To read the first of this six part series, go to Part I.

Keywords Also Matter When You Apply

Candidates who apply to jobs which are advertised on job boards or who post their resumes to job boards in the hopes that an employer will find the resume and contact the candidate with an interview offer are often shocked to learn that most large employers don't really read resumes anymore. Instead, resumes are added to the employer's database of resumes. That applicant tracking system allows the employer to more efficiently manage the flow of candidates and also all but ensures that when employers review your resume they will likely only find it if your resume contains the keywords that the employer uses when she searches for the resumes which are likely to best fit her needs. Just like you typed in keywords to find the employer's job posting, so will that employer type in keywords to find your resume.

To ensure that your resume is reviewed by an employer who may not be as skilled at keyword searching as you are, make sure that you include in your resume all of the possible keywords that the employer may use to find a resume such as yours. Don't include irrelevant keywords because the trick isn't to get your resume noticed. The trick is to get your resume noticed by the employer when they are reviewing resumes submitted for a job for which you are both qualified and interested. Rather than referring to your previous experience just as an "Account Executive," also include the word "sales" if that's what your function actually was. Rather than referring to yourself as a "Registered Nurse," also include the acronym "RN" as some employers will search one way and others the other way.

(continued tomorrow)