Top resume keywords to land an interview

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As a hiring manager, you would probably agree you don’t have all the time in the world to read through each and every resume.

Glassdoor recently gathered insights from several hiring experts and shared what key skills in a candidate’s resume managers should look for in the modern, digital work environment.

Hard skills

1. Data collection and analysis

Many experts have pointed out that companies should start preparing for the data boom. Matt Sigelman, CEO of Burning Glass Technologies, shared that data-related skills are “showing up at a premium in a variety of industries, including marketing, logistics jobs and operations management jobs”.

Even if a candidate doesn’t have any experience in this area, having taken courses in data analytics should be a huge plus.

2. Social media

According to career coach Bethany Wallace, social media management skills are definitely valuable strengths, especially when market campaigns are now often heavily dependent on online channels, but not every company is ready to hire a social media manager.

Other than having completed related courses, an increasing number of candidates have experience managing social media accounts in a professional capacity.

3. Content management systems

Gone are the days when companies need specific website developers for a professional looking website. WordPress, Blogger and Squarespace are all easy platforms to create and maintain a blog or a company site.

“WordPress is the most popular CMS (content management system) in the world. Tons of sites, big and small, use it to power their businesses,” said Laurence Bradford, creator of Learn to Code With Me.

Some of the more dedicated candidates may even be able to show you a website or online portfolio they have developed.

Soft skills

1. Communication

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 73.4% of employers want a candidate with strong written communication skills.

However, simply mentioning being a strong communicator doesn’t mean they are one. You should look at their application documents for their grammar, spelling, reasoning and the overall readability. Also, how they interact with you in email and/or on the phone also reveals how strong of a communicator they are.

2. Problem solving

Jessica Amidon, writer of the AthLife blog, believes an employee should create value for the employer by presenting creative solutions to complex problems. A good candidate should be able to articulate a problem they have encountered and what action they took to solve it.

3. Positive attitude

Everyday work is about collaborating with others and identifying creative solutions. Having a positive attitude is important when obstacles and challenges arise.

Although it’s easier to tell whether a candidate is positive or not in the interview, you can get a feel of them from their words and how they describe their past work.

Verbs such as “overcame,” “surmounted,” “succeeded” and “won” are some of the indicators of a positive and energetic candidate.