What is the difference between buzzwords and keywords and how do they apply to your resume? It is important to know the difference and not to plaster your resume with either of them, but use them correctly.
Buzzwords
A buzzword is a word or phrase that has little meaning but becomes popular during a specific time. It can also be something that sounds technical, that is a vogue term in a particular profession, field of study, popular culture, etc. (dictionary.com)
Examples of Buzzwords: Bleeding Edge, Thinking Outside the Box, Synergy, Reaching Out, Incentivize, Collaborate, Mission Critical, NextGen, Wheelhouse, Paradigm Shift
Buzzwords may sound impressive but over time they become worn out and tired and may even change meaning completely.
Keywords
A keyword is a word or concept of great significance. In digital technology, it’s a word used to classify or organize digital content, or to facilitate an online search for information. (dictionary.com)
Examples of keywords on a resume: Your Location, College, GPA, Course Major, Certifications, Licenses, Current and Former Job Titles, Employer Names, Industries, Patents, Publications, Specific Technical Experience (e.g., programming languages, software skills and knowledge)
Why Keywords are Important
Keep in mind that most people review a resume for 10 – 20 seconds and anytime there’s a “question” or a “concern” it throws a wrench into the process. If a person isn’t reviewing your resume and it is running through a computer, it too is scanning for information that matches the job requirements. If the computer does not find the keywords it is programmed to find, your resume will never be seen by a human.
Location
Perhaps in an attempt to protect yourself and your identity, I’m seeing resumes with no location at all listed. While I can understand that you may not want to share your home address with everyone, at the very least include your City and State. If the person reviewing your resume has to stop and contact you to ask where you live, the odds are they are going to move on to the next resume.
College, Major, Certifications and Licenses
If a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering is listed as a requirement in the job posting, that needs to show up on your resume (assuming you have one). BSME, Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or BS Mech. Eng. Some form of the requirement should appear.
If you are applying for a position as a tax accountant and need to have a CPA license, it should be on the resume.
Current and Former Job Titles, Employer Names and Industries
Applying for an accounting position and none of your titles include accounting, accountant, finance, financial, be sure it is at least clear in the job descriptions. Somewhere those keywords need to show up.
If you worked for ABCDEF Company and the industry is not readily apparent, you should include the industry in which you worked.
For example:
ABCDEF Company
(Manufacturing)
It is helpful for whomever is reviewing your resume to know in what types of industries you have worked, especially if it is related to the one you are applying to work in.
Specific Technical Experience
If you have electrical design experience in digital, it does not mean you know anything about analog design. If you have programmed in C#, it does not mean you know how to program in C++. If you have prepared tax returns for individuals, it is not the same as S Corp and C Corp returns.
Sometimes people who have the skills needed don’t think it’s important to include it on their resume. They think it should go without saying that they know how to do everything. But it is better to share specifics than leave the reviewing person wondering.
Basically, if you meet the requirements of a job posting, you need to be sure that is incorporated into your resume clearly and concisely.