These days, landing an interview means more than just an impressive resume. With technology becoming an important part of the hiring process, your resume has to pass the technology test with resume buzz words.
Once upon a time, your resume only needed to impress a pair of human eyes. Your resume would land in the hands of a human resources professional or administrative assistant and their judgment alone would determine whether you moved on to the next phase in the hiring process.

In an effort to make hiring faster and easier, many companies have added resume scanners into the mix. That’s correct, your resume may have to pass a computerized test before it even finds its way onto the HR desk. Resume scanners help hiring companies sort through piles of resumes based on key words and terms. As if job searching weren’t difficult enough, it just got a little bit harder.

Or did it? If your resume is written for both the human reader and the computer scanner, you can use this new technology to your advantage. Instead of ending up in the shredder, your resume can sit at the top of the pile with the proper inclusion of resume buzz words.

When writing your resume, it’s important to highlight certain key words, or buzz words, that these scanners are looking for. Make it easy for these machines to find what your potential employer is looking for. Not sure which resume buzz words to include? Here are a few to get you started:

Keywords Used in their Job Posting. Employers don’t want to waste their time with job seekers that haphazardly submit their resume to dozens of job postings. With that said, resume scanners will search for specific keywords used in the job posting to find applicants who took the time to customize their resume. Take a good look at the ad and be sure to include relevant buzz words.

Industry Related Terms and Organizations. Depending on your field and the organization you are applying with, include keywords that are relevant to the industry. You may also refer to companies and organizations that are also related to the industry.

Skills and experience related keywords. When highlighting your specific skills and background, use basic descriptors that the scanner will recognize. Label your software proficiencies by name along with your individual talents such as team player, leader, or independent.

Past employers and positions. Clearly define your past experience by highlighting the positions you held, departments, and well-known companies you may have worked for. Make it easy for the machine to identify that you were a manager at a well-known firm.

Most importantly, you need to be honest. Including certain resume buzz words might get you past the initial scan. But you must be able to back up your claims in an interview. Only include resume buzz words that accurately define you and your experience.

When writing a resume, it’s important to keep in mind that a computerized scanner may be evaluating your credentials. Include resume buzz words in your polished resume and you’ll be one step closer to landing your dream job.

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