Job seekers, rejoice! We’ve compiled a list of the top 500 resume keywords that hiring managers are looking for when considering job applicants. 

We’ve grouped these keywords into general job categories, so you can easily find the words that best fit your experience and skills. Simply choose the keywords that are most relevant to your experience and include them on your resume. 

By having these keywords on your resume, you’ll improve your chances of being noticed by a hiring manager and landing an interview.

Table of Contents

What are resume keywords?

Job seekers today face a daunting task when it comes to creating a resume that will catch the eye of a hiring manager.

Why? Because most companies (including 99% of Fortune 500 companies) now use applicant tracking systems, or ATS, to rank and filter job applicants. ATS is a computer software application that helps employers manage the hiring process.

When you submit your resume, it usually goes straight into an ATS database. Hiring managers then search for suitable candidates by typing certain keywords into the search bar. These keywords are usually job titles and hard and soft skills. This is what is meant by “resume keywords.”

Read the full guide: What Is An ATS? 8 Things You Need to Know About Applicant Tracking Systems

What keywords do recruiters look for?

“The first thing I’m looking for is the hard skills that match the job description,” one corporate recruiter told Jobscan.

For example, if a recruiter wanted to fill a position for a marketing manager, they might type in keywords such as “social media,” “SEO,” or “branding.” 

The ATS then searches through all of the resumes in its database and pulls out those containing the keywords the recruiter was searching for.

Unfortunately, a lot of resumes simply vanish into the black hole of an ATS database, never to be seen by a live human being. All because they didn’t contain the right keywords.

In fact, according to a study by the Harvard Business School, ATS technology screens out qualified applicants in 88% of companies because they don’t have the right keywords in their resumes.

Read the full guide: Top Resume Skills and How to List Them

How do you find the right resume keywords to use?

One of the best ways to find keywords is to re-read the job description. Pay attention to the skills and qualifications that are listed as requirements for the position. Then add those keywords to your resume, especially in the work experience section

The easiest and most effective way to find keywords is to use a tool like Jobscan’s resume scanner. Using AI technology, this tool analyzes your resume and compares it to the job description. The scanner then provides you with a resume score, which is based on several factors, including skills, keywords, and experience.

How to use keywords in your resume

Optimizing your resume isn’t as simple as stuffing industry-specific skills and jargon into your resume. It’s about tweaking the keywords already in your resume to match the job description.

For example, if you’re a graphic designer, you probably have a lot of experience with Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe’s software bundle that includes standards like Photoshop and Illustrator. 

But let’s say the job description mentions only “Adobe Creative Suite,” its former name.

If you have “Adobe Creative Cloud” on your resume but the hiring manager searches the ATS for “Adobe Creative Suite,” there’s a possibility you could be excluded from the results even though you possess the exact skillset they’re looking for. 

This is why it’s so important to tailor your resume to every job you apply for.

To optimize your resume for this particular job opening, you should change your resume keyword to “Adobe Creative Suite.”

The same thing can happen with job titles. There are many variations of job titles based on industry, company culture, or experience levels.

Here are three examples:

Example #1 – You’re applying for a “Content Writer” position, but your previous job title was “Content Creator” which is what you’ve put on your resume. Because “Content Writer” is listed in the job description, this is what the hiring manager will most likely search for. It’s the same job, so change “Content Creator” to “Content Writer” on your resume to increase your searchability.

Example #2 -The job title buzzword fad (ninjas, gurus, rock stars, etc…) is thankfully dying out, but you still have “Customer Service Wizard” on your resume from a previous job. Unless a job description asks for actual sorcery skills, you should change the job title to reflect the new job for which you’re applying.

Example #3 – You worked for six years as a “Web Developer” at a small firm that didn’t differentiate experience levels. In other contexts, you would be a “Senior Web Developer,” so make that change on your resume as you pursue other senior-level positions.

There’s nothing wrong with changing the job titles on your resume. All you’re doing is translating your job titles into the same language used by the hiring manager of the company you’re applying to. 

This is what optimizing your resume keywords is all about.

You can take the guesswork out of keyword optimization by using a tool like Jobscan’s resume scanner. It analyzes your resume against the job description and tells you exactly how to optimize your resume to match each company’s ATS.

Important note: We’re talking about re-contextualizing your work experience rather than improving it. Do not give yourself a promotion you felt you deserved but didn’t get.

Read the full guide: Resume Words: Keywords, Adjectives, Skills, and Power Verbs

Pro Tip #1: Add keywords exactly as they appear in the job description

Many ATS do not recognize tenses, plurals, synonyms, abbreviations, or other word variations.  

The best way to determine which keyword variation you should include on your resume is to simply copy what’s written in the job description. 

For example, if the keyword “manager” is used frequently in the job description but your resume says “Managed team of 11 engineers,” simply rewrite it to say “Manager of a team of 11 engineers.”

Pro Tip #2: Don’t overstuff keywords!

Your resume should always be natural and easy to read. Don’t add keywords just for the sake of “pleasing” the ATS. 

When it comes to keywords, remember to use them sparingly. A few well-placed keywords will do the trick and help your resume stand out from the rest.

Top 500 ATS resume keywords list

Below are the resume keywords, organized by industry, that appear most frequently in Jobscan‘s database of real job descriptions. (Note: some keywords are used multiple times).

Remember, always check the job description to see exactly how these keywords are used!

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Business, Finance, Law

  • account management
  • accounting
  • accounts payable
  • accounts receivable
  • analysis
  • analytical
  • analytical skills
  • analytics
  • analyze data
  • analyzing data
  • annual budget
  • asset management
  • audit
  • auditing
  • banking
  • billing
  • budget management
  • budgeting
  • business administration
  • business cases
  • business issues
  • business management
  • business planning
  • business plans
  • business process
  • business requirements
  • business stakeholders
  • business strategy
  • business systems
  • CAD
  • cash flow
  • CFA
  • client relationships
  • client service
  • client services
  • compliance
  • consulting experience
  • consulting services
  • consumers
  • contracts
  • co-op
  • cost effective
  • cost reduction
  • data analysis
  • data collection
  • data management
  • data quality
  • database
  • deposits
  • due diligence
  • dynamic environment
  • economics
  • EMEA
  • expenses
  • external partners
  • finance
  • financial analysis
  • financial management
  • financial performance
  • financial reporting
  • financial reports
  • financial services
  • financial statements
  • financing
  • forecasting
  • forecasts
  • GAAP
  • general ledger
  • governance
  • internal audit
  • internal controls
  • internal customers
  • internal stakeholders
  • international
  • inventory
  • inventory management
  • investigate
  • investigation
  • investigations
  • invoices
  • invoicing
  • journal entries
  • law enforcement
  • leadership development
  • lean
  • legal
  • legislation
  • litigation
  • machine learning
  • MIS
  • mortgage
  • non-profit
  • partnership
  • partnerships
  • payments
  • payroll
  • physical security
  • PMP
  • policies
  • portfolio management
  • presentations
  • process improvement
  • project planning
  • proposal
  • prospecting
  • purchase orders
  • purchasing
  • real estate
  • reconcile
  • reconciliation
  • regulations
  • relationship management
  • reporting
  • revenue growth
  • RFP
  • RFPs
  • risk assessment
  • risk assessments
  • risk management
  • security clearance
  • small business
  • spreadsheets
  • statistical analysis
  • statistics
  • strategic direction
  • strategic initiatives
  • strategic planning
  • strategic plans
  • strategy
  • Tableau
  • tax
  • technical knowledge
  • transactions
  • underwriting
  • vendor management
  • vendors

Customer Service, Retail, Human Resources, Tourism

  • beverage
  • billing
  • build relationships
  • client relationships
  • client service
  • consumers
  • customer experience
  • customer-facing
  • customer requirements
  • customer service
  • customer-facing
  • employee relations
  • filing
  • help desk
  • hospitality
  • hotel
  • hotels
  • human resource
  • human resources
  • immigration
  • in-store
  • internship
  • media relations
  • office software
  • on-boarding
  • outreach
  • PeopleSoft
  • performance metrics
  • phone calls
  • retail
  • sales
  • sales experience
  • sales goals
  • sales operations
  • Salesforce
  • staffing
  • supervising
  • supervisory experience
  • support services
  • talent acquisition
  • talent management
  • travel
  • travel arrangements

Education

  • administrative support
  • admissions
  • biology
  • chemistry
  • coaching
  • computer science
  • computer software
  • counsel
  • counseling
  • fundraising
  • German
  • higher education
  • mathematics
  • physics
  • program development
  • public relations
  • recruiting
  • recruitment
  • relationship building
  • research projects
  • researching
  • spelling
  • sports
  • teaching
  • training
  • writing

Health Care, Medicine

  • case management
  • CPR
  • FDA
  • fitness
  • health
  • healthcare
  • hospital
  • logistics
  • medical device
  • nursing
  • on-call
  • ordering
  • pharmaceutical
  • pharmacy
  • presentation
  • psychology
  • public health
  • public policy
  • safety
  • therapeutic

Information Technology, Computer Science

  • .NET
  • algorithms
  • android
  • architecture
  • architectures
  • audio
  • AutoCAD
  • AWS
  • big data
  • business analysis
  • business continuity
  • C (programming language)
  • C#
  • C++
  • CAD
  • certification
  • Cisco
  • cloud
  • compliance
  • computer applications
  • computer science
  • controls
  • CSS
  • D (programming language)
  • data center
  • data collection
  • data entry
  • data management
  • database
  • datasets
  • design
  • development activities
  • digital marketing
  • digital media
  • distribution
  • DNS
  • ecommerce
  • e-commerce
  • end user
  • experimental
  • experiments
  • frameworks
  • front-end
  • GIS
  • graphic design
  • hardware
  • HTML5
  • I-DEAS
  • information management
  • information security
  • information technology
  • intranet
  • iOS
  • iPhone
  • IT infrastructure
  • ITIL
  • Java
  • Javascript
  • JIRA
  • LAN
  • licensing
  • Linux
  • machine learning
  • MATLAB
  • matrix
  • mechanical engineering
  • migration
  • mobile
  • modeling
  • networking
  • operations management
  • oracle
  • OS
  • process development
  • process improvement
  • process improvements
  • product design
  • product development
  • product knowledge
  • program management
  • programming
  • protocols
  • prototype
  • Python
  • quality assurance
  • real-time
  • research
  • resource management
  • root cause
  • routing
  • SaaS
  • SAS
  • SCI
  • scripting
  • scrum
  • SDLC
  • SEO
  • service delivery
  • software development
  • software development life cycle
  • software engineering
  • SQL
  • SQL server
  • tablets
  • technical
  • technical issues
  • technical knowledge
  • technical skills
  • technical support
  • test cases
  • test plans
  • testing
  • troubleshooting
  • UI
  • Unix
  • usability
  • user experience
  • UX
  • variances
  • vendor management
  • VMware
  • web services
  • workflows

Manufacturing, Transportation

  • assembly
  • asset management
  • audit
  • auditing
  • automation
  • aviation
  • budget
  • budget management
  • budgeting
  • chemicals
  • circuits
  • construction
  • cost reduction
  • cross-functional team
  • distribution
  • documentation
  • documenting
  • drafting
  • drawings
  • driving record
  • electrical
  • electrical engineering
  • electronics
  • engineering
  • fabrication
  • installation
  • instructional design
  • instrumentation
  • inventory
  • inventory management
  • ISO
  • life cycle
  • lifecycle
  • manage projects
  • management experience
  • mining
  • operations
  • operations management
  • outsourcing
  • performance improvement
  • process improvement
  • process improvements
  • procurement
  • product design
  • product development
  • product knowledge
  • product line
  • product marketing
  • product quality
  • project delivery
  • project management
  • project management skills
  • project plan
  • QA
  • quality assurance
  • quality control
  • quality management
  • quality standards
  • raw materials
  • regulatory
  • regulatory compliance
  • regulatory requirements
  • repairs
  • safety
  • six sigma
  • SolidWorks
  • sourcing
  • specifications
  • standard operating procedures
  • supply chain
  • supply chain management
  • transport
  • transportation
  • valid drivers license
  • vendor management
  • warehouse
  • workflows

Marketing, Media, Publishing, Graphic Design

  • account management
  • acquisition
  • acquisitions
  • administrative support
  • Adobe
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • advertising
  • affiliate
  • agile
  • algorithms
  • alliances
  • analytical
  • analytical skills
  • analytics
  • analyze data
  • analyzing data
  • API
  • APIs
  • automation
  • benchmark
  • BI
  • brand
  • branding
  • broadcast
  • budgeting
  • build relationships
  • business analysis
  • business continuity
  • business development
  • business intelligence
  • business planning
  • business process
  • business strategy
  • business systems
  • case management
  • change management
  • client relationships
  • client services
  • CMS
  • coding
  • commissioning
  • complex projects
  • consulting
  • content
  • continuous improvement
  • contract management
  • conversion
  • correspondence
  • counseling
  • CPG
  • CRM
  • cross-functional team
  • customer experience
  • daily operations
  • data analysis
  • data collection
  • data management
  • data quality
  • digital marketing
  • digital media
  • ecommerce
  • e-commerce
  • editing
  • editorial
  • employee engagement
  • engagement
  • ERP
  • ETL
  • event planning
  • Facebook
  • fashion
  • field sales
  • Flex
  • fulfillment
  • HRIS
  • HTML
  • IBM
  • InDesign
  • industry experience
  • industry trends
  • information system
  • information systems
  • internal communications
  • inventory management
  • JIRA
  • journalism
  • key performance indicators
  • KPI
  • KPIs
  • lighting
  • machine learning
  • management consulting
  • market research
  • marketing
  • marketing materials
  • marketing plans
  • marketing programs
  • marketing strategy
  • merchandising
  • metrics
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Microsoft Word
  • MS Excel
  • MS Office
  • MS Project
  • negotiation
  • networking
  • operating systems
  • operational excellence
  • performance management
  • photography
  • Photoshop
  • portfolio management
  • positioning
  • PR
  • process development
  • process improvement
  • process improvements
  • product management
  • product marketing
  • product quality
  • project delivery
  • project management
  • public relations
  • publications
  • publishing
  • quality assurance
  • R (programming language)
  • recruit
  • regulatory compliance
  • relationship building
  • reporting
  • resource management
  • retention
  • sales management
  • SAP
  • scheduling
  • scrum
  • SDLC
  • segmentation
  • SharePoint
  • six sigma
  • social media
  • SOPs
  • spreadsheets
  • SQL server
  • stakeholder management
  • standardization
  • startup
  • start-up
  • statistical analysis
  • statistics
  • status reports
  • strategic direction
  • strategic initiatives
  • strategic planning
  • strategic plans
  • strategy
  • strong analytical skills
  • telecom
  • trade shows
  • TV
  • Twitter
  • value proposition
  • vendors
  • video
  • windows
  • workflows

Key takeaways

  • Most companies now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to rank and filter job applicants. 
  • Recruiters usually search the ATS for the job titles and hard skills that match the job description.  
  • You can find the keywords to use in a resume by analyzing the job description.
  • Pay attention to the skills and areas of expertise that are listed as requirements for the position. Those are the keywords to put on a resume. 
  • Optimizing your resume is about tweaking the keywords already in your resume to match the job description.
  • Speak the language of the hiring manager and the job description they’ve created. Use their keywords for resume skills to increase your chances of getting a job interview
  • Add resume words exactly as they appear in the job description.
  • Use color on your section headings to enhance your resume.
  • Use a tool like Jobscan’s resume scanner tool to automate the process of optimizing your resume. 
jobscan has helped over 1 million users build and optimize their resume

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Robert Henderson, CPRW, Resume Expert

Robert Henderson, CPRW, is a career advice writer and a resume expert at Jobscan.

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