FREE BLOG CLASS: Advanced Keyword Strategies for Recruiters

Posted by Jim Stroud

August 29, 2006

Advanced Keyword Strategies for Recruiters
(C) 2006: Jim Stroud

Are you versed in keywordese? Keywordese is the ability to implement keywords in a search engine to find a desired result. It can apply to anything, but it is generally associated with finding resumes (at least since I started this blog class.) Now at first you may be thinking that you are fluent in keywordese having scanned so many resumes for things like C++ and Marketing. However, there may be a few keywords that you are overlooking. In this post, I am going to break down the what and the how of using keywords for finding resumes online. Intrigued? If so keep reading…

There are a bazillion resumes on the internet (give or take a jillion), but there are some keywords that are common among them. Consider this list and you will see what I mean.

Objective, Summary, Education, Additional Skills, References, Phone, Email

Let’s do a few searches to see this in action.

The advantages of this technque is that it cuts down on results you don’t want and brings back more resumes. The disadvantages are that you tend to get a lot of sample resumes with this technique. To focus these strings even further (and eliminate templates and sample resumes) try excluding keywords like templates and tips. This will keep out results like websites explaining how to write resumes. Barring more terms (submit, openings, template, tips, submission, sample) would be beneficial as well. For example, compare the following strings…

Like all things when searching online, experimentation is key. So when using this strategy, include additional keywords from your requisition.

Next up are the resumes prepared by “Professional Resume Writers” and are simply added to the internet by their respective clients. Typically they are titled in one (or more) of the following ways:

Elegant Resume, Chronological Resume, Reverse Chronological, Internet Resume and Academic Resume, Electronic Resume, Functional Resume, Scannable Resume

Here are a few searches to illustrate this technique…

Have a question about some of these tips? Leave me a comment on this blog and I will give you some feedback as soon as I can.

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