These days, being visible online is a must, especially if you want to build a successful career or if you are looking for a job. To be found online, you must build your personal SEO.
Building your personal SEO isn’t something complicated at all. You just need to publish relevant content, integrating appropriate keywords so that recruiters, employers, and hiring managers searching for those keywords can find you easily.
These days, recruiters and hiring managers are using platforms like LinkedIn, Google, and many others to look for the right candidates to fill open positions within their companies.
You need to create a complete LinkedIn profile and make sure you can be found easily on relevant searches.
Note that having a professional LinkedIn profile alone isn’t enough. You must integrate appropriate phrases, keywords, buzzwords that target job descriptions, positions, industries, websites, etc. This is where implementing effective personal SEO becomes a requirement.
The good thing is that many job sites have powerful tools to help you identify keywords that will improve your visibility and boost your career goals.
In this post, I am going to share with you the 25 best keywords for your job search.
How to Develop Your Keywords
Developing your keywords is not as complicated as you may be thinking. The first thing to do is to head over to popular job sites such as Indeed.com or open the websites of the employers you intend to work for.
Once there, examine the unique phrases or words that are used in the job descriptions. Read the job requirements also to make sure it’s the right one for you.
As mentioned earlier, most job sites have tools that help to identify keywords to use. For instance, Indeed.com has the Job Trends page where you can type specific keywords, and the tool will find the most frequently and latest used phrases/phrases for you.
What Are Keywords
The words, phrases, terms, sentences, or characters you type into the search boxes of search engines are what people call Keywords. These are the words recruiters and hiring managers use to find the right candidates to fill open positions in their companies. These are also the terms used by the employer applicant tracking system.
That means to build your personal SEO effectively; you must select and place the right keywords in your social networks, online portfolios, applications, and resumes.
This is the secret to boost your visibility online.
Keyword Match is Important
Now here is the thing. No matter how many keywords you place in your resumes, applications, online portfolio, social networks, etc., if they don’t match with what recruiters are searching for on the internet, you won’t be found.
For instance, if a recruiter wants a candidate who is experienced in SQL programming, you won’t appear in that search if your resume, application or social networks don’t contain their search phrase (SQL programming).
To sum it up, you must always include the term being searched in your resume, portfolio, social profiles, applications, etc. for you to show up on relevant searches.
Can Keywords Get You a Job?
When searching for jobs on the internet, you type in certain words into the search box of search engines and job sites. Equally, when employers are looking for the right candidates to fill open positions within their company, they use certain terms.
Just head over to Google or the popular job sites like Indeed.com and enter a keyword related to a particular job you are looking for. Thousands of positions will show up that contain the keyword/term you have used in your search.
When you use keywords to search for jobs, you keep those that don’t fit you from showing up on search results.
The good thing is that some job sites will allow you to search for jobs by keywords and location. You can also search for jobs by skillset. For instance, if you are experienced in copywriting, you can use it as your search term.
How to Build Your Personal SEO with the Appropriate Keywords
You can build your personal SEO by simply putting yourself in the recruiters’ or hiring managers’ shoes. Don’t get confused here. With this, I mean you try to imagine that you are the recruiter looking for a candidate with the qualifications you have. What words/terms/phrases would you enter in your search? What skills would you look for? etc.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 25 best keywords to build your personal SEO.
1: Desired Job Title
Think about the job you want. What’s the title people use most of the time? This is the title your target employer use as well and it can form an important keyword in your job search efforts.
For instance, if you are an entry-level IT guy, you could use job titles like IT assistant, data entry clerk, network administrator, IT technician, etc.
Note that different recruiters, employers, hiring managers, and companies use different job titles. For instance, a company may use the title “marketing coordinator” while another one may use the title “PR associate”
To be on the safe side, research thoroughly to see which title is used the most.
Once you have accumulated keywords that are relevant to the job you want, you can then add them to your resume, social profiles, applications, and online portfolios. This will make you show up when recruiters search for candidates using the terms you are already using.
2: Company Names
Another way to build your personal SEO with the best keywords in your job search is to use company names.
You must have companies you dream to work for or you must have come across companies with plenty of job openings. You can use the company name in your job search.
You can also check their LinkedIn profiles or take a look at the career section on their website. This way, you will get more ideas on the keywords the company uses when advertising for jobs so you can use them in your portfolios, resumes or social profiles.
3: Your Professional Name
Your name is your unique keyword across multiple online channels. Unfortunately, most people ignore this and end up not showing up on search results.
As a rule, you should always be consistent. If your name on LinkedIn is Boniface Kisina, the same should be on your other channels as well as resumes and job applications. But if you use different names, it would be hard for recruiters and hiring managers to make a connection between the names.
Besides, if you don’t have a LinkedIn Profile and you are job hunting, then you’d better stop reading this article and create one before you can continue reading to the end.
Maintaining consistency with your name is important whether you have a blob, social profiles, resumes, publications, etc.
Recruiters and hiring managers will want to verify facts before deciding whether to invite you for an interview or not. They normally do the verification of facts by looking at the information you provide on the different channels you use whether it’s LinkedIn, social profiles, search engines, etc.
4: Job Type
The job type can also be an effective keyword for your job search. And this applies if you are looking for specific types of jobs. For instance, if you are looking for a part-time or full-time job, freelance, remote, internship, contract, etc.
5: Your Target location
A report by LinkedIn suggests that more than 30% of recruiters search for candidates based on location.
Most people use country as their location but a good rule of thumb is to be as specific as possible. You could also use both (country, city, zip codes, or state to enhance the possibility of being found by recruiters and hiring managers. For instance, you could use city and state together with regional names such as East Bay Area, New York City, CA, Manhattan, etc. And if you don’t have a location, then you are limiting your online visibility.
This means, if you are a construction engineer working in Arizona, recruiters who are searching for engineers based on location will find you easily if you include Arizona in your social profiles and resume. This article shares more insights on how to include your contact information on your LinkedIn profile.
6: Your Languages
You must the languages you speak as well as your level of proficiency in each language. Recruiters must know whether you are a native, or whether you understand the basics of the languages you indicate in your resume or online profiles. You also need to make it clear whether you can read, write or speak in the languages fluently or not.
7: Your Industry
Which industry and professional organizations are you in or are you targeting to get into?
There are many professional organizations and industries out there so be sure to describe your industry well. For instance, if you want to get into management information systems, you need to use “MIS” or IT for Information Technology.
8: Present Job Titles
Are you an office receptionist or a relationship manager? All these are important keywords you should target if you want to build your personal SEO, and be found in relevant searches.
Just make sure the job titles are used by recruiters, hiring managers, or employers currently.
For instance, your employer could be calling you a “Microsoft Geek”, change your current job title to Microsoft Geek or Microsoft Expert or anything appropriate to the job you normally do.
9: Previous Job Titles
Using your previous job titles shows that you are knowledgeable and experienced in what you claim. These are also important keywords to boost your online visibility.
Nevertheless, you need to use your former job titles in the way they are used by recruiters and target employers now.
If your former employer gave you a job title that’s out-of-fashion now, change the title to reflect the current and appropriate one for you.
For instance, if your former employer used to call you a Troubleshooting Wizard” The current job title is “IT technician” or “IT support”
10: Your Skills
These are the skills that are in demand for the job you are looking for now. Use these keywords regardless of whether you don’t use them in your current job. For instance, you could use skills like proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, Data entry, etc.
A study by LinkedIn shows that candidates with more than 5 skills listed in their profiles are contacted by employers 33X more and their profiles are viewed 17X.
11: Former Employers
This applies if you have worked for popular and well-respected employers in your field. List the company names or employers even if you worked for them many years back.
12: Internet Tools and Apps
You must have used internet tools and apps whether for training and education or you must be knowledgeable about how they work. Make sure you indicate these tools as they could be of value to recruiters and employers.
13: Awards, Honors, and Recognition
If you received awards, or honors or you were recognized by outside sources (customers, clients, etc.), it means your talent is recognized. For instance, you could have been named Employee of the Month or the Top Performer in your industry, include all these in your professional platforms and online portfolios.
14: Publications
If you have published articles, written books, or white papers that are relevant to the job you are looking for, make sure to indicate this. Showcasing your published work shows that you are an expert in your area if study and getting your work published in popular publications improves your online visibility as well.
15: Professional Acronyms
Although using acronyms is good to build your personal SEO, they need to be relevant to your education and experience. Include the acronym and describe what it means, otherwise using the term ISO may make people get confused what it means if you don’t include what it means at the end.
16: Proof of Professional or Industry Knowledge
These are things that show that you have the industry knowledge. For instance, you could include applicable course work, professional training, certifications, but make sure they are all current.
17: Media, Websites and Blogs
If you own a blog, you have web content published under your name include all their links, particularly if they are of interest. This will help employers understand what you can do. You might be of help when it comes to keeping their websites and blogs updated with relevant content.
18: Certifications and Licenses
Are you a certified oracle developer or a licensed Microsoft Office distributor? Include all these achievements when creating your online presence. Make sure the certifications and licenses are recent and updated.
19: Software
Employers and recruiters these days want to hire an all-in-one package. This means they want someone who can do several things as opposed to one area of specialization. For instance, if you are a sales manager and you know how to work with tools and programs that are relevant to your field, make sure to include those programs. Most employers would want to hire someone who is Microsoft Office proficient. Make sure to include it under your skills and proficiency.
20: Present Employer
If you are currently working for a particular company or organization (unless you don’t want it to be known) include your current employer.
21: Categories of Employers
These are the types of employers you are looking to work with or those that need your services. Include them in your social profiles and resume as well.
22: Volunteering
If you volunteered in the past or you still volunteer up to now, show what you do, especially if it’s relevant to the job you are looking for.
23: Categories of Clients
Similar to the point we have talked about above, these are the groups of clients you are targeting or those who need your services. For instance, you could be targeting small or medium enterprises. It would be better if the clients you target are well-known and respected.
24: Organizations, Committees or Societies
List organizations, committees or societies with which you have been a member, in your extra-curriculars and credentials. The organizations don’t have to be relevant to the job you are looking for. This will help to show that you participate in community work.
25: Hardware
Similar to the software point we discussed above, including hardware relevant to your job or profession, is also another fantastic way to build your personal SEO.
Are you experienced using scanners or are you trained on how to use heart monitors? Include the specific hardware that you may be required to use in your target job.
26: Other Jargon
Recruiters and hiring managers use certain terms when searching for candidates to fill open positions in their companies. You should include as many industry terms that are relevant to the job you are looking for as possible. For instance, a content marketer should use terms like Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, etc.
Just make sure you identify as many of the best keywords for your job search as you can to make yourself more discoverable on social profiles, your cover letters, resumes, and applications.
More Keywords to Build Your Personal SEO
Other more keywords for your job searching include:
Resume Keywords: These days, recruiters and hiring managers use recruiting management software to screen candidates during interviews. When perusing, the bunch of resumes, employers search for terms and phrases that when found, you stand a chance of getting invitations for interview. You need to include them as well.
Cover Letter Keywords: If you intend to submit your cover letter to job sites, make sure it contains cover letter keywords as this will make it findable when searched by the relevant keywords.
Tips for Using Keywords Appropriatelyz
Whether you are using the keywords we have mentioned in this article in your online portfolios, cover letters, and resumes or your social and professional profiles follow these tips.
Be specific
Make sure (at least) the keywords are closely related or they are relevant to the job you are looking for. The more relevant the keywords are to your desired job, the higher the odds you have to get noticed by recruiters and employers. You cannot use SEO or SEM in a job that relates to construction or automobile.
Use as Many keywords as you can but don’t stuff them
Keyword stuffing is when you fill your application or social profiles with tons of keywords. Once you have identified the keywords in the job description or on the company website, add them in a way that makes sense. This will make your application appear natural.
Focus on the job
As you add keywords in your application, focus on the job. Every company has its mission that binds every employee to the company culture. A good rule of thumb is to use keywords like “career” or “job” instead of “work”.
Understand the company’s value proposition
Every company uses its value proposition as a tool so stand out from the competition. Make sure your keywords are tailored to fit the company’s values. You could get more insights about the company’s values by checking their LinkedIn profile.
Mix and match
Use a mixture of different keywords that match the job you are looking for. For instance, you want to include hard skills, industry buzzwords, soft skills, certifications, etc.
Use keywords throughout
If you are adding the keywords in your online resume sprinkle them throughout the resume from the resume summary statement to the skills section as well as other parts appropriate parts of your resume.
Don’t make it all about yourself
If you happened to have accomplished a certain project successfully, it means you worked together as a team. When crafting a cover letter or a resume, don’t just talk about your achievements. Show that some projects you accomplished as a team.
Recruiters and hiring managers want to hire someone who can collaborate with others to achieve company goals and objectives.
Final Thoughts
Research thoroughly, select and use keywords appropriately in your resumes, social and professional profiles, applications, cover letters, to make yourself discoverable by recruiters and hiring managers.
If you want to build your personal SEO, make sure you provide accurate information consistently across different platforms. Don’t just add keywords for the sake of making yourself visible but do it naturally.