Ats Keywords

CV keywords are not a list pasted at the bottom but vocabulary spread through its natural context. This guide covers extracting them from the advert and placing them correctly.

The steps

1. Pull every required skill and technical term out of the advert
2. Separate primary skills from secondary ones
3. Spread the primary ones across summary, experience and skills
4. Use the advert's exact form rather than a synonym
5. Re-read the advert and confirm every requirement has a match in your CV

Practical tips

• Include both acronyms and full terms to cover both forms
• Hard skills outweigh personal qualities in automated screening
• Do not append a detached keyword list at the end
• Keep a term list for each type of role you target

Common mistakes to avoid

• Stuffing in keywords you do not actually have
• Using a synonym the advert never mentioned
• Hiding keywords in white text or a tiny font

Frequently asked questions

Should I reuse the advert's exact words?

Yes, wherever possible. The systems match text, and a synonym may fail to match even when the meaning is identical.

Where should keywords go?

In the summary, the experience section and the skills list. Spreading them through natural context beats grouping them into one list.