Question
“How can I make my resume rise to the top of online job boards so that recruiters will notice me?” — Matthew from Norfolk, VA
Answer
Let’s face it: searching for a job is hard work. And there are so many people submitting resumes to online job boards, trying to get their qualifications noticed by employers so that they can get a chance at landing the position of their dreams. How can you possibly stand out from the crowd?
It helps to know how recruiters narrow their choices. To get through the millions of online resumes on Monster, Indeed.com, LinkedIn, Dice, and others, and find their perfect candidates, recruiters use tools that help them search resume databases.
These recruiters are under a lot of pressure from corporate and hiring managers to find the candidates that can do the job and add value to the organization. So, remember, recruiters want to find and place good candidates like you into their companies. They just need a little help in getting introduced to you and your resume.
This is why keywords are very important when you are drafting your resume.
Many job seekers are not aware of the importance of keywords, or how to use them to rise to the top of search results. But it’s really simple. Just be deliberate in including keywords that apply to the work that you perform and the industry which you support.
For example, if you work with software products such as Salesforce.com, then make sure to include the following key words: ‘cloud computing,’ ‘Salesforce.com,’ ‘Software as a Service,’ and ‘SaaS.’
When a recruiter gets the requirements for a candidate that include experience in cloud computing, then she just needs to type in the ‘cloud computing’ keyword, and your resume will be in her search results.
Attempt to use as many keywords as are appropriate for your position. Don’t overdo it, though — don’t make it look as though you are filling up your resume with keywords. Use your best judgment to know how many keywords are appropriate.
Good luck with landing your next job!
Ricky Singh
Ricky Singh is a practitioner of enterprise architecture, strategic business planning, project management, business analysis, data analysis, and building effective communication strategies for clients. He earned an MBA from University of Maryland University College
