Recruiters searching a job portal type words like “Tally”, “GST”, “Selenium” or “site supervision” and see only resumes that contain them. Choosing the right resume keywords is therefore the difference between appearing in a search and being invisible. This guide shows a quick method to find them in any job post, and where to place them.
Four kinds of resume keywords
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Hard skills | Bank reconciliation, regression testing, BOQ, campaign planning |
| Tools and software | Tally Prime, JIRA, AutoCAD, Power BI, Canva |
| Certifications and qualifications | ISTQB CTFL, CA Inter, NCVT, B.Pharm |
| Job titles | Accounts Executive, QA Engineer, Site Supervisor |
Soft skills (communication, teamwork) matter, but recruiters rarely search for them; show them through results instead.
The five-minute method
- Copy the job description into a notes app.
- Highlight every skill, tool, certification and title.
- Count repeats: words that appear two or three times are the core.
- Compare with two or three similar job posts from other companies to find common terms.
- Keep only the ones that are true for you.
How many keywords should a resume have?
There is no magic number. A focused resume naturally covers most of the core terms of the role it targets, usually 10–20, each with some context. A long list without context looks like stuffing.
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Where to put them
- Title and summary: the exact role title from the post, if true (“Accounts Executive”).
- Experience bullets: keywords with results (“Filed GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B for 12 clients monthly”).
- Skills section: tools and techniques as a compact list.
- Certifications: full names plus abbreviations.
Examples by role
| Role | Core keywords |
|---|---|
| Accounts executive | Tally Prime, GST returns, TDS, bank reconciliation, ledger, MS Excel |
| Software tester | manual testing, test cases, regression, JIRA, SDLC/STLC, Selenium, API testing |
| Site supervisor | site supervision, BOQ, quantity estimation, RCC, bar bending schedule, safety |
| Digital marketing | SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, GA4, content marketing, keyword research |
A worked example
A post for an accounts executive repeats “Tally Prime”, “GST returns”, “bank reconciliation”, “TDS” and “MS Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables)”, and mentions “month-end closing” once. A matching resume would use the title “Accounts Executive” (if true), a bullet like “Filed GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B for 12 clients monthly in Tally Prime”, another on bank reconciliation with numbers, and a skills line listing TDS, Excel functions and month-end closing support. Every keyword appears once or twice, with context.
The resume keywords generator lists hard skills, tools, soft skills and action verbs for 25 common roles; copy them, then keep only those you can back up in an interview.
Frequently asked questions
What are resume keywords?
Skills, tools, certifications and job titles that recruiters and software search for.
How do I find keywords for my resume?
Highlight skills, tools and titles in the job post, note repeated ones, and compare with similar posts.
Where should keywords go in a resume?
In the title, summary, experience bullets, skills list and certifications.
Should I include soft skills as keywords?
Mention a few, but show them through results; recruiters mostly search hard skills and tools.
Is keyword stuffing a good idea?
No. Unsupported keywords are exposed in interviews and look unprofessional.
Keep reading
- Resume Keywords Generator: the free tool this guide explains.
- All ats tools calculators
- ATS Friendly Resume Format: Rules That Get You Read by a Human
Sources: recruiter search practice on Indian job portals and ATS software.