Keywords are used by employers to conduct quick searches within resume databases. In a keyword search, the employer will input a list of knowledge, skills, abilities, personal traits, work experiences, and academic requirements that best describe the type of candidate they are seeking for a position. The search will electronically sort through the job bank and identify those resumes that match the keywords input by the employer. At times, the employer may limit the number of resumes identified by the search.
Employers use several techniques to limit the number of resumes produced from a keyword search.
One method for limiting the output of a keyword search is to require a minimum number of matches between the resume and the keyword list. For example, an employer will tell the search to include resumes that match a minimum of 10 out of 20 keywords. Another method employers use to limit the output of a keyword search is to require the search to rank order the resume according to the highest to lowest number of keyword matches. Keywords are typically nouns, not verbs, and they are usually specific to each career field. Good sources for identifying keywords are the job descriptions contained in employer web sites.