Resume Keywords for 2025 AI Screening

By 2025, if you are looking for a job, you need to beat AI systems like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These systems check resumes by looking for key words, how they fit, and if they match the job post. If your resume lacks the right words, it might not be seen by a person.

Here's what you should know:

• AI looks for a good match: Make sure your resume has words that fit the job needs and fit well on your page.
• How you use words counts: AI checks the use of words in titles, job names, skills, and real results.
• Make each resume fit: Write your resume for each job using words from the job post.
• Don't just fill it with words: Using too many words can mess up your chances; placing them well is key.
• Tools are available: Sites like JobLogr look at your resume and help with picking the best words.

Quick tip: Use the job title given, real numbers (like “upped sales by 25%”), and list any tools or certs from the job ad.

How To Use Resume Keywords the RIGHT Way ✅ | Indeed

How AI Tools Look at Resumes in 2025

AI-powered resume checks are now way more than just finding the right words. These new systems see resumes like a real job person would, and they work super fast. They can look at many resumes in minutes, and sort them by how well they fit the job needs.

Here's what they do: the AI takes in simple details first, then looks closer at skills, past work, and what you can do. Then, it gives each resume a score based on the job ad. The latest AI tools get the links and sense between words, so putting words in the right spots is more key now than just saying them a lot.

How Keywords Help in AI Screening

AI uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to get what words mean. This lets them see that "led a team" and "ran a group" mean the same, even if said differently. If a job ad has "project lead", the AI knows words like "ran a task" or "set up plans" fit too.

These tools don't just look for the same words. They look for sense matches - links between similar words. For example, if a job talks about "helping customers", the AI might also like words like "talked to clients", "helped users", or "dealt with accounts." This means knowing the job ad and fixing your resume to meet it works way better than just adding hot words.

Context matters too. The AI looks at where and how words are used. Words in big spots like job names or main tasks mean more than words in less key spots. Also, the system checks that it makes sense to use them. Saying you're an expert when you've only said it once won't work.

New AI also keeps an eye on word amount and fit. Using a word too much might look fake or like you're just adding words to add them. The AI likes words that fit well and make sense in your resume.

Knowing how keywords work helps you pick where to put them to make your resume pop.

What AI Systems Like Best

AI tools pick certain parts of your resume to read closely. Knowing which parts matter most helps you put your words in the right spots.

• Headers and section names: These help the AI move through your resume. Stick to usual names like "Work History", "Skills", and "Schooling" so the system can find the main parts fast. Creative names like "My Path" or "What I Offer" might mix up the system.
• Skills part: This draws a lot of AI attention. List both job skills, like "coding in Python" or "money checks", and people skills, like "leading teams" or "running projects." The AI often lines these up right with the job post.
• Job titles and company names: They show the AI your job level and work field. If your real job title is not well-known, you might add a known one next to it in brackets to make it clear.
• Numbers in achievements: Numbers stand out a lot. Saying things like "upped sales by 25%" or "led a team of 12" show clear proof of what you have done and what you can do.

Keep it simple when setting up your page. Stick to common fonts like Arial or Times New Roman in a straight line design. While PDFs are mostly fine, some places might like Word files more. Skip using tables, text boxes, or many columns, as these might mix up the AI.

Put your past jobs in order from new to old. This way, your latest jobs get shown first, which the AI and most employers look at more.

Finding the Right Keywords from Job Descriptions

To find the right words from job texts is key. These texts show the exact talk that AI tools are on the hunt for. They lay out a way to make resumes that match what AI systems want, which is full of rich detail. Here's how to spot and use these key terms right.

How to Spot Key Words in Job Texts

Start by getting three to five job ads for jobs you want. This helps you see what bosses want. Save these ads and look at them with care.

Look for key words that come up a lot in parts like "needs", "skills", and job names. These common words are often both hard and soft skills that AI tools look for a lot. Look close at the "needs" and "skills" parts, as they often hold the key terms you need.

First, look at hard skills. These are skills you can show, like "Python coding", "Google data tools", or "cash care." AI tools pick up on these fast. Also, write down any special study or papers named in the ads. If terms like "PMP paper" or "CPA paper" come up and you have them, put these on your resume in the same words.

Don't miss out on doing words. Words like "ran", "built", "put in place", and "led" are common in job texts. Using these words in your past job list links your old work to what the job wants, making your resume better for AI.

Also, the job name is a key term. Studies show that people who put the job name on their resume are 10.6 times more likely to get a talk. For example, if the ad says "Sales Leader", make sure these exact words are on your resume, either as your aim or in past job lists.

Now, let's look at the types of key words that can make your resume better.

Types of Key Words

To make your resume pop, think about these groups of key words. Each helps AI tools see if you fit.

• Hard skills: These are solid, showable skills like "SQL system care", "Adobe picture tool", or "money planning." Put these in both your skills list and job history.
• Soft skills: These are how you work with others, like "team lead", "solving issues", or "talking with clients." Use the exact phrases from the job texts.
• Tools and tech: A lot of jobs stress certain tools, like "Sales tool", "Microsoft sheets", or "AutoDRAW." Use the full names from the job text unless short forms are given.
• Study and papers: These matter a lot. Put real names like "Six Points Black Belt", "Google Ads Paper", or "CISSP" as they are on your papers.
• Words for specific fields: These show you know the area. For health jobs, words like "privacy rules" or "digital health files" are good. For money jobs, look for "danger check" or "rule check."

Using US Key Words

AI systems often need clear words, so it's key to make your resume fit US-style words. Here's how to match your resume to US ways:

• Spelling styles: Use US spelling, like "organization" not "organisation" or "analyze" not "analyse." This small change matters a lot.
• Job titles: Titles differ by place. In the US, use names like "Vice President" not "Managing Director" or "Human Resources Manager" not "Personnel Manager." If your old job was in another place, show the US name next to your old title.
• Units of measure: Stick to US units like "feet" and "pounds" instead of "meters" and "kilograms." For example, if you ran a 50,000 square foot place, talk about it in feet, not square meters.
• Money and money words: Write "$50,000" not "50,000 USD" or other styles. Use words like "budget management" not "financial planning" if that's what the job ad uses.
• Schooling: Fit your school background to US levels. For instance, if you got a degree elsewhere, list it as a US equivalent, like "Bachelor's Degree (same as US Bachelor of Science)."

The aim is to copy the exact words used in US job ads. When certain phrases keep showing up in many job ads, those are the words AI tools look for. By making your resume suit these details, you really up your shot at getting seen.

sbb-itb-6487feb

How to Use Key Words in Your Resume

Putting key words in your resume the right way helps you get past AI checking tools. These tools look at your resume in parts, focusing more on some than others. How and where you put key words can help you move on to the next step.

Put key words nicely through your resume, but keep true to what you know. If you add too many, it can go wrong since AI tools check for that too.

How to Add Key Words to Work History

The work history part gets the most look from AI as it shows your skills at work. Add key words to points that show what you did well.

Begin each point with action words from the job ad. For instance, if the ad uses "managed", "made", or "set up", use these same words. Link them to what came of it. Rather than saying, "In charge of social media", say, "Managed social media efforts on five sites, grew active users by 47% in eight months."

When you talk about hard skills, tell how you used them. Don’t just say "Excel"; say what you did: "Made financial sheets in Excel to watch $2.3 million each three months, cut down report time by 30%."

If the job calls for exact tools or software, use those words. For instance, if it says "Salesforce CRM", don’t just say "Salesforce" or "CRM tool." You could say, "Used Salesforce CRM to look after 150+ client accounts, made reply times quicker from 48 hours to six hours."

Words tied to your field count too. Like, in marketing, you might write, "Started SEO campaigns that lifted visits by 89% in six months, brought in $45,000 more." For project work, try, "Led teams of 12 with Agile ways, finished jobs 15% under cost."

Now, let's see how to make the best skills part for the job needs.

Making a Good Skills Part

Your skills area is key for lining up with job needs. Use the exact words from the job post to better beat AI checks.

Think about having two skills parts. Start with a "Main Skills" or "Tech Skills" area that lists what you know using words from job ads. For example, if it says "data check", "project work", and "dealing with clients", include these exact terms.

Group like skills to save space and show more. For example:

• Code Languages: Python, JavaScript, SQL, HTML/CSS
• Marketing Tools: Google Analytics, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Facebook Ads Manager

Keep tech skills apart from soft skills like "leading" or "solving issues", as AI looks at them in different ways.

Show off certs and titles in a spot or with your skills. Use the words from your cert. Write "Google Ads Certified" not "Google Advertising Certificate" if that’s what it says.

Change your skills part for each job you try for. If the job ad says much about "data visualization" and you know how to use Tableau, write down both "Tableau" and "data visualization" in your skills list.

Using Key Words in Summary and Job Names

Put key words in your summary and job names. AI often cares more about words that show up first in your resume.

In your summary, use the job name you want. If the job is for a "Digital Marketing Manager", you could say, "Digital Marketing Manager with 7+ years making online growth for B2B places, good at SEO optimization and content strategy that made more than $1.2 million."

Add 3–4 key phrases from the job ad. Look for skills they ask for a lot. If you're aiming at data jobs, and words like "Python," "machine learning," and "data visualization" show up often, put these in your summary.

For job names in your past work, mix truth with what fits. If your real job was "Marketing Specialist," but you did stuff like a "Digital Marketing Coordinator," you could write "Marketing Specialist (Digital Marketing Coordinator)" to show both what you did and what you aim for.

Your summary must have words special to your field too. For health jobs, talk about "HIPAA compliance" or "electronic health records" when needed. In finance, add words like "financial modeling" or "risk assessment."

Keep your summary short - 3–4 lines. Finish with a line that shows your value, like "Proven skill in cross-function team work and making things better, cut costs by 22%."

When you use the same key words all through your resume, AI is more likely to see your application as a good match.

Making Your Resume Fit for AI

To make your resume good for AI systems is key when you want job interviews. Just sending out resumes and hoping won't work well. Test your resume to check if your keywords work and find out what needs to be better. Keep track of your tries over time, so you can see what needs fixing before it's too late. What do you want? A resume that makes it past AI checks and gets you those job talks.

Using AI Tools to Make Your Resume Better

Using the right keywords matters, but how do you know if they're right? Tools like JobLogr help here. JobLogr uses AI to look at your resume and checks how often and where you use keywords, and if they fit the job. It even gives you a score to help you know how to make your resume match AI needs better.

A cool thing it does is fixing your resume for you. Instead of changing your resume yourself for each job, JobLogr’s AI picks the best keywords from job ads and shows where to put them. This saves time and makes sure your resume has the words that matter most.

Also, it helps track your applications. JobLogr shows which versions of your resume work best. By comparing how keywords work and seeing which ones get you more interviews, you can tweak your style. It also tracks your win rate, showing trends and helping you make your resume better.

If you want to try these tools, JobLogr lets you try it free for 7 days. For $20 a month, the Premium plan lets you analyze, tailor, and track your resume fully. With these tools, you can keep making your resume better and up your chances of getting interviews.

Watching Results and Adjusting

Watching how your applications do is important to know what works. Keep notes of the job title, company, date sent, and what happened for each job try. After sending 20–30 resumes, look for what's common. If less than 10% answer you, it might mean your keywords need to be better or set in the right spots.

See which job types get you more calls. For example, if you do better at "Marketing Coordinator" jobs than "Digital Marketing Specialist" ones, maybe your resume suits the first kind better.

Try different resume styles. Make one that shows off tech skills and another that uses strong action words. Use different styles for similar jobs to see which one does better. The one that works best is your main one.

Check how you're doing every two weeks. Change one thing at a time - like adding special words to your skills list or changing how you talk about past jobs. Changing too much at once can confuse what really works.

If you've tried for 50 jobs and got no calls back, it's time to think again. Look over job posts and check for key words you could have skipped. Think if your resume style works with AI or if you need to change its setup.

Make a list of your changes and when you made them. This will show you what works and what doesn't. As days pass, this method will help you make a resume that always passes through AI checks and gets you more job talks.

Conclusion: The Right Way to Use Resume Keywords for AI Success

To deal with AI hiring in 2025, knowing how these tools work and using the right words in your resume is crucial. AI screening devices look for key words that fit job needs, so changing your words to meet these needs is key.

Start by picking out important words from job lists and putting them in your resume. Pay attention to your summary, job history, skills, and job names when they fit. Where you place them counts, so check and tweak how you add these words to match what AI expects.

Tools like JobLogr can help by checking your resume against job ads and showing where and what key words to add. Keep your resume fresh by often updating and testing it as AI systems get better.

Keep in mind, jobs change all the time. AI is getting smarter, looking at how you use words, not just if they are there. Don't just stuff your resume with keywords, as it may hurt your chances. Instead, make a resume that is both good for AI and real.

Make sure your resume attracts both AI systems and people hiring. Get it right by mixing the right tech words with clear and true parts about your skills and work. This way, you'll get past AI and impress those hiring.

For top results, make your resume fit one job each time. Look at what the job needs, set your words right, and watch your results to keep getting better.

FAQs