Wouldn’t it be nice if you knew what recruiters were really looking for?

Well, we can help. We crunched the numbers for the last year and have aggregated the top keywords searched by recruiters on Workopolis in 2016. So, by the numbers, here’s what recruiters are really looking for.

*Note:  keywords are often coupled with secondary terms, which we have also presented here.

In 2016, recruiters in Ontario most frequently searched for:

  1. Project manager and infrastructure or credit card or lending
  2. Architect or architecture and security and application security
  3. Agile training
  4. IT recruiter or technical recruiter
  5. Java or .net and developer or engineer or programmer
  6. Sql server and developer’ or dba or database administrator
  7. Business analysis and equities
  8. Network engineer or network administrator or system administrator
  9. Project manager and tsys
  10. Mobile application development and best practices

The keywords most frequently searched in Ontario were related to the IT sector. What is interesting to note for job seekers is the frequency in which coding languages and systems were searched for. Clearly, if you’re looking for work in IT, you would do well to detail this kind of experience in your resume. Use the job posting as a guide, and make sure to tailor your resume to match required skills.

See what jobs are available in Ontario.

Here’s what recruiters in Quebec searched for in 2016:

  1. Risk management and risk profile
  2. Network architecture and network procurement
  3. Data center management and PowerPoint and presentation
  4. Cobit or csa3416 or ss16 and security architect
  5. Adobe LiveCycle or aem or es4 and adobe or jetform
  6. Install shield and sms or sccm or system center configuration manager
  7. Developer’ or programmer and java and linux
  8. Tableau desktop or tableau server or tableau online or tableau report
  9. Physical TRA
  10. Business analysts and business architect

IT searches were also well represented in Quebec, but recruiters in the region were also seeking out risk management and business analysts in large numbers. Again, it’s clearly a good strategy to detail technical expertise and experience on your resume.


See what jobs are available in Quebec.

The West was more focused on sales:

  1. Service desk analyst or technical support or help desk manager or technical analyst
  2. Sales
  3. Inverter
  4. French
  5. Service desk analyst or technical support or help desk manager
  6. Nurse
  7. Sales or account manager or account executive or sales representative
  8. Superintendent
  9. French customer service
  10. Customer service

Sales and the service industry had the bulk of searches from recruiters in Western Canada, with French language skills particularly sought after. Numerous searches for “inverter,” however, indicate that there is still a demand for engineers out West.

See what jobs are posted in Alberta and BC.

And the rest of Canada was as varied as you’d imagine:

  1. Sales
  2. Enterprise architecture or togaf or process mapping
  3. Quotation
  4. Sales or account manager or account executive or sales representative
  5. Insurance
  6. Customer service
  7. Store Manager
  8. Sales manager
  9. Software developer
  10. Finance

Sales and retail positions lead the way in the rest of Canada, although recruiters were also on the hunt for insurance professionals and business analysts.