59.5%
Bachelor's degree
Mentioned in 858 postings.
Original data analysis · Version 2026.08
Job Description Keyword Benchmark 2026
We analyzed 1,441 current external New York City government job postings to measure how often selected tools, credentials, methods, and workplace skills appeared. The goal is to show what is common in a defined sample—not to tell applicants to copy keywords they cannot support.
Generated 2026-08-28; source data through 2026-08-24. Each keyword is counted once per unique posting.
Four benchmark signals at a glance
45%
Communication skills
Mentioned in 648 postings.
25.6%
Microsoft Excel
Mentioned in 369 postings.
19.1%
Project management
Mentioned in 275 postings.
Top keywords in the disclosed vocabulary
This is not an unrestricted word-frequency list. We count a curated vocabulary of recognizable resume terms so generic words such as “work,” “experience,” and “team” do not dominate the result.
| Rank | Keyword | Group | Postings | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bachelor's degree | Credentials | 858 | 59.5% |
| 2 | Compliance | Operations | 670 | 46.5% |
| 3 | Communication skills | Collaboration | 648 | 45% |
| 4 | Training | Operations | 602 | 41.8% |
| 5 | Research | Analysis | 545 | 37.8% |
| 6 | Reporting | Analysis | 445 | 30.9% |
| 7 | Microsoft Excel | Tools | 369 | 25.6% |
| 8 | Leadership | Management | 368 | 25.5% |
| 9 | Master's degree | Credentials | 310 | 21.5% |
| 10 | Microsoft Office | Tools | 302 | 21% |
| 11 | Project management | Management | 275 | 19.1% |
| 12 | Written communication | Collaboration | 264 | 18.3% |
| 13 | Driver's license | Credentials | 234 | 16.2% |
| 14 | Certification | Credentials | 224 | 15.5% |
| 15 | Customer service | Collaboration | 212 | 14.7% |
| 16 | Problem solving | Collaboration | 193 | 13.4% |
Most frequent keywords by type
Collaboration
- Communication skills45%
- Written communication18.3%
- Customer service14.7%
- Problem solving13.4%
- Negotiation12%
Management
- Leadership25.5%
- Project management19.1%
- Quality assurance8.3%
- Program management5.9%
- Contract management2.4%
Tools
- Microsoft Excel25.6%
- Microsoft Office21%
- AutoCAD6.2%
- SQL4.9%
- GIS2.7%
Analysis
- Research37.8%
- Reporting30.9%
- Data analysis8.5%
- Policy analysis4%
- Analytical skills3.9%
Operations
- Compliance46.5%
- Training41.8%
- Procurement12.1%
- Auditing12%
- Community engagement3.7%
Credentials
- Bachelor's degree59.5%
- Master's degree21.5%
- Driver's license16.2%
- Certification15.5%
- PMP1.7%
Methodology
The source is the weekly updated Jobs NYC Postings dataset provided by New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services. We retained external postings, deduplicated by Job ID, and analyzed the job description, minimum qualifications, and preferred skills fields.
Matching is case-insensitive and phrase-based. A phrase counts at most once per posting, so repetition inside one long description cannot inflate prevalence. The downloadable CSV contains only derived aggregate counts; raw job-description text is not redistributed.
Turn benchmark context into an evidence-backed match
A common keyword is not automatically relevant to your target role. Scan the exact posting, then compare its requirements with your resume and keep only language supported by real work, credentials, tools, or outcomes.
FAQ
What are the most common job description keywords in this benchmark?
Within the disclosed ResumeFitKit vocabulary, bachelor's degree, compliance, communication skills, training, research, and reporting appeared most often across 1,441 current external NYC government postings. The ranking reflects this sample, not every U.S. employer.
How was the job description keyword benchmark calculated?
ResumeFitKit analyzed the job description, minimum qualifications, and preferred skills fields. A disclosed list of tools, credentials, methods, and workplace skills was matched case-insensitively, and each keyword counted at most once per unique Job ID.
Should I add every common keyword to my resume?
No. Frequency is not evidence. Use a keyword only when it accurately describes your experience, tool use, responsibility, credential, or result. Treat unsupported terms as gaps rather than additions.
Does this benchmark represent all U.S. jobs?
No. It is a transparent snapshot of current external New York City government postings. Public-sector language, credential requirements, and occupational mix may differ from private-sector or national hiring.