Employers look for key words in a CV (also commonly called a resume). The more key words you have in your CV, the more likely your CV is to be read in its entirety as it will be quickly apparent that you are a good fit for the role.
These words depend on the position you are applying for, but usually include:
- Hard and technical skills that are relevant to the advertised role
- Qualifications and accreditations that are common for the industry
- Soft skills that are mentioned in the advertisement as traits that will be good culture fit
- Any values that are mentioned as important for the organisation
Large companies also often use computer programs called applicant tracking systems (ATS) to review CVs and cover letters and cull the ones that don’t have enough key words. If the program doesn’t find keywords related to the job, it automatically rejects your application, before a human even looks at it.
