Are You Guilty of Resume Keyword Stuffing

Are You Guilty of Resume Keyword Stuffing Are You Guilty of Resume Keyword Stuffing Many hiring professionals use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to narrow down applicant pools. Savvy job seekers have responded by researching ATS and learning about optimized resume keywords. In short,recruiterscan search their ATS for the specific skills and keywords most relevant to the job description, so applicants increase their chances of being found by strategically identifying and adding those keywords to their resume.Some ATS, including the widely used iCIMS, even weight their search results based on keyword frequency. For example, if a recruiter searches iCIMS for business development, an applicant that features that phrase 7 times on their resume may be displayed higher than an applicant with only 4 mentions. Knowing this can lead job seekers into something known as resume keyword stuffing, a major pet peeve among recruiters.What is Resume Keyword Stuffing?Its a fine line, but resume keywo rd stuffing is bedrngnis the same thing as resume keyword optimization. Resume keyword stuffing is when an applicant overloads their resume with so many keywords that it is either A) no longer a true representation of their abilities, or B) geared towards the ATS technology with no regard for a human reader.In an effort to beat the system, job seekers do mora harm than good by deploying three styles of resume keyword stuffing1) Dishonest or Out-of-Context SkillsSome corporate recruiters recommend having a list of hard stills at the top of the resume. This gives readers a snapshot of what the applicant has to offer and can also be beneficial in an ATS search. That said, recruiters are wary of overly broad skill lists. They need to be able to be able to see how those skills were actually utilized.For example, a tech recruiter told Jobscan, When I see a resume where theres this giant block of all the technologies youve used, youre not an expert in all of those. Yeah, you might have wri tten Javascript for 3 months back in 2005, but that doesnt mean youre a Javascript developer.A long keyword list could help an applicants resume get discovered in a search but recruiters dont take those keywords at face value. As they investigate further, they could reject resumes that seem suspicious or lack context. Applicants should only list skills for which they have a useful and demonstrable level of proficiency.2) Hidden KeywordsPerhaps the most egregious way to beat the system is stuffing hidden keywords into a resume.This is done by repeatedly typing a keyword into the resume then making the text white so that its invisible to human eyes. For example, an applicant might type accounting accounting accounting accountingat the bottom of their resume. The idea is that it will help them rank higher in an ATS.Understandably, recruiters resent the implication that theyre so easily tricked. Resume keyword stuffing with hidden text is easily spotted and one of the quickest ways to b urn a bridge with a recruiter.An applicant profile in Taleo, the most commonly used ATS. This applicant tried to beat the system using the hidden text method (Accounting Accounting), but its easy to spot once the resume text has been parsed into the system.3) Over-optimizationWordsmithing a resume to include multiple instances of specific keywords is tricky and can result in awkward, over-the-top sentences. Heres an example of over-optimizing for the keywordsocial mediaLed social media marketing efforts which included writing social media content and using social media management platform Hootsuite to schedulesocial media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media networks.Job seekers should ensure that key skills and phrases are included in their resume, but overloading sentences in an unnatural way hurts more than it helps.Walking the Line Between Stuffing and OptimizationDishonest and blatant keyword stuffing will come back to bite job seekers at some point in the process . It could lead to a quick rejection if the recruiter catches on. If not, dubious skills and proficiencies will be challenged during the phone screening or interview.Keyword stuffing might help get a few more calls back, but more often than not it will backfire and waste everyones time.Resume keyword optimization isnt about tricking or beating the system. Its about working in sync with recruiters and hiring managers and the technology they use. Its about making sure your skills and qualifications are seen and not ignored.Translating Your ExperiencePart of keyword optimization is speaking the same language as the recruiter or company to which youre applying. For example, if your resume uses the phrase Software Developer but the job description uses the variation Software Engineer, your resume should say Software Engineer to match.Resume keyword optimization translates your experience into terms the company actually uses so that the recruiter doesnt accidentally skim over an important detail or filter you out in a search. This can apply to a variety of job titles, processes, techniques, soft skills, and other keywords.Missing Skills and KeywordsJobscan helps analyze a job description to reveal keywords that are missing from your resume. If this analysis reveals the skill product development and you dont have any product development experience, you shouldnt include it on your resume just to improve your match rate. The analysis can also spotlight skills that you simply forgot to include on your resume like a language, piece of software, or soft skills.I always recommend trying to squeeze your resume into one page, a non-profit recruiter told Jobscan. But when you have that limited amount of real estate, there are going to be some things that you have to leave out.Resume keyword optimization helps identify the skills and keywords that should be kept in and prioritized.When done right, resume keyword optimization is savvy and above board. It enhances your resume to work in sync with ATS without turning off recruiters. However, taking keywords to their extreme in the form of resume keyword stuffing is always a bad idea.