5 Steps to Finding Keywords in Job Descriptions

Identifying keywords in job postings is one of the most important steps when looking for employment. If your resume doesn’t include the right set of terms and phrases, your application might never get past the initial applicant tracking system (ATS) screening.

But how do you know which keywords to mention in your content? In this guide, we’ll explain how to find keywords in job descriptions and use them to optimize your resume, cover, letter, and LinkedIn profile.

What are keywords in a job description?

The specific words and phrases used in job postings to describe the ideal candidate’s qualifications, experience, and skills are referred to as “keywords.” They can include professional certifications, technical skills, and even soft skills.

Why employers use keywords in job postings

Employers use keywords to outline what matters most for a particular role, and filter out qualified candidates.

How keywords impact ATS

In case you don’t know, ATS automatically scan resumes and compare them to the job description. They assign each document a score and determine which candidates to be shortlisted for human review.

What this means is that if your resume isn’t well-tailored to the job description with the right keywords, then there’s a good chance your application will be automatically rejected by the system.

Identifying and using keywords strategically is necessary in order to:

• Tailor your resume to the job posting’s content.
• Get past ATS screening.
• Improve your interview chances.

How to find keywords in a job description step-by-step

This might seem like a tricky process at first but if you follow these steps, you’ll see identifying the main keywords on a job posting is pretty straightforward.

• Step 1. Read the job description carefully: Pay attention to the job title and main responsibilities as they hint at the area of expertise needed.
• Step 2. Recognize repeated words and phrases: Look for terms mentioned more than once, this suggests they’re important to the hiring company.
• Step 3. Look for skills, tools, and certifications: The specific abilities and technologies necessary to perform the job will be outlined in detail.
• Step 4. Analyze the required qualifications: Some crucial keywords are found in this section. Be mindful of “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.”
• Step 5. Use AI: Leverage artificial intelligence to your advantage and task it with finding the keywords for you.

To give you an example, let’s take a look at a job posting. For easy reference, we’ve highlighted the keywords.

Using AI to find keywords in job postings

Identifying keywords can be time-consuming. Just imagine how long you’ll have to spend tailoring your resume to multiple job descriptions.

This is where Enhancv comes in. You can use our AI-powered resume builder to streamline your content tailoring.

Simply copy and paste the job posting you’re interested in into the app. After that, the integrated AI can compare it to your resume and guide you on how to modify your content to perfectly match the job description.

Types of keywords to look for in job descriptions

Another important aspect of looking for keywords and using them correctly is understanding what category they belong to. This way you’ll have a better idea of where to place them in your resume.

Industry-specific keywords

Every professional field has its own terminology and lingo. In case you’re an aspiring professional, you should take the time to enrich your knowledge in this direction. Identifying these keywords and using them shows you’re competent and invested in the industry.

To give you an example, let’s take a look at a few professional fields accompanied by industry-specific terms:

• Marketing: SEO Optimization | Conversion Rate | Content Strategy
• Finance: GAAP Compliance | Financial Modeling | Portfolio Management
• Tech: Cloud Computing | Agile Development | API Integration

Hard skills keywords

Hard skills are technical abilities that require specific knowledge, experience, and training. They’re essential for each role.

Based on the previous examples, let’s take a look at three corresponding roles, with hard skills listed for each:

• Marketing Manager: Google Analytics | Email Marketing | A/B Testing
• Financial Analyst: Excel Modeling | Risk Analysis | Forecasting Techniques
• Software Engineer: Java Programming | Version Control (Git) | Debugging

It’s best to have a dedicated skills section for those. This way you use a multitude of relevant keywords in a relatively small portion of your document.

Soft skills keywords

Soft skills, also described as interpersonal, relate to how you interact with people. While their impact is hard to measure, companies often include them in job postings to show what kind of behavior is expected of an ideal candidate.

Action verbs and phrases

In resume writing lingo, action verbs are often used to describe accomplishments and responsibilities in an attention-grabbing way. However, they’re sometimes found in job postings as well.

Here are three examples that correspond to the roles mentioned in the previous section:

• "Develop marketing strategies"
• "Analyze financial reports"
• "Lead cross-functional teams"

How to use keywords effectively

Keep in mind that spotting keywords in job descriptions is only half of the equation. You also need to use them correctly in your content to achieve the desired results.

Here we’ll look at where and how to use the keywords you discover to create optimized applications that get past ATS and impress hiring managers.

In your resume

The most important place to use keywords is your resume, as you tailor your content to each job posting.

Here’s how to do it effectively:

• Exact match: Use the specific words and phrases as they’re spelled out in the job posting.
• Prioritize: Some keywords have more weight than others. Look for repeated words and phrases, and must-haves for the role.
• Natural placement: Instead of simply listing keywords somewhere in your document, use them in the context of your work experience, qualifications, and skillset.

To give you an example, we used Enhancv’s resume builder to create a work experience entry tailored to the job description we showed you above.

In your cover letter

Another great opportunity to integrate keywords is in your cover letter. You can briefly tell hiring managers why you’re the perfect candidate by naturally using some of the most prominent keywords you found in the job description.

On your LinkedIn profile

There’s no guarantee hiring managers will look at your LinkedIn page. However, it makes sense to update your profile to match the jobs you want to land.

Here’s what you can do:

• Use keywords in your headline and summary.
• Enrich your skills section with relevant technical abilities.
• Ask some of your LinkedIn connections to use the “endorse” functionality on your profile.

Common mistakes to avoid when using keywords

If you’re a rookie at resume writing, then it’s best to be aware of the usual pitfalls.

• Keyword stuffing: Overloading your resume with keywords is a common mistake. However, this isn’t something that will help you pass the ATS screening. Just one or two mentions of a particular keyword is enough.
• Using irrelevant keywords: What if you notice certain keywords in the job posting but you lack those skills or qualifications? Having them in your document will be seen as manipulation and lying on your resume is only going to backfire.
• Ignoring soft skills: The modern convention is to not have a dedicated soft skills section in your resume. However, skipping people skills altogether is a missed opportunity to make your application even more relevant to the role.
• Not reviewing keywords after using AI: While artificial intelligence can be quite helpful when tailoring a resume, it’s best to review its recommendations rather than follow them blindly.

Frequently asked questions about keywords in job descriptions

We covered the topic extensively. In any case, here are a few more commonly asked questions.

How many keywords should I include in my resume?

There’s no exact number of keywords that make your application more successful. Even one mention is enough to be caught by the ATS. What matters more is mirroring the job description and using the keywords in a proper context—this will impress hiring managers.

Can I use synonyms instead of exact keywords?

It’s best to have at least one exact match on your resume for each important keyword to ensure that the ATS will detect it. However, using synonyms and related terms is advisable to avoid keyword stuffing.

Does the order in which keywords appear in a resume matter for ATS?

The exact order doesn’t matter. But placement does. It’s best to have the most important keywords prominently featured in your summary, work experience, and skills sections.

Conclusion

While looking for keywords in job descriptions can be time-consuming and tiring, it’s an essential step to get your desired job. This will drastically improve your chances of passing ATS screenings and impressing hiring managers.