There are few issues that jobseekers struggle with more when creating a resume than keywords. What are they? How are they used? And perhaps most importantly, why should you care about including them? In today's crowded marketplace, with hundreds (sometimes thousands) of candidates vying for a particular position, many employers turn to Applicant Tracking Systems such as Taleo and Kenexa to sift out viable prospects. These programs analyze a candidate's resume for industry keywords. That's the first part. The second part consists of DEMONSTRATING these keywords naturally within your resume. Here's how:

1) IDENTIFY IN-DEMAND KEYWORDS

Look through job postings you're interested in submitting to. Which skills get called out time and time again? Which ones have you excelled at? Jot down these skills in a brief list. For example, a Sales Management candidate could end up with a list that contains the following:

New Business Development Territory Growth Client Relationship Management Contract Negotiation

Key Account Management Cross-Functional Team Leadership Financial Management, Reporting Business Liaison Presentations

2) CREATE AN OPENING PARAGRAPH FOR YOUR RESUME

Now that you've compiled your keywords, develop a 3-4 line paragraph DEMONSTRATING them. Keep the language active and avoid listing specific metrics (that's for the work history section of the resume). Using the example above, we can create an opening along the lines of:

"Proactive professional able to exceed revenue targets through building new client relationships, negotiating contracts, and successfully developing territories. Highly skilled in leading cross-functional teams, managing financial reporting, and identifying untapped business opportunities."

A powerful, keyword-rich opening immediately establishes your suitability for the position and builds reader interest in exploring further.

3) CREATE A "CORE COMPETENCIES" SECTION

A "Core Competencies" section is basically the list of keywords you developed in section #1 inserted directly within your resume. Don't get too creative with wording; after all, the goal here is to have these keywords be instantly recognized. Also, make sure each of the skills inserted are ones you actually possess.

4) EXPAND ON KEYWORDS THROUGHOUT YOUR RESUME

This last section is what trips up most jobseekers. Simply inserting keywords into your resume is not a recipe for success. However, thinking of these skills contextually, and finding new and creative ways to develop them within your work history is a sure-fire way to stand out from the competition and start landing interviews. Using the example above: HOW did this client build new client relationships? WHICH territories did he successfully develop? WHAT bottom-line revenue increases can he point to? This is the secret value of keywords, as it essentially gives you a roadmap in terms of what areas to focus on throughout the resume. Realize its uses, take advantage of them, and best of luck in your job search!

Anish Majumdar is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Owner at Resume Orbit. 95% of clients report a significant increase in interviews within 30 days, and all work comes backed by a 100% Satisfaction or Money Back Guarantee (in writing).

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