ATS keywords are the job-related terms that help recruiters and applicant tracking systems understand whether your CV contains experience relevant to a vacancy. The right approach is not to copy every word from a job description. It is to use accurate, role-specific language that reflects what you have actually done.
Compare your CV with a job description
Where ATS keywords come from
Useful keywords usually come from the job title, required skills, tools, software, certifications, responsibilities, industry terminology and experience requirements in the vacancy. For example, an accounting role may mention Excel, reconciliations, accounts payable, VAT or ERP systems, while a developer role may mention JavaScript, React, APIs, SQL or cloud services.
Use exact terminology when it is true
If the employer asks for a skill you genuinely have, use recognizable wording in your CV. If you have experience with Microsoft Excel, writing only “spreadsheets” may be less specific. If you used Salesforce, naming Salesforce is clearer than saying only “CRM.” Do not add a tool or qualification simply because it appears in the vacancy.
Put keywords in meaningful context
A skills section is useful, but stronger evidence often appears in work-experience bullet points. Instead of listing “project management” by itself, a candidate might accurately explain that they coordinated a project, managed deadlines and worked with a specific team or system. Context helps a recruiter understand how the skill was used.
Job titles matter
Use a truthful job title. If your internal title was unusual, you can clarify it without inventing a different seniority level. For example, an internal title may be followed by a familiar functional description in parentheses when that accurately reflects the work. Never upgrade yourself from assistant to manager or from junior to senior just for keyword matching.
Include common variations naturally
Some concepts have multiple forms, such as SEO and search engine optimization, HR and human resources, or QA and quality assurance. Where appropriate, using both the acronym and full term once can improve clarity for readers and automated systems.
Do not keyword-stuff
Repeating the same term unnaturally does not create stronger experience. It can make your CV difficult to read and may look manipulative to recruiters. Prioritize relevance, evidence and clarity over repetition.
Prioritize the most important requirements
Focus first on terms tied to essential responsibilities and required qualifications. Nice-to-have skills should not dominate your CV if they are peripheral to the actual role. Tailoring means emphasizing the most relevant parts of your real background, not rewriting your history for every vacancy.
Use a job-match scan
The LebJobs ATS Resume Checker can compare your CV with a selected job description and highlight missing or weakly represented terms. Treat the result as guidance rather than a guarantee of how another employer’s ATS will rank you.
Combine keywords with a clean format
Even relevant keywords are less useful if your CV is difficult to parse. Review our Best ATS CV Format and ATS-Friendly CV Guide, then choose one of the ATS-safe templates available through Career Services.
Apply the same discipline to every role
Before applying, identify the five to ten most important requirements, check which ones genuinely match your experience, and make sure those relevant strengths are easy to find. Then browse current LebJobs opportunities and tailor only what is accurate for the position.