5 Resume Keywords That Make ATS Software Instantly Reject You

You think your resume is good. But ATS just rejected you in 6 seconds.

Why? Because you used the wrong words.

The Problem

ATS software searches for exact keyword matches. If the job says "Python developer" and you wrote "software engineer", ATS might not find it.

5 Keywords to Avoid

1. References Available Upon Request

Wasted space. Modern ATS ignores it.

2. Objective

Old-school. Use "Professional Summary" instead.

3. Responsible For

Passive. Use action verbs: Led, Built, Scaled, Increased.

4. Team Player

Every resume says this. It's fluff.

5. Jargon That Doesn't Match the Job

Use exact job posting language, not industry slang.

What to Do Instead

✅ Match exact job posting keywords
✅ Use action verbs
✅ Quantify with numbers
✅ Keep format clean
✅ Use standard section headers

Learn more at www.jobofferready.com