Search Engine Optimization for Your Resume
By: Mick, March 29th, 2007
Over at Career Hub, there is a post about How to Make Your Resume Turn Up in an Employer’s Search Results. There is no new ground broken here, just some reminders about using targeted keyword phrasing and then variations of the same keyword phrases so that you can account for slight differences in search styles. But there is a piece of advice that I think is good for job seekers to keep in mind when putting together their resume(s):
Think like a recruiter – if you were searching for your resume online, what keywords would you enter? Now, make a list of words – nouns and verbs – that would best describe your experience and incorporate them as much as possible into your online resume. Remember that every recruiter has a different style, so when writing your online resume, it’s best to exercise variance.
This largely covers the same ground I described above, but I think the concept of “thinking like a recruiter” is key. Not only do you want to be found under the keywords that describe your skillset, but you also want to be found under the keywords that describe the type of job you are seeking. So, rather than simply listing what you’ve done in your work history, incorporate phrasing that might make you visible under terms that describe what you would like your work future to be.
Tags: job search, job seeker tips, resume tips
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September 13th, 2007 at 7:57 am
Think like a recruiter? With more than 20 years corporate training experience, one thing I have experienced repeatedly is that no two people always think alike or even choose the same words in the same order in a sentence to answer a question. This is simply weak advice.
Better advice would be inclusion an analaysis of industry terms for the responsibilities of the jobs you have had.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:00 am
I understand your point about everyone having different search tendencies, but I think the point of the advice is to understand the keywords that recruiters and employers would be most likely to use when searching for resumes like yours. And then to emphasize those areas in your resume.
This certainly is not suggesting that you are going to capture all, or even most, most related searches. But your resume will be in a much stronger position to generate views if there is emphasis on the proper keywords.