Resume keywords: how to choose the right ones for every job

Why keywords matter

Every job posting uses its own vocabulary: "REST API", "Scrum", "B2B SaaS". The ATS uses those terms to rank candidates. If they are not on your resume, you are invisible.

Where to find the right keywords

1. Job title: copy it verbatim.
2. Must-have requirements: turn them into verb + object ("led a team of 5").
3. Stack / tools: list the ones you actually used.
4. Repeated action verbs: "implemented", "optimized", "negotiated".

How to weave them in without sounding fake

• Rewrite 2–3 bullets per role to embed keywords.
• Add a short "Core skills" block at the top, split into technical and soft skills.
• Do not paste the job description in — ATS penalizes obvious copying.

Example

Job says: "Experience with payments integration, Stripe, fraud prevention, high scale."

Optimized bullet: "Integrated payments with Stripe and a fraud layer handling 1.2M transactions/month."

Five job keywords appear naturally.

Tools that help

Compare your resume against the job description with tools like Candidatoo: you see the match score and what is missing before you apply.