How to tailor a resume without keyword stuffing
Keyword stuffing is when you cram job terms into your resume without proof, context, or readability. It can backfire with both ATS and humans.
A better approach: “keywords with proof”
For each important keyword:
- mention it only if you truly used it
- attach it to a bullet that shows what you did with it
- keep phrasing natural
Example:
- Weak: “Python, Airflow, Snowflake, dbt, AWS, ETL, pipelines” (a pile of words)
- Strong: “Built Airflow pipelines in Python to load Snowflake models via dbt, improving refresh time by 35%.”
Where to place keywords
- Skills section (for coverage)
- Experience bullets (for proof)
- Summary (for role alignment)
What to avoid
- repeating the exact same keyword too many times
- adding tools you only “heard of”
- copying entire job description phrases
Related: