Resume Keywords List by Industry [for Use to Pass the ATS]

Resume Keywords List by Industry [for Use to Pass the ATS] Resume keywordsare position-related expression which describes experience, skills ot traits. Hiring managers and Applicant Tracking Systems scan resumes looking for resume keywords to check if they match particular requirements for a job.Blah blah blah blah 5 years professional graphic design experience blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Proficient in Adobe Photoshop CC blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Image database management skills blah blah blah blah blah blah...Those highlighted words? These areresume keywords.This is exactly what recruiters and hiring managers see when they read your resume.Don't have the right resume keywords? The employer will move on to someone who more-closely matches their tastes.So, how do we find the best resume keywords and phrases?Keep reading! Well go through this together, step-by-step from beginning to end. Youll soon know what resume keywords to use to finally get that dream job.This keywords for resumes guide will show you:Ac tion verbs and resume keywords to use. Plus, what resume buzzwords to avoid.How to include keywords in resumes, cover letters, and emails for greatest impact.What is a scannable resume and how to pass the ATS resume test.The best way to determine what keywords to add to your resume to land the interview.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Example of a resume making use of resume keywordsSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowWorried your resume will never make it to the hiring manager? Yes, resume keywords will help. But it's just part of the equation. You need the right formatting as well. Learn how to beat the ATS bots here:ATS Friendly Resume Templates that Pass the Test1Resume Keywords: Whats the Big Deal?There are ~250 applicants for typical corporate job openings. Thats too much for a human to handle, so recruiters rely on Applicant Tracking Software (ATS), which we'll explain in more detail in a moment.Screening software such as this gets the job done in a second by scanning for resume keywords. Did you pass the ATS resume-scanning test?Dont get excited just yet. Hiring managers take roughly 7seconds scanning each surviving resume, according to our HR statistics report.Guess how they get the job done so fast. Exactly. They look for resume keywords, too.So the questions is: how many resume keywords should you include in a resume?The general rule is 25-30. Dont spam the bots and their human overlords.2Identify Whats Important to the EmployerThere was this girl I liked back in high school.I knew this girl enjoyed volleyball and loathed US Gov. But, everyone else knew that, too.Bringing these points up w ould have been just as lame as commenting on the weather.So, how to impress?Love prospects remain a mystery, but employers will help you out. Just read the job posting:Its like the perfect OKCupid profile!Googling gives good descriptive words for resumes (blue-highlighted), but wed miss employer-specific ones (yellow-highlighted).Most important resume keywords come from job listings.Just one important note: Resume keywords arent magic words you have to use no matter what. Dont lie! Youll crash and burn in a blaze of unemployment glory, quickly.Where should you add these resume keywords?In the following sections, well look at how to strategically place resume keywords in all the important places: in the resume summary, objective statement, experience section, education, skills, and even in the cover letter and email.One Resume Keyword You Must Always UseWhats the best resume keyword? The company name.And the right job title. But you know that already!Add it in the heading statement ( cover letter, too, but well talk about that shortly), which is the resume summary or resume objective:rightPersonable customer service representative with 2+ years expertise in fast-paced call center environment. Achieved company-highest satisfaction rating according to surveys (99.36%). Seeking to advance career with the team at Carson Logistics.wrongFriendly customer service rep for the last 2 years. With my knowledge of phone and email support systems, I hope to join a valuable company for a rewarding career.The right example is personalized and includes one of your most important searchable keywords. The wrong examples made for mass-delivery. Use it and prepare for mass-rejection.Pro Tip: Use a job description keyword finder for resumes such as Jobscan whichll give your resume a free ATS scan. They often provide resume wording examples, too.Got the companys name? Great! Thats one of the best keywords for resume scanners and resume keywords generators. Complete the resume objecti ve: 20+ Resume Objective Examples - Use Them On Your Resume (Tips) or resume summary: How To Write A Resume Summary: 21 Best Examples You Will SeeDont Forget Your EducationThats right. Of the types of keywords in resume writing, education can be some of what the ATS will parse with most weight:See this example? Youll need a bachelors degree, but theyll also look for computer science-related resume phrases.Not finished yet?Do this:Completed Bachelors requirements.Majoring in Computer Science.Expected graduation 2020.See? Weve got the bachelors degree resume keywords employers look for in there!Want more advice on keywords to use in a resume education section? See this guide: How to Put Your Education on Resume [Tips Examples]3Identifying Whats Important to the IndustryYouve identified some ideal resume keywords from the job listing - good work!However, those cant be all the resume keywords that you use. It would be like me telling that girl I liked that I enjoy every single thing t hat she likes - suspicious and borderline-stalkery, no?Now its time to build up the rest of our character by doing some industry research.Where do we begin? An areas-of-expertise resume keywords search through Google works wonders:Applying for an airlines cabin crew? Google keywords for a flight attendant resume.Need keywords for skills on an IT resume? Google those, too.However! Use the resulting list of skill keywords as guide, not gospel.Take this excerpt of business manager resume keywords, for example: you could have 10 years of related manufacturing experience, but you probably do not.Dont copy-paste!Where do you put these resume keywords? If you have hands-on experience, mention them in the work experience section. You can also do the same when talking about your education, if applicable.Heres an example of how that could look on the final resume, with keywords in the resumes experience section and education section:See that? We inserted hospitality and customer service resum e keywords throughout the relevant sections.If youve no quantifiable way to show skills and experience keywords, include a skills section that gives a general idea of your knowledge (and also some resume keywords!):Pull from both the soft hard skills lists. Hard skills are specific abilities know-how (Photoshop). Soft skills are self-developed, life-learned attributes (adaptability). (By the way, if you want other definitions like this, check out our helpful HR glossary of terms.)Again, no lying! This will see you out the door, lickety-split. Now youve got a general list of skills and qualities to grab the managers attention, and a specific list of personal skills from the job listing to keep it.Pro Tip: If there are resume keywords you believe more important than others, increase its keyword density by using more.Like this resume keywords guide? Weve a list of good skills to put on a resume: 30 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume (Proven Tips)When making a resume in o ur builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.4Where To Put Keywords On Your ResumeSo, weve gone through resume keywords from A to Z, from all the sections on your resume through to your cover letter and email.Now, Id like to briefly reiterate how to use these keywords for resumes and where to put them:In the Resume Heading Statement (Summary or Objective)Add the companys name to make it personalized:... Seeking a position with Acme Incorporated which utilizes...Identify some resume keywords from the job listing to strengthen your case:Personable customer service representative with 2+ years expertise in fast-paced call center environmentIn the Resume Experience SectionUse keywords from the job description to show that you are familiar with the tools they would want you to useIn the Resume Education SectionState your major (and minor) instead of just saying B.A.Check the job listing again; they may want you to list related coursework - and yes, these are resume keywords they might look for:In the Resume Skills SectionAdd skills for those that you have no way of quantifying. List relevant skills to show them how broad your skill set is for their industry:Now, time to learn why resume keywords reallymatter.5Resume Keywords the ATSRecruiters are getting more and more applications these days, and that number will only continue to increase. How can they keep up with the flood of job applicants?By outsourcing some of the work to the robots.Thats right - robots.In this case, robots mean the ATS, or the Applicant Tracking System, which is software that hiring managers can use to help them sift through resumes and identify those with particular resume keywords.Here's how the ATS works:Manager scans resumes into computer.Manager gives ATS keywords to look for.ATS r eads resumes, looking for keywords.ATS sorts and grades resumes based on keywords.According to score, hiring manager will/wont call applicant for interview.While theyre getting better, they remain outdated and buggy. Most dont yet compensate for spelling variations.For example, MA in Investigative Journalism could be M.A. or Master of Arts. So search LinkedIn to find the most common spellings.For example, AvidCareerist performed a study:About 6K users use C.P.A., but a whopping 862K members use CPA.About 1.1M go with M.B.A., but 3M members use MBA.Resume robots reject up to 75% of CVs and resumes before they reach a human recruiter. By learning how to speak the ATSs language, you dramatically increase your chances of securing an interview. To succeed, read the job description thoroughly, target your titles, expand on relevant skills and experiences, and cut the fluff. Youll show the robots and the humans why youre the perfect match for the job.Lee BigginsFounder and Managing Directo r of CV-LibraryYou need to make your resume scannable to help them out: Mirror the wording of the job ad. Use key phrases verbatim, but dont just copy and paste everything from the ad.Pro Tip: Increase chances further by adding more than one variation of a given resume keyword: I have a Master of Business Administration (MBA)...6Dont Forget to Use Keywords On Your Email Cover LetterNamesTo whom it may concern...Though formal and valid, it also feels cold and impersonal, like how commoners mightve addressed the gentry in the Dark Ages.You don't want that. You want to make the recruiter feel nice and comfortable. How do you that?Easy. Use the best resume keyword - their name.Its a personal touch, likely granting you more than the typical six seconds scanning your resume. It shows you took time researching them and that youre not just spamming your resume everywhere.SubjectsAnother super-importantkeyword for resumes:Did you catch that? Does the job description require something specif ic in the subject line? Dont forget the position title is a critical resume keyword!Pro Tip: Drop their name in the beginning: Im super interested in working at [COMPANY-NAME] because... See? Feels much more personalized.Cover letter keywords are important. Need more advice on crafting cover letters? Check out our 35+ successful cover letter tipsor learn what to include on a cover letter.7Dangerous Instances of Keywords You Need To AvoidThere are also some dangerous keywords.Whether it paints a negative picture or is just TMI, here are keywords you need to avoid:BuzzwordsResults-oriented professional with unparalleled passion, dedication, and drive seeking to utilize industry-proven track record and go-getting attitude to land a lucrative career...What does that even mean? A few of those power keywords and resume buzzwords here and there sound great. But if you stuff it to the gills with every industry and corporate buzzword out there, youll end up hurting your chances instead.Bragg ingAvoid calling yourself the best of this or exceptional at that. Let your experience and qualifications speak for themselves. No one likes braggers.JargonAt a previous job working with cell phones, we made up words for our own benefit. The Nexus phone, for example, we pluralized as Nexi (like cactus to cacti). Nexus is easily understood. Nexi wouldnt be recognized by the ATS or hiring manager.Too-Impressive Past PositionsLinkedIn gives 4 words to avoid: Founder, Entrepreneur, CEO, Owner. These signal overall management, raising flagsWould she fit well here when shes been the boss previously?Include these only if you must (e.g., parallel position).Pro Tip: Look through your resume see if boring words are overused. Replace these for more of a kick.There are more than important resume keywords to avoid when preparing your application: 6 Tips on How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description (Examples)8Resume Wording: Use Active VoiceWe want your resume actively considered, and acti ve voice is important towards this goal.Passive Voice vs Active VoiceActivepassiveManaged homewares department.Homewares department was managed by me.See the difference? The first is concise and to-the-point; the second seems evasive and less-clear.Active voice is preferred on resumes. We use them to actively describe your main tasks and achievements.Want more on choosing action verbs, resume keywords, and a resume action word list? Take a gander: 80+ Examples of Resume Action Words for Every Profession9750+ Resume Keywords: A List of Words to Use for Any IndustryHere are more than 750 resume keywords grouped into industry and trade categories. Click to navigate to your profession.1.Accounting Finance Resume Keywords2.Creative Cultural Resume Keywords3.Education Learning Resume Keywords4.Engineering Scientific Resume Keywords5.Food Service Hospitality Resume Keywords6.Healthcare Human Services Resume Keywords7.Human Resources Resume Keywords8.Information Technology Resume Keyw ords9.Law Enforcement Resume Keywords10.Legal Resume Keywords11.Logistics Purchasing Resume Keywords12.Maintenance Repair Resume Keywords13.Management Resume Keywords14. Manufacturing Industrial Warehousing Resume Keywords15. NGO Non-Profit Resume Keywords16. Office Administrative Resume Keywords17. Public Relations Resume Keywords18. Real Estate Construction Resume Keywords19. Retail Customer Service Resume Keywords20.Sales Marketing Resume Keywords21. Travel Transportation Resume KeywordsAccounting Finance Resume Keywordsaccounts payable, accounts receivable, assets, audit, bid/ask, bonds, branch operations, calculation, capital, collections, commercial banking, consumer, corporate tax, cost accounting, cost/benefit analysis, credit analysis, debt financing, deposit, E-Trade, Excel,FILO, financial analysis, financial planning, foreign exchange, global banking, international financing, investment, investor relations, job costing, letters of credit, leveraged buyout, loan, loss, numbers, operating budgets, portfolio, profits, recovery, return on equity, return on investment, revenue, risk management, securities, shareholder, spreadsheet, stock, trade, treasury, trust, turnaroundCreative Cultural Resume KeywordsAdobe, art, awareness, Behance, bibliography, collection, color, commission, conference, creative, CSS, design, gallery, grant, ideation, Illustrator, InDesign, lecture, packaging, Photoshop, Pinterest, portfolio, presentation, preservation, print, residency, Sketch, typography, visual, web design, workshopEducation Learning Resume Keywordsadministration, advisor, classroom, coach, counsel, course, curriculum, education, discipline, field instruction, grant, holistic learning, inclusive, individualized education, instruction, integration, job placement, literacy, mentor, peer counseling, program development, recruitment, scholastic, student services, study, teaching, technology, training, tutoringEngineering Scientific Resume Keywords3D mode ling, analysis, business process, capital project, charge order, computer-aided engineering, cross-functional team, development cycle, efficiency, documentation, engineering, environmental testing, experimental design, facilities engineering, field performance, guidelines, hydraulics, industrial engineering, justification, land survey, manufacturability, methods, process development, product design, product innovation, project costing, project planning, prototype, qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis, quality assurance, RD, re-engineering, regulatory compliance, research and development, scale-up, scheduling, technical specification writing, tender documentation, turnkey, work methodsFood Service Hospitality Resume Keywordsamenities, attention to detail, bartending, back of house, bussing, back-of-house, beverage, calculation, cash handling, catering, club management, communication, concierge, cooking, customer, detail-oriented, enthusiastic, fast-paced, flexible, front of h ouse, food, food expediting, food knowledge, food preparation, food safety, friendly, front-of-house, guest, health, hospitality, inventory, menu, multitasking, occupancy, ordering, personable, people skills, point of sale, portion control, positive, preparation, register, reservation, safety, scheduling, team player, upbeat, vendor sourcing, waitingHealthcare Human Services Resume Keywordsacute care, administrator, advocate, ambulance, assisted living, behavior management, case management, casework, chronic care, clinic, continuity of care, counseling, electronic claims, emergency, fee billing, grant administration, inpatient, managed care, multi-hospital, outpatient, patient, peer review, physician, preventative medicine, provider, psychiatry, psychology, public health, rehabilitation, social services, substance abuse, testing, third party, treatment, vocational placement, wellnessHuman Resources Resume Keywordsadministration, affirmative action, applicants, assessments, benefits , candidates, career pathing, change management, claims, compensation, competency, disabilities, electronic applicant screening, employee empowerment, employee relations, equal opportunity, grievance proceedings, hiring, incentives, labor arbitration, labor contract, merit, negotiations, organizational needs, performance incentives, position classification, professional recruitment, salary, sourcing, staffing, succession planning, team building, union relations, wage, workforceInformation Technology Resume KeywordsAI, applications, architecture, artificial intelligence, benchmarking, capacity, cellular, communications, data, data recovery, database, desktop, disaster recovery, documents, end user, engineering, firewall, hardware, IaaS, information systems, imaging, implementation, java, javascript, LAN, local area network, machine learning, multi-user interface, network administration, NoSQL, operating system, project, real time, remote access, SaaS, security, server, SQL, startup, systems acquisition, systems configuration, WAN, wirelessLaw Enforcement Resume Keywordsanalysis, antiterrorism, appeal, armed security, arrest record, asset protection, corporate security, covert operations, crime, crime prevention, crisis communications, crisis management, detection, drugs, electronic surveillance, emergency preparedness, fraud, identity theft, interrogation, narcotics, safety training, surveillance, task force, theft, traffic enforcement, uniform patrol, victimLegal Resume Keywordsacquisition, adjudication, administrative law, affidavit, antitrust, briefs, case law, clerk, copyright law, depositions, discovery, due diligence, intellectual property, joint venture, judicial affairs, juris doctor, landmark decision, legal advocacy, legal research, legislative review, licensing, limited partnership, litigation, mediation, memorandum, motion, negotiation, paralegal, patent law, probate law, settlement, trial law, unfair compensation, will preparation, witness protecti onLogistics Purchasing Resume Keywordsacquisition, asset management, bid, capital acquisition, commodities, competitive bidding, customs compliance, deadstock, demand planning, fixed-price contracts, fleet management, forecasting, international trade, inventory control, inventory planning, just-in-time, materials, offshore purchasing, outsourcing, procurement, purchasing, replenishment, requisitions, sourcing, subcontractor, supplier, supply chain, transportation, truck loading/unloading, vendor, warehouseMaintenance Repair Resume Keywordscarpentry, commercial electrician, electrical systems, excavation, finishing, HVAC, hydraulics, journeyman, maintenance, masonry, mechanics, painting, plumbing, repair, roofing, scheduling, superintendent, surveying, tools, troubleshooting, welding, wiringManagement Resume Keywordsassessment, assets, benchmark, budget, business development, change management, communication, company culture, consensus building, corporate, cost reduction, crisis, e fficiency, entrepreneur, evaluation, executive, financial management, goal, growth, improvement, leadership, long-term planning, margin, market development, operations, performance, performance standards, planning, policy development, process improvement, productivity, profit loss, recruitment, regulatory reporting, relationships, retention, revenue, startup, strategy, tactical planning, team building, turnaround, vendor, workflow, workforceManufacturing Industrial Warehousing Resume Keywordscargo, carrier, container, contract, dispatch operations, distribution, distribution management, driver leasing, equipment, export, fleet management, freight, forklift, health and safety, import, improvement, inbound/outbound, just-in-time, load analysis, logistics, manufacturing, materials, multi-site, occupational hazard, operations, order fulfillment, order processing, performance, port operations, receiving, regulatory compliance, route management, route planning and analysis, safety manag ement, schedule, shipping, storage, terminal operation, traffic, transportation services, warehouse management, warehouse operations, workflow optimization, yield improvementNGO Non-Profit Resume Keywordsboard, budget, campaign, community outreach, corporate giving, donations, endowment, foundation, funds, grant, grassroots, humanitarian, member services, non-governmental, not-for-profit, organizational leadership, organizational vision, policy development, press release, public relations, research foundation, retention, strategic planning, volunteer recruitmentOffice Administrative Resume Keywordsadministrative processes, back-office operations, budget administration, business administration, clerical support, client communications, confidentiality, contract administration, customer communications, document management, efficiency improvement, executive support, front office operations, liaison affairs, meeting planning, office management, policy, procedure, productivity and perfo rmance, project management, records management, regulatory reporting, resource management, staff development, time management, vendor communications, workflow planning and prioritizationPublic Relations Resume Keywordsadvertising, brand management, broadcast media, communications, community, corporate identity, corporate creative services, crisis communications, direct mail campaign, electronic advertising, event management, Facebook, fundraising, journalism, logistics, market research, media relations, outreach, presentation, press releases, print media, promotions, public affairs, public speaking, publications, sales incentives, social media, special events, sponsorship, strategic positioning, trade shows, Twitter, verbal communication, website copy, written communication, verbal communicationReal Estate Construction Resume Keywordsappraisal, building, code compliance, commercial development, competitive bidding, contract administration, contract award, demographics, environmenta l compliance, estimating, fair market value pricing, financing, foreman, infrastructure, land, leasing, mapping, preventative maintenance, project concept, project development, property management, real estate appraisal, real estate investment trust, renovation, residential, return on investment, site development, turnkeyRetail Customer Service Resume Keywordsaccount management, account representative, assessment, awareness, benchmarks, buyers, call center, communications, contracts, credit, customer, customer needs, customer retention, customer satisfaction, customer support, delivery, distribution, fulfillment, help desk, inventory control, knowledgebase, loss prevention, loyalty, orders, procedure standardization, processing, promotions, quality, records, sales, service, sourcing, surveys, telemarketing, vendorsSales Marketing Resume Keywordsaccount, account management, action plan, advertising, agency management, analytics, angle, audience, B2B, B2C, behavior, brand management , campaign, competitive analysis, creative design, customer loyalty, customer needs, customer retention, design, direct mail, direct response, direct sales, distributor, incentive planning, margin, market launch, market positioning, market share, new market, product launch, profit growth, promotions, revenue stream, sales forecasting, social media, solutions selling, supply chain, sustainability, sweepstakes, target market, technology, telemarketing, territory, trade marketing, trade show/trade show booth design, transportation, trend analysis, vendor, visuals, wholesaleTravel Transportation Resume Keywordsairfare, airline, business travel, cargo, carrier, container, contract, dedicated logistics operations, dispatch operations, distribution management, driver leasing, equipment control, export, fleet management, freight, GPS, hazmat, import, inbound, load analysis, logistics, port operations, regulatory compliance, route management, route planning, safety, terminal operations, tic keting, traffic planning, transportation services, travel, travel budgeting, travel planningKey TakeawaySo, we understand why keywords are important on resumes and cover letters, but keep these points in mind when using resume keywords:Job-Tailor. Obtain perfect resume keywords as you match resume to job description. Use resume keywords finders and job posting keyword analyzers to help.Company-Tailor. Name-dropping the company within the heading is great for the ATS and manager.Manager-Tailor. Address managers by name in cover letters to personalize them.Tailoring is shortening. Avoid jargon, specific titles, and other poor resume keywords.Youre now ready to send resumes and cover letters thatll be the key to unlocking desirable opportunities and scoring a word with the employer. Now, go check out our interview tips and STAR method article to prepare for your big meeting.Good luck!What did you think? Questions on resume keyword scanning software or how to insert perfect resume keywo rds? Got more advice on keywords for resumes? Let us know in the comments below!