. Avoid creating a generic resume and submitting it to as many employers are possible. Instead craft a targeted resume for each position that contains the appropriate keywords or your resume may never be found.
• Check advertisements for similar positions. Find and review other ad listings for similar jobs that may contain other keywords that you should incorporate into your resume (and cover letter).
• Make a list of all experience and qualifications that are relevant to the position. This includes skills, industry jargon, acronyms, association memberships and so on. Any words that you noted that overlap with those found in advertisements should definitely be included.
• Keyword saturation. Incorporate as many keywords as possible into your resume. The more keywords you incorporate, the better your chances of being flagged by the software. Include the words throughout your resume, where appropriate. You may also want to consider adding a “Keyword” or “Skills” section to your resume. In this section you can place as many keywords as you need to describe your skills and qualifications.
• Refresh your resume often. Recruiters can include in their search the date your resume was submitted. Newer resumes are an indication you are actively seeking a new position. If you submitted your resume months ago, it may be assumed that you are no longer searching for employment. Refreshing your resume is often as simple as resubmitting it or updating information, even if it means retyping your name and clicking the “Update” or “Submit” button.

For best results, follow these tips and incorporate keywords strategically throughout your resume, cover letters and other job search documents. A word of caution … if you add keywords that do not accurately reflect your qualifications, you’ll be removed from consideration and potentially future positions.

Ultimately, the best way to increase your visibility is to do your homework on the type of positions you are interested in and tailor your resume accordingly so that all essential keywords are incorporated. Use the tips above to create a tailored resume, and you will increase the chances of being noticed by a recruiter … and opening the door to interviews and your next job.

Louise Garver is the president of Career Directions LLC. She is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and Career Coach with extensive experience in recruitment, outplacement and career management. Her articles have been featured on leading employment websites and her work has been published in numerous resume and cover letter books.

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