Boost Your Job Profile With the Right Terms

Your online job profile gives employers a snapshot of your skills, experience and background. Your profile comes from your portfolio website, LinkedIn and job aggregator websites where employers look for top talent. Discover how you can boost your online profile by inputting the correct search terms that capture the attention of companies that want your services.

Trends in 2018

Job search site Indeed noted some of the top job titles and skills employers searched for in people's online job profiles in 2016 and 2017. Software engineer, buyer planner, editor, developer and graphic artist represent the skills and job titles that employers looked for in that two-year span. The list does not take into account job growth or increasingly open positions, but rather some of the most popular search terms that employers used while going through Indeed's 100 million resumes posted to the site.

Note Local Differences Among Terms

There are differences in what each search means based on locality, if you do not work remotely. A graphic artist in Silicon Valley may work on web design and apps, while a graphic artist in Houston could work on advertisements and with the media. Similarly, an editor in San Francisco probably edits technical documents, and an editor in other locations may deal with news pieces or literary works. You must understand that even though some companies use the same terms when searching for candidates, the positions may have slightly different meanings.

Do More Research

Dig deeper to determine what each search means in terms of finding a job. If your online job profile boasts editing and graphic design work, you may find a lot of opportunities in the gig economy and working remotely. There are tons of full-time positions available, as well, as of 2018. Some of the top employers are tech firms, especially when you think about developers, graphic artists and software engineers as some of the top terms. Understanding where the top employers are coming from gives you a better idea of what kind of job you can expect when you use these search words in your profile.

Keep It General

Rather than list your specific job duties within your online job profile, try to keep words as generic as possible. Although you may have 10 years' experience creating vivid company logos, website graphics and web layout, these three keywords boil down to a broader job title of a graphic artist. Having the correct job title in a broad sense increases your searchability and improves your chances of employers finding your profile. That means direct job titles that describe a wide range of skills.

Include Soft Skills

Make sure to list soft skills in your online job profile. These are skills that employers look for no matter the industry. These include communication, teamwork, leadership, time management, problem solving and critical thinking. Although these skills don't rank as high in Indeed's list, hiring managers need people with these skills on a constant basis.

One thing to note is that trends and lists change, so take Indeed's analysis of what you should put in your online job profile with a caveat. What may work for keywords and search terms in 2018 may change in time. What strategies do you use to keep your profiles fresh?

Photo courtesy of Penny Bruzzo at Flickr.com