Keywords on your resume don’t work.

Keywords on your resume don’t work. At least not in the way you think they do…unless you do this.

I recently posted on LinkedIn about a candidate I interviewed who didn’t get the job.

He was great otherwise. He had an excellent attitude, was courteous, and was friendly.

I WANTED to hire him, I really did.

But he just didn’t have the right scope of experience when I dug further into it. And he had only cursory exposure to a skill fundamental to the role.

A few people challenged it, saying I should have hired him anyway and trained the skill. But the reality is that it was a senior role, and the company required this skill.

(note: the recruiter doesn’t control this – the hiring manager does)

The fact is that the candidate had the right technical keyword on his resume, which caught my eye.

But when I prodded about his experience with the keyword, it was obvious he didn’t have the depth of knowledge required by the position.

(It was a senior job, and he only had a basic understanding of it, with no applicable experience)

Keyword “stuffing” is ineffective

We all hear you need to add those critical keywords to get noticed. An entire AI and Chat-GPT services industry is also popping up to help job seekers find the right keywords.

So, job seekers routinely scour job postings to find keywords to add force into their resume.

(And no, adding hidden keywords in white font in your footer doesn’t work. Sorry to disappoint you.)

But most people forget one critical thing.

Keywords themselves may get you discovered on a platform like LinkedIn. But keywords on your resume don’t work. At least not in the way you think.

READ: 7 things recruiters look for in your resume

Here’s why.

1. ATS Systems don’t care about keywords in your resume.

There’s a misconception about what ATS systems do. Yes, we can search by keyword, but we rarely do it. More often, the ATS system is programmed to remove major qualifiers like degree type or work eligibility.

In other words, keyword stuffing to “get past the ATS” is a fallacy.

Instead, most recruiters review your resume manually, looking for specific things. Sure, we may call if you have the right keyword in your resume, but we’ll also be looking for your depth of experience.

2. Keywords do not prove you have experience.

Having a relevant keyword is great, but will do you no good if you don’t actually know how to demonstrate the skill.

When a keyword is listed in a job posting, you can be certain that it’s important to the hiring team.

If you add the keyword to your resume without having any experience or depth of knowledge about it, you’ll likely get rejected.

Remember, everything you put on your resume is fair game in an interview. And the people interviewing you will likely have a high degree of expertise with the skill. (and you won’t be able to fool them.)

I’ve run into more than one candidate who’s sheepishly admitted they added a skill they didn’t really possess.

3. Employers want demonstrated experience

A keyword is just a word on a page. Employers want to know that you can actually do something with them. In other words, it’s great you have “Java” written on your resume. But when you go to actually code in front of them, you actually need to know how to demonstrate the skill.

Experience is the ultimate differentiator between who gets called and who doesn’t. And unless it’s an entry-level role (and the employer specifically says they will develop you), assume they don’t have the time to train you.

Ok, should I just omit the keywords then?

Yes and no. Let me explain.

On one hand, having the right keywords is important. You need to show your fit for the job, and keywords can do that.

But keyword stuffing can hurt your chances if you don’t have the goods to back it up. If they find that you’re embellishing your resume, it calls into question everything else about your candidacy, and that’s the fastest way to end an interview.

My advice: Only add keywords you actually have experience with or can speak deeply on (for those entry-level folks out there).

What if you don’t have experience yet?

If you find that you’re missing too many relevant keywords, it may indicate that you’re not a great fit for the job or that you should work to fill those gaps as soon as possible.

Perhaps take a course.

Work on a pet project.

Or ask to get involved at school or work.

Either way, focus on building the best possible resume with keywords you can clearly demonstrate. Then, learn how to expertly tie them into experiences during your job interview.

Otherwise you may be wasting your time in an interview.

Remember: Keywords on your resume don’t work unless you have the goods to back it up.

Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

1 – If you’re still looking for traction in your business, I’d recommend starting with an affordable course:

​Resume Rocketfuel: This best-selling course will teach you the exact system I use to write your own professional-quality resume quickly and easily. (ATS-approved templates included!)

​The Ultimate Jobseeker Bootcamp : This A-to-Z guide takes you from job search all the way to offer negotiation, providing detailed, recruiter-proven strategies. Don’t leave a single dime on the table ever again!

​Unlocking LinkedIn: Walks you step-by-step on how to set up a profile for maximum discoverability, techniques for accessing the hidden job market and how to cut in front of the long application lines. Learn how to skip the recruiter altogether.

2. Gain extra personalized clarity with private 1×1 coaching 

Have a specific question or strategy that requires more tailored help? I offer limited private coaching sessions. My clients have had too many “ah ha!” moments to count.

Happy hunting!

-Bryan

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