Resume keyword guides for 37 roles, grouped by field. Each guide covers the terms a recruiter is likely to search for in that role and how to phrase them in a resume. Where we have counted real job postings for a role, the study is linked beside its guide.
1. The role guide
What to write: the keyword categories for the role, weak and strong bullet examples, and role-specific questions.
2. The job-posting study
What postings contain: measured term frequencies from the ATS resume keyword study, for the seven roles it covers.
3. Your posting
What one employer asked for: the ATS resume checker compares your resume with a specific job description and lists the terms it does not use.
Each pair links a keyword guide to a count of real postings for the same role.
Software Engineer Job Description Keyword Study (1,360 postings)
Mentoring appears in 47.4% of postings, more than Kubernetes or React
DevOps and SRE Job Description Keyword Study (134 postings)
Terraform appears in 62.7%, Jenkins in 3%
Cybersecurity Job Description Keyword Study (212 postings)
Python appears in 53.3%, CISSP in 5.7%
Product Manager Job Description Keyword Study (421 postings)
Roadmap appears in 85.5%, Jira in 1.7%
Account Executive Job Description Keyword Study (921 postings)
BANT appears in 0 postings; MEDDIC is named more often than Salesforce
Accountant Job Posting Keyword Study (123 postings)
CPA, GAAP and NetSuite frequencies, each with its margin of error
Marketing
Marketing Job Description Keyword Study (347 postings)
The ad platforms barely appear. Pipeline does.
React, Python, AWS, CI/CD, system design
Kubernetes, Terraform, Docker, CI/CD, IaC
PyTorch, MLOps, LLMs, model deployment
Python, scikit-learn, ML pipelines, NLP
SQL, Power BI, Tableau, statistics
Selenium, test automation, CI/CD, JIRA
Cross-discipline engineering keywords
Roadmap, OKRs, Agile, product metrics
PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, budget management
SAFe, CSM, sprint planning, velocity
Requirements, process mapping, JIRA, Agile
C-suite, P&L, board governance, transformation
Lean, KPIs, ERP, SLA, Six Sigma
HRBP, Workday, talent acquisition, DEIB
Procurement, ERP, WMS, logistics, Lean
M&A, DCF, LBO, capital markets, pitch book
FP&A, CFA, ERP, forecasting, compliance
Salesforce, ARR, quota, pipeline
NRR, churn, Gainsight, QBR
Meta Ads, TikTok, analytics, paid social
SEO copy, brand voice, CMS, conversion
AP Style, CMS, digital media, SEO writing
Figma, user research, design systems, accessibility
Adobe CC, Figma, brand identity, typography
Maya, Blender, rigging, motion design
Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, post-production
Unity, Unreal Engine, level design, GDD
Revit, BIM, AutoCAD, AIA certification
Research methods, instrumentation, publications, grants
RN, BLS, NCLEX, EHR, clinical specialties
APRN, FNP-C, AANP, ANCC, prescriptive authority, Epic
DPT, OCS, manual therapy, WebPT, functional assessment, outcome measures
State certification, IEP, curriculum, EdTech
JD, bar admission, practice area, litigation
Entry-level ATS keywords, internships, transferable skills
A guide covers a role. A posting names specific terms. Paste your resume and the job description to see your match score and the keywords you are missing.
Check My Resume →How to Pass ATS →
Parsing, formatting and recruiter search, step by step
Resume Passes ATS But No Interviews? →
What to check when applications go unanswered
How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description →
Step-by-step guide to matching a specific posting
What an ATS Match Score Means →
How the match percentage is computed and what moves it
ATS Resume Checker →
Score your resume against any job posting in under a minute
How to Read a Resume Keyword Gap →
Which missing keywords to add, reword or leave out
Resume Keywords by Industry →
Keyword categories for every major industry vertical
Cover Letter Checker →
Apply the same keyword analysis to your cover letter
ATS Resume Keyword Study: All Seven Role Studies →
The combined corpus, the method, the limits of each sample, and the data as CSV