Should I spell out acronyms or use the abbreviation as a keyword?

Use both the first time: the full term followed by the abbreviation in brackets. That way, a recruiter searching for either form finds you, and a reader who does not know the abbreviation understands it.

Examples:

• "Customer Relationship Management (CRM)"
• "International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)"
• "Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)"
• "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)"

After the first mention, you can use the short form on its own. In a tight skills list, the abbreviation alone is acceptable for very common terms, such as "SQL" or "HTML", that everyone in the field knows.

Watch for abbreviations that mean different things in different fields. "PM" might mean project manager, product manager or preventive maintenance, so write the full term when there is any doubt.

If the job posting uses only one form, make sure that exact form appears somewhere in your resume. This small habit is one of the simplest ways to improve keyword matching without changing what you say.