Keywords: Their Importance in the Hiring Process

To underscore the importance of your resume grabbing an Employer's attention, consider what happens once it leaves your possession.

A newly arrived resume is often initially screened by a lower-level Human Resources staffer who skims each document to screen out less qualified candidates. An advertised job opening can receive hundreds of replies. Staffers consequently may spend as little as 15 to 30 seconds reviewing each resume.

Those resumes that pass the first screening are further reviewed with an eye towards matching up the candidate's qualifications with the requirements of the open position. The resumes that make it through are earmarked for the hiring manager's review. After this further review, the remaining candidates are finally contacted for interviews (wherein the screening process begins anew).

The initial screening is increasingly being automated. Recruiting software applications scan electronic resumes for specific keywords relating to an opening's core qualifications. These programs can be calibrated to screen a job seeker's years of experience and even distance to the job site. Offshore recruiting companies, furthermore, offer services ranging from resume scanning to initial telephone screening.

Smaller employers may attract fewer candidates for their openings and their review process tends to be less automated. One person may handle the process from start to finish.