Keyword Density: “On-page SEO” is the practice of optimizing individual web pages in order to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. When used correctly, it can help attract search engines and boost a page’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). When ignored, it can keep a page from ranking or even result in a search penalty, removing it from SERPs altogether. Keyword density is an element of keyword optimization that refers to the number of times a target keyword is used on a webpage. If you’re an aspiring marketer, learning how to calculate keyword density is fairly easy. You simply take the number of times the target keyword appears on a page and divide it by the total number of words on the page: Continue reading THE KEY TO RESUME KEYWORDS→
To get the interview for your next career move, your résumé has to communicate that you are the ideal candidate. Here are 11 résumé tips for selling yourself in 2021:
Prerequisite: format the entire résumé to make it ATS-friendly and focus on keyword matching to the specific job posting. ATS “reads” resumes like human beings (right to left/top to bottom) so make sure your work history starts with your most recent or current position. Although there are three common resume formats (chronological, combination, and functional), ATS prefers the first two, as do recruiters. Telling your career story and progression lends itself to a chronological résumé and a non-chronological functional résumé wreaks havoc with ATS which doesn’t know how to sort experience without a clear work history to draw from. The main job of ATS is to scan your résumé for relevant keywords by converting it to a text-only file. So, get rid of fancy formatting like tables, graphs, charts, photos, logos, headers, footers, images, full page columns and uncommon section headings. Stick to a universal font like Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Garamond, Georgia, or Cambria and avoid fonts you need to download which the ATS may have trouble parsing. On the other hand, feel free to bold and underline your headers with a font size of 11 with the rest of the text at 10. Italics are also ATS-friendly as is underlining. I would avoid putting any text in colors; not that ATS can’t read it but it’s going to reduce everything to black anyway. Bullets are preferred over long-winded narrative so stick to the standard circle- or square-shaped ones. One-inch all-around on your margins is the best way to go and I like to set my line spacing options at 12 exactly.
“Above the fold” refers to the upper half of the front page of a newspaper or tabloid where an important news story or photograph is located. Use this approach for your résumé because recruiters average only 6-11 seconds visually glancing to see if they want to read on. When they do, don’t fall into the deadfall trap that your résumé has to be on one page. Your résumé needs to market you effectively and include enough about you to prove you’re qualified for the job without overwhelming the reader. Résumé length can vary based on factors like experience, field, and the job you’re applying for. Two to three pages is the standard length for résumés in 2021 to fit all keywords, experience, and skills. If you’re concerned that a longer résumé will slow down a hiring manager during their six-second résumé test, the “six-second” figure comes from a review after an ATS scan has determined your fit for the position. Recent studies suggest that recruiters are 2.3x more likely to prefer a résumé that’s more than one page and includes all of your relevant experience, achievements, education, certifications and professional development.
Your headline should match the title of the position you’re applying to. Position titles are among the most commonly searched ATS keywords.
Use the summary to succinctly highlight your professional skills and experience. Laser focus on the unique, transferable value you can bring to the specific role you’re applying for.
Follow your summary with a core skills section so that readers can easily scan your relevant competencies. This is a key section of your résumé because SKILLS = KEYWORDS and enhance how you match with a job description.
If you’re applying online, avoid graphic elements like charts, graphs, tables and shaded areas. It confuses ATS which “sees” them as photos and can’t “read” them. It’s best to send a résumé as a Word doc if you are applying through a public job board or company career page. If you’re sending it to someone you know via email, PDF is fine. Otherwise, use Word.
Generally, it is reasonable to go back 10 – 15 years in your work history unless you’ve been with a company longer than that and you can demonstrate a progressive ladder of success.
Avoid run-on paragraphs when describing your professional experience. Instead, use bullet points to tailor your transferable achievements to what the prospective employer is looking for. Avoid the “everything but the kitchen sink” approach. Stick to those achievements and competencies that are most relevant. Demonstrate the impact you’ve made and quantify (objectify) it wherever possible.
Avoid outdated résumé information like your street address and References Upon Request.
Spell check until it hurts and then spell check again.
Include a cover letter with your résumé and send it to a specific person in your target company (eg, Vice President of Human Resources or Director of Talent Acquisition) to expand your candidate visibility.
About Garrison Leykam, PhD:
Certified Business Coach (Expert Level) Certified Remote Work Professional Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) Certified Professional, Résumé Writer (CPRW) Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP) Certified Life Coach (Expert Level) PhD Marketing, MA Psychology LinkedIn profile in Top 25 MA, PhD profiles in U.S. Top 1% LinkedIn Industry Social Selling Index Author, Audacious at Any Age and Design You
The path to a new job isn’t always clear. But, one way to get a handle on figuring out your next move is LinkedIn’s Career Explorer which helps you uncover potential career path transitions and see how your skills match to real job titles. Here’s how it works: Continue reading LinkedIn Career Explorer: The Secret Sauce for Career Transitions→
1. Record a 10-second message next to your Profile name to create audio appeal. This feature is especially beneficial for your Profile visitors if you have a hard-to-pronounce name.
2. The new “Dwell Time” method of classifying content and algorithm weighting based on time actually engaged on content can give you 48+ hours for your thought leadership content to gain new traction and visibility.
3. Combine Dwell Time with the autonomous post tool to build engagement and feedback on your topics.
Narrative psychology, a term was introduced by Theodore R. Sarbin in Narrative Psychology: The Storied Nature of Human Conduct , investigates the value of stories and storytelling in giving meaning to individuals’ experiences. It’s an especially relevant topic for job seekers, especially late blooming career changers, when it comes to writing your summary for your LinkedIn About section. According to legendary film professor Howard Suber, “You seek your destiny; you succumb to your fate. Destiny originates within the self; fate comes from outside. Fate is the force that lies beyond individual will and control; it pushes you from behind. Destiny is the attracting force in front of you that acts like a magnet and that you choose to acquire.” Controlling your career destiny should shape the story you tell in your LinkedIn Profile About section. Continue reading NARRATIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND YOUR LINKEDIN CAREER STORY→
LinkedIn is unquestionably the social network for job-seeking professionals – even if you’re not looking right now. 92%of recruiters use social media in their work today and LinkedIn is the social network they use most. But, don’t eliminate other social media sites in your online job search toolkit. Here’s how they stack up in terms of recruiters’ use in their candidate hunting: Continue reading USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO FUEL YOUR CAREER SEARCH→
T-shaped skills are referred to in job recruitment to describe the abilities of candidates. The vertical bar of the T refers to expert knowledge and experience in one particular area. The horizontal top of the T refers to an ability to collaborate with experts in other disciplines. Immensely empathetic T-shaped individuals can see through others’ eyes, walk in their shoes, listen actively, and create solutions that build on their ideas. They shine in diverse, collaborative teams and standout among recruiters and hiring managers compared to I-shaped job applicants. Continue reading ARE YOU A T-SHAPE OR I-SHAPE JOB CANDIDATE?→
"You've had such a varied and impressive career. It's awesome to read about your adventures and reinventions and how you're now helping others do the same," branding expert Dorie Clark, author of Reinventing You, Stand Out and Entrepreneurial You
To get the interview for your next career move, your résumé has to communicate that you are the ideal candidate. Here are 11 résumé tips for selling yourself in 2021:
Narrative psychology, a term was introduced by Theodore R. Sarbin in Narrative Psychology: The Storied Nature of Human Conduct , investigates the value of stories and storytelling in giving meaning to individuals’ experiences. It’s an especially relevant topic for job seekers, especially late blooming career changers, when it comes to writing your summary for your LinkedIn About section. According to legendary film professor Howard Suber, “You seek your destiny; you succumb to your fate. Destiny originates within the self; fate comes from outside. Fate is the force that lies beyond individual will and control; it pushes you from behind. Destiny is the attracting force in front of you that acts like a magnet and that you choose to acquire.” Controlling your career destiny should shape the story you tell in your LinkedIn Profile About section. 
LinkedIn is unquestionably the social network for job-seeking professionals – even if you’re not looking right now. 92%of recruiters use social media in their work today and LinkedIn is the social network they use most. But, don’t eliminate other social media sites in your online job search toolkit. Here’s how they stack up in terms of recruiters’ use in their candidate hunting: 
