It can be reduced to a single issue: the quality of the resume speaks about your strengths, and often it is the key to landing your dream job. Hundreds of applications are received by an employer when a job position is advertised, and a majority of them use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes. To be noticed, the candidates should consider two aspects, which are the right choice of key skills on resume and the maximisation of the score of keyword match. Being conversant with the two can increase your likelihood of being shortlisted significantly.
So What Are Important key skills for resume?
Key skills for resume are the most important skills because they are particular abilities and qualities which indicate that you are suitable to handle the job. They can be generally divided into two:
- Hard Skills: Technology or specialized skills like financial analysis, programming, SEO, or data entry. These are objective and work specific.
- Soft Skills: Personal skills such as communication, leadership and problem-solving and adaptability. These demonstrate your teamwork and your working behavior at a work place.
As an example, when you are seeking a job in the field of finance, your hard skills might be such as the knowledge of accounting software and financial reporting, and your soft skills could be such as the attention to detail and the ability to think analytically.
The Importance of Keyword Match Score.
The overwhelming majority of companies use ATS software to sift through resumes before the human recruiter even lays his or her eyes on them. The ATS searches through resumes with keywords that are relevant to the job description. This is where you have the keyword match score
The key word match score shows the extent to which the content on your resume matches the needs of the employer. A better score implies that your resume has more of the words and phrases the employer wants in it and you are given a better chance on passing through the first filter.
An illustration of this would be that in case a job description requires data analysis, SQL, and reporting tools and your resume identifies these specific skills, then your score on keyword matching will be high. In case you apply irrelevant words or forget the important words, you will score low.
How to Improve Your Keyword Match Score
In order to guarantee that your resume works, the following steps must be adhered to:
Dissect the Job Posting: Underline all the necessary abilities, qualifications and repetitive words in the description.
Imitate the Language: Replicate the same words and phrases in your resume. When the job is "customer relationship management," do not call it client handling, call it customer relationship management.
Balance Skills: Incorporate a combination of hard and soft key skills in resume in such a way that it would reflect as a well-rounded portrait to both the ATS systems and recruiters.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Repeating words will not be of help. Rather, incorporate them in the flow of your life, competencies, and success.
Some of the Major Skills to Include.
Some of the key skills in resume that are of high value, depending on your industry, include:
o Finance Business Budgeting, financial analysis, MS Excel Tax compliance.
o IT Technology: Python, Java, cloud computing, cybersecurity.
o Marketing: search engine optimization, content strategy, campaign management, and analytics.
o General: Teamwork, communication, leadership, problem-solving.
Final Thoughts
The road to a new successful step is easy yet with strategy; select the appropriate key skills to include in the resume and increase the score of the keyword match. You always succeed in overcoming ATS filters as well as demonstrating to the recruiter that you are ideal in the position by customizing your resume to the specific job opening and matching your language to the job description. The result? Better possibility to get that interview and one step closer to your dream job.
