nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Key skills to put in a resume?

Moon Child

I am trying to create a new resume and at the top I want to list all the skills I have. A friend I know who use to be an IT recruiter told me one of the best things to do is at the top to make a table and in that table to list as many skills or things you know. He mentioned a lot of resumes are fed in a machine and the machine picks out specific key words. The more key words you have in the resume the better chance your resume is chosen by a recruiter. He said the machine seems to read these key words better if they are put in a table format. So I was wondering what key skills/ words should be included for an entry level help desk or field tech position?

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

NetworkVeteran

I've never seen anyone feed a resume into a machine. Your friend's idea sounds silly or out-of-date.

Yes, recruiters do keyword search resumes. The ones I would use would often include "CCENT" CCNA", "JNCIA", "CS", "Computer Science", "EE", or "Electrical Engineering". Obviously, only put one of those if you actually have them! Realize, if these are requirements, how we go about finding those terms doesn't impact your eligibility.

You then merit a 5-15 second view of your resume. Make your marketable education / experience / certifications and any special value proposition you have easy to spot at a glance, preferably on the top half of your resume. Make them as applicable as possible to the jobs you're applying for; I don't care much about your Barista training. While style isn't everything, use a professional-looking format. A line or two about non-professional you ain't bad, neither.

Obviously, if you make the cut, the rest comes into play and will be analyzed carefully.

Bokeh

I haven't seen a "machine" but I do know a few companies using this software -http://www.sovren.com

NetworkVeteran

I haven't seen a "machine" but I do know a few companies using this software -http://www.sovren.com

This looks more feasible, with a list of companies using it. Good info.

Akaricloud

I personally think the table of keywords is a pretty horrible idea. If you put "Windows 7" as a keyword does this mean you can use it, install it from a disk, create custom network deployments with Windows AIK, understand the full file/registry structure, or what? I come across resumes with this junk at the top all the time, sometimes as vague as "Cisco". A resume that lists things instead of presenting them really doesn't impress anyone.

Instead work keywords into your resume where they actually mean something. For example: "Knowledge of imaging Windows 7 computers using Windows AIK".

Moon Child

Since I have been employed in many different work sectors besides IT and my most current work experience is working as a Teacher where do I put non-relevant experience on the resume? I had completely removed non-relevant IT jobs from my resume, but this created large gaps between employment on my resume which doesn't look good. A recruiter told me no employment gaps on the resume so I put the non-IT jobs I have had back on the resume to explain what work I was doing between IT jobs.

NetworkVeteran

Gaps are generally unfavorable. Normally folks list their IT jobs but limit what they say about them. E.g., your IT jobs may have 4-6 bullet points while your non-IT jobs have only 1-2, so no gaps and focused on IT!

Akaricloud

Basically keep all the jobs listed so you don't show a gap but only put information that is relevant towards what you're applying for.

Example, if you were applying for a helpdesk position and had worked as a grocery cashier before:

06/2012 - 04/2013 Safeway Cashier
Worked to provide customers with excellent customer service
Maintained a clean and safe work environment
Adhered to strict company policies to ensure quick customer throughput

A hiring manager isn't going to care that the safeway employee was able to weigh fruit or correctly code coupons but they will care that they have customer service skills and can promote a positive, timely work environment.