How to Find the Right Resume Keywords in a Job Description

Keywords are the words a recruiter or system searches for. They come straight from the job posting, so you do not have to guess.

What counts as a keyword

• The job title, such as "Data Analyst".
• Hard skills and tools, such as SQL, Excel or Figma.
• Methods and standards, such as Agile or ISO 27001.
• Certifications and qualifications.
• Domain terms, such as "payments" or "supply chain".

How to find them

Read the posting twice. Underline any skill or tool that appears more than once, or appears in both the requirements and the responsibilities. Those are the priorities. Items under "nice to have" matter less.

Where to place them

Put your most relevant keywords in three places: the summary at the top, the skills section, and the bullets that show you using the skill. A skill that shows up only in a list is weaker than one backed by an example.

Use both versions

People write the same skill differently, such as "Search Engine Optimisation" and "SEO". Include the full form once with the abbreviation in brackets.

Stay truthful

Add only the keywords you can discuss in an interview. For the ones you lack, either learn the basics first or leave them out.