How To Use Keywords On Your CV To Land Interviews

Would your CV get you an interview in the few seconds an employer looks at it? Do you think it would get into the “yes” pile?

To ensure your CV automatically lands into the ‘yes’ pile without a doubt, you should incorporate keywords. With keywords, you will drastically improve your chances of landing an interview. 

How to Use Keywords in Your CV and Get Shortlisted for Job Interviews

1. Study the Job Description

Many job seekers fail in their job applications because they never read through the job description. Others will take their time to read, but will not tailor their CVs accordingly. If you want to get the interview, you must align your CV with the job. It is the quickest and easiest way to get shortlisted.

When you see a new position that meets your qualifications, remember to take note of the job title, important skills required, role summary, and the duties listed. This is where you’ll find the keywords to use when making changes to your CV.

2. Make Sure Your Job Titles Mirror the Job’s keywords

Job titles tell a lot about your past experience. They can help upsell your suitability or ruin your chances completely. 

For example, if you come across a job advert looking for an Accountant with 1 to 2 years of experience and you have CPA qualifications, an internship, and an Assistant Accounts Clerk role that extends to the 1-year mark, you are qualified to apply for the position.

But when the employer opens your CV attachment, what they see in your work experience section is, “Assistant at XYZ Company” and “Intern at ABC” company. You forgot to edit the job titles accordingly. 

In such a scenario, you could tailor your job titles to read “Accounting Clerk Assistant at XYZ Company” and “Accountant Intern at XYZ Company”. While they may not be the exact job titles in your contract, they still mean the same thing. That small change will make the employer want to read more.

3. Don’t Forget about Your Duties & Responsibilities

Like the job title, your duties and responsibilities need to mirror what is in the job advert. Borrow the words used in the job description to make sure the duties in your CV show your relevant experience.

Your duties play an important part in the shortlisting process as they help to convince the employer of your qualifications. This is especially so when your Job title misrepresents what you actually do.

Take for example an IT Assistant job title.

In most cases, when an employer sees this title on your CV, they think of support and maintenance. They don’t see web design capabilities or software development, even though some of your tasks may include these. So if they were looking to hire someone with web design experience, you may get bypassed if your CV just reads IT Assistant with no mention of web design under duties.

But if you were to include that requirement as one of the top 5 responsibilities, then the employer would spot it and move your CV to the ‘Yes’ pile. 

Remember,

Keywords play an important role in the selection process. They are what employers use when searching for candidates in a database and when skimming a CV to decide who to call for the interview. That’s why you’ll always be advised not to use the same CV to apply for every job.

Make the above changes and you will be on your way to your next interview. Do you have a CV but are not sure whether it will get you a job? Get a FREE CV Review from professional CV writers.