Web Journalism Buzzwords for Resumes
A post over at Lost Remote notes an unfortunate disconnect between hiring managers and recent journalism grads: managers want to see Web experience on a resume, but students omit these skills because they assume all recent grads are Web savvy.Omissions are a mistake, but applicants should also avoid the generic tech phrasing that plagues many resumes. A line-item like "Web experience" -- or even "significant Web experience" -- isn't likely to grab a hiring manager by the collar. The trick is to learn the hidden language of job listings and respond in kind.
I've done my share of job hunting over the years (it's a skill I grudgingly developed during the Web's tumultuous early days), and I've consistently noted a direct connection between certain job listing phrases and specific resume buzzwords. I've collected some of the greatest hits below, but please weigh in with your own phrases/buzzwords in the comments area.
Warning: Don't exaggerate your skills or claim expertise you don't have. You'll eventually be unmasked as a lying liar telling lies.
| Job listing phrase | Resume buzzwords |
| Web authoring, Web design | "HTML," "CSS," "Dreamweaver," "Text editor," "Photoshop" Note: Don't list FrontPage. It's poorly regarded in the industry. |
| Photo experience, Graphics experience | "Photoshop" |
| Multimedia experience, Produce multimedia, Interactive content | "Flash," "Soundslides," "Final Cut Pro," "Adobe Premiere," "Garageband," "Audacity" |
| Video experience, Edit video | "Final Cut Pro," "Adobe Premiere," "Avid" |
| Audio editing, Edit audio | "Soundtrack Pro" (part of Final Cut Studio), "Garageband," "Audacity," "Adobe Audition" |
| Web site maintenance, Maintaining Web site | "Content management systems," "HTML," "Dreamweaver" |
| Work with print staff, Transition print content | "Quark," "InDesign," "Photoshop," "Illustrator," "Acrobat" |
| Web community, Moderator | "Forums," "Message boards," "Blogs" |
Comments:
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