The 20 Best Keywords for Your Job Hunt

1. Professional names

A consistent name across media is vital. Recruiters and hiring managers may want to verify information by comparing resources. Ensure that all of your searchable platforms—especially LinkedIn and professional websites—show the same names, including your own name, your past employers’ names and your references’ names.

2. Hardware

If you’ve used job-specific types of hardware in your previous positions, ensure that you include the names of them in your professional online presence. For example, if you used scanners, heart monitors or DSLR cameras for your jobs in the past, that expertise might be attractive to a future employer. If you have the experience—and it is relevant—list it.

3. Conferences and trade shows

List participation in relevant trade shows and conferences, particularly if you were an organizer, speaker or presented papers. Even manning a table or assisting with for conferences can be attractive to potential employers. Include the name of the trade show or conference on your professional platforms to ensure you appear in relevant searches during your job hunt.

4. Job titles

When listing current and former titles, use ones that target employers are using. You may have been called a “sales star” at one company, but the standard title is “sales rep. Use the more common phrasing to ensure that potential employer searching for professionals with your skill set can find you.

5. Specific locations

City, state and zip codes are important in search results. They enhance the possibility of being found in radius and narrow searches. If you’re a programmer who works in Arizona, employers may be hunting for someone nearby with your unique skills, and they’re more likely to find you if you include your location in your credentials.

6. Current or target region name

If you’re open to moving to a new region, or if you’re searching in a larger region than your current city and state, you may want to include the names of the places you’re willing to work as well. Searches may entail regional terms, such as the Bay Area. Have them in place for searches that don’t rely on city, state and zip code.

7. Skills

Use target employer searches to find out which skills you have that are in demand. For example, you can look up current and past job listings for a company you’d like to work for and see which skill sets they’re looking for. Include the phrasing that they use when describing your skillset on social media and professional platforms.

8. Publications

Showing that you’ve been published can establish you as a thought leader or an expert in your field, and associating yourself with well-known publications and brands can make you more discoverable. Any of your books, articles and white papers relevant to the profession or industry should be included on your professional platforms.

9. Software

Many employers seek job hunters who are proficient in specific platforms and software, like WP or SAP. Experience using these platforms means that the job hunter will require less training on the job and will make the applicant more attractive to hiring managers. Though widely used, if Microsoft Office is in the job description, list it under skills.

10. Honors, awards and recognition

Honors, awards and recognition from external sources are one of the best ways to demonstrate that others have recognized your talenets. If you’ve ever been named Employee of the Month, Accountant of the Year, Outstanding Educator, these should all be included in your professional documents and platforms.

11. Organizations

If you’ve been a member of different committees or societies, both professional and personal, these should be listed among your extracurriculars and credentials. Even if they’re not directly pertinent to the job you’re applying for, these activities demonstrate that you’re proactive and involved in the community, and you’re willing to go above and beyond to benefit others.

12. Common abbreviations

Some acronyms are searchable and can be relevant on your professional documents. Use industry-related or skill-centric abbreviations, like PhD,  CPA, or CSS. And, in case someone decides to research, make sure the abbreviations you use don’t have more than one meaning.

13. Certifications and licenses

Professional achievements are invaluable assets in establishing your credentials to professional employers. When you’re crafting your online presence, focus on your most recent and updated certifications and licences and work down to demonstrate the ones you’ve achieve in the past.

14. Employer categories

Are you well-suited to jobs in IT, nursing or construction? Be sure to identify this information on your LinkedIn profile and other social media platforms, as well as your resume and personal website. List target employer categories that would most likely be looking for your services.

15. Education

Degrees, majors, industry specific course work, professional and on-the-job training not only promote education, but results-oriented accomplishments. Ensure that you list the institutions you attended, the degrees and training courses you’ve completed, and any training beyond that.

16. Tools and apps for the internet

Internet and data-based business strategies are at the forefront of many industries today. Whether you’re skilled in Google Analytics, Facebook or setting up Intranets, it could be of value to employers. Ensure that you list proficiency in any up-and-coming technologies today.

17. Target job titles

Are you suited to director-level positions? Perhaps you want to ensure that you’re considered for store manager jobs. Use titles that will be sought out by employers. Use multiple versions of a given title to ensure profiles are picked up in several searches. Recruiters—especially those seeking people for higher-level positions—are likely to discover people whose online platforms reflect their high-level capabilities.

18. Media and websites

If you have any blogs and web content that might be of interest, include names and links. Whether you’ve written a blog series for Forbes or you’ve developed a website that showcases your graphic design capabilities, the work you’ve created on the web will help employers understand what you’re capable of.

19. Tools and techniques specific to industry

If your experiences include Six Sigma, MRI, LEED, Mastercam or other relevant training, experiences or education, add them to profiles and resumes. These will help hiring managers verify that you’re truly qualified for and familiar with the industry you’re applying for.

20. Jargon

Take advantage of industry terms as recruiters and hiring managers may use them in searches. Content marketers should include terms like SEO and SEM, while law professionals should ensure that they demonstrate their legal experience in their professional presence.

Identifying the best keywords for your job hunt will make you more discoverable on platforms like LinkedIn and in Google search. Be sure to include any of the terms above to make sure that employers seeking someone with your experience can find you. If you do this well, they may even reach out to you before you discover them.