Top 500 Resume Keywords to Boost Your Resume

What Are Resume Keywords?

Job listings include the hard skills and competencies an applicant needs in order to be a great hire. These abilities become keywords used by recruiters and hiring managers to quickly identify top candidates whether they’re skimming with their eyes or using software to filter applicants based on the resume keywords.

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

Recruiters don’t carefully read resumes line by line. They take a cursory glance and only dig deeper if past job titles or resume keywords pique their interest. Having the right keywords is even more critical when technology enters the mix. Most companies (including 98% of Fortune 500) use software known as applicant tracking systems that can scan the content of a resume to make it searchable. Some systems even automatically filter and rank applicants. This means that a highly qualified applicant could slip through the cracks or get wrongly rejected if their resume isn’t optimized with the right keywords.

Top 500 Resume Keywords for 2018

Below is a list of the hard skills and keywords that appear most frequently in Jobscan‘s database of real job descriptions. These are the top resume keywords recruiters and hiring managers are looking for when vetting applicants.

These examples demonstrate the types of keywords to include in your resume. To boost your chances of getting past an applicant tracking system and landing a job interview, be sure to to tailor your resume keywords to the specific job for which you’re applying.

This list of keywords includes variations of the same words and phrases, for example Microsoft Office (124), MS Office (137), and Microsoft Office Suite (324). This isn’t a mistake. The levels of sophistication vary between applicant tracking systems, but most cannot differentiate between synonyms, abbreviations, or similar skills. Rank higher in the applicant tracking system or a recruiter’s search results by matching your resume keywords to exactly what’s in the job description.

design operations technical training sales marketing reporting compliance strategy research analytical engineering policies budget finance project management health customer service documentation content presentation brand presentations safety certification accounting regulations metrics legal engagement database analytics distribution coaching testing vendors consulting writing contracts inventory retail healthcare regulatory scheduling construction logistics mobile C (programming language) correspondence controls human resources specifications recruitment procurement partnership partnerships management experience negotiation hardware programming agile forecasting advertising business development audit architecture supply chain governance staffing continuous improvement product development networking recruiting product management CRM SAP troubleshooting computer science budgeting electrical customer experience I-DEAS economics information technology transportation social media automation lifecycle filing modeling investigation SQL editing purchasing KPIs hospital forecasts acquisition expenses billing change management video invoices administrative support payments lean process improvement installation risk management transactions investigations payroll R (programming language) data analysis statistics coding protocols program management quality assurance windows banking outreach sourcing Microsoft Office merchandising business requirements drawings Salesforce documenting information systems nursing business administration consumers financial services legislation strategic planning MS Office counseling technical support frameworks performance management BI fashion HTML publications internship QA software development oracle Java teaching pharmaceutical ERP fulfillment positioning tax service delivery investigate editorial account management business process valid drivers license electronics PR public relations Javascript assembly digital marketing Linux Facebook spreadsheets recruit proposal SharePoint data entry hotel ordering branding life cycle real estate relationship management researching process improvements chemistry SaaS CAD sales experience mathematics customer-facing audio project management skills six sigma hospitality mechanical engineering auditing employee relations android security clearance licensing Adobe fundraising repairs ISO market research warehouse business strategy PMP data management quality control reconciliation CSS conversion business analysis financial analysis ecommerce business intelligence C++ client service publishing supervising complex projects key performance indicators scrum Photoshop sports e-commerce journalism D (programming language) data collection higher education marketing programs financial management business plans user experience client relationships cloud analytical skills Cisco internal stakeholders product marketing regulatory requirements ITIL information security aviation supply chain management Python accounts payable industry experience AutoCAD purchase orders

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BONUS: Top 50 Soft Skills for Executive Job Seekers

Many of the hard skills above are also found on executive job descriptions, such as operations, business development, finance, and strategy. At the executive level, a greater emphasis is placed on the soft skills that are developed and proven over the course of a career. Below are the top soft skills found in current C-suite job descriptions.

These soft skills are harder to define and can be difficult to use on a resume. Executives should sprinkle some of these top soft skills into their resume where applicable, but might use them to greater effect when writing their LinkedIn profile. On a resume, it’s more important to provide measurable results and experience that illustrates these highly coveted skills.

For example, you don’t necessarily need to match the job description by including the term entrepreneurial (7) on your resume, but you should absolutely highlight any work you’ve done with startups. Alternatively, include details of a pet project you nurtured, a department you grew, or relevant training you completed.

 

Leadership Vision Track Record Collaborate Communication Skills Competitive Entrepreneurial Integrity Hands-on Innovation Consistent Driven Flexible Impact Collaboration Collaborative Judgment Passion Accountable Dedicated Influence Work Ethic Creative Energetic Enthusiastic

Interpersonal Skills Passionate Professionalism Proven Track Record Motivate Proactive Excellent Communication Mentoring Organized Problem-solving Strategic Thinking Collaboratively Communicate Effectively Fast-paced Attention To Detail Business Acumen Cost-effective Enthusiasm Entrepreneurial Spirit Financial Planning Follow Through Leadership Experience Motivated Multitask Provide Guidance