The 50 terms most searched for by ATS systems in 2026, sorted by sector. Use the exact words from the job posting in your resume — ATS systems don't match synonyms.
The golden rule
Use the exact words from the job posting. If the posting says "agile project management", write exactly "agile project management", not "Scrum sprint management". ATS systems don't recognize synonyms, even when they describe the same thing. Aim for 8 to 12 exact terms per resume, worked in naturally (not as a dry list).
How to turn a vague resume line into an ATS-optimized bullet point.
Sales prospecting manager
B2B sales prospecting (cold calling + LinkedIn), 120 qualified leads/month, 18% lead → opportunity conversion rate
Why it works: Adds 3 ATS keywords (cold calling, LinkedIn, qualified lead), 2 numbers, 1 ratio. ATS score: 42 → 78.
Web project management
Agile web project management (Scrum), team of 8 developers, €320K/year budget, average 12-week delivery
Why it works: Specifies the methodology (Agile/Scrum), adds team size, budget, KPI. Keywords detected by all tech-sector ATS.
Digital marketing
Multi-channel digital marketing strategy (SEO + SEA Google Ads + Meta Ads + email), €1.2M/year revenue generated, average 4.2x ROAS
Why it works: Lists the exact channels (ATS keywords) + business figure + standard marketing KPI.
Recruitment of tech profiles
Tech talent acquisition (LinkedIn Recruiter + GitHub sourcing), 24 developers hired in 12 months, 78% 1-year retention
Why it works: Precise HR terms (talent acquisition, sourcing), named tools (LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub), retention KPI.
Accounting and management
General and subsidiary accounting (SAP), monthly closing, IFRS consolidation across 4 entities, tax return filing
Why it works: Precise finance keywords (IFRS, consolidation, tax filing), named tool (SAP), quantified scope.
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