As a Chief Information Officer (CIO), you architect and transform technologies that elevate your company’s projects, programs, and processes. By establishing cybersecurity, mitigating risks, and leveraging data to skyrocket customer satisfaction, your forward-thinking knowledge base contributes to business excellence and revenue success. You may be thinking about advancing your career to the next level.
The fact is that we live and work in an increasingly digital world—and coveted CIO positions receive high volumes of resumes from qualified candidates. Further, recent research reveals that the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage and systematically evaluate job applications before they meet a hiring manager’s gaze. ATS software scans your resume, determines your qualifications, scores your application—and eliminates some candidates from consideration.
So how can you be certain that your resume will be positively ranked and positioned in the running? The answer lies in keyword optimization.
As a CIO, you might be aware that keywords are words or phrases that encompass skills, experience, and qualifications in job descriptions. Focusing on these keywords is important. In fact, incorporating keywords is a crucial resume element for landing interviews.
Here’s how to optimize your resume through the strategic use of keywords:
Tailor your resume for each position. Carefully read each job description, noting that keywords are graded not only for inclusion but for the frequency with which they appear. Beyond specific job descriptions, it may also help to look for common language in similar role listings and in LinkedIn profiles of employees in analogous positions.
“Sprinkle” keywords liberally but organically throughout your resume. Use keywords in the Executive Summary at the top of your resume, in your bulleted Core Competencies or Key Strengths, and throughout your Professional Experience descriptions.
Spell it out. This includes all acronyms upon first usage; put the abbreviation, which can be used for subsequent mentions, in parentheses. Also, only abbreviate terms—such as MBA for Master of Business Administration—if that is how it is listed in your job description. Better yet, cover all your bases and include the acronym and the phrase, like enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Put your natural tech-savvy to use by building an impressive professional social media presence that includes strategic use of keywords in your posts and profiles, since applicant tracking systems are beginning to sync with them.
These strategies will catapult your chances for securing those life-changing interviews, putting you on the next step of your career journey. For more in-depth recommendations, check out our Chief Information Officer Resume Guide. And as always: Good luck!
