Not every noun in a posting is a keyword. The useful ones name skills, tools, domains or responsibilities that the employer will search for or ask about.
Where the real requirements live
Look first at the job title, then at the first three bullet points of the responsibilities, then at anything marked essential or required. Repetition is a strong signal: a term that appears in the title and again in the requirements is central to the role.
Separating requirements from decoration
- Requirement: a named tool, method, domain, qualification or measurable scope.
- Decoration: culture language, benefits, and mission statements.
- Ambiguous: soft skills — keep them, but attach them to evidence.
Using keywords without stuffing
Put each term where it is true: in the role where you used the tool, in the skills line if you genuinely have it, in the cover letter if you can explain it. A term that appears nowhere in your experience should not appear in your skills list.
Related reading
- How ATS-friendly CVs actually work
Applicant tracking systems parse text. Here is what that means for structure, headings and formatting — and what nobody can honestly guarantee.
- How to tailor a CV to a job description
A practical method for rewriting a CV around one specific role: read the posting properly, map evidence to requirements, and reorder for relevance.
- CV vs resume: what to send, and when
The two words mean different things in different countries. Here is how to decide which document a given employer expects — and why keeping both is useful.
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