Since 2020, job descriptions have developed a new vocabulary layer: work location terms. "Remote," "hybrid," "onsite," "distributed team," "work from home," "in-office." These terms appear in nearly every modern JD, sometimes in the title, sometimes in the requirements, sometimes in the benefits section. Most candidates treat them as informational. They are also keywords.
We examined how work-location terminology appears in our 48 job descriptions and how it interacts with ATS scoring. The finding is straightforward: location terms are keywords like any other, and including or omitting them affects the keyword component.
We cataloged work-location terms across all 48 JDs in our dataset and measured how often they appeared, where they were placed, and whether their presence or absence in resumes correlated with keyword component scores.
Work-location terms are now standard in job descriptions
Work-location term frequency in 48 job descriptions
remote, work from home, distributed, virtual, telecommute
hybrid, flexible location, partial remote, in-office 2-3 days
onsite, in-office, on-premises, local candidates
No explicit location terms
Percentages exceed 100% because some JDs contain multiple location types (e.g., "hybrid or remote" or "onsite with occasional remote").
85% of JDs in our dataset contain at least one explicit work-location term. This makes location vocabulary a near-universal keyword category, yet most resume templates and career guides do not suggest including location preferences as a keyword strategy.
The scoring impact of location keyword matching
When a JD mentions "remote" and the resume includes "remote" (in the summary, skills section, or a recent role description), the keyword scorer registers a match. When the JD mentions "remote" and the resume does not contain the term at all, it is a missed keyword match.
The impact is modest: 1-2 points on the keyword component per location term match. Most JDs contain 2-3 location-related terms, so the total potential is 2-4 keyword points. That is not dramatic, but as our rejection gap research showed, 2-4 points can determine whether a resume crosses a screening threshold. These are free points that require no experience rewriting, just including one or two terms.
How to include location terms naturally
Add location context to your summary
Experienced software engineer with 6 years building distributed systems in remote-first environments.
Natural, professional, and picks up both 'remote' and 'distributed' as potential keyword matches.
Include location terms in role descriptions
Led hybrid team of 8 engineers across Pacific and Eastern time zones.
Demonstrates experience with the work arrangement. Picks up 'hybrid' and 'team' as terms.
Mirror the JD's exact location language
If the JD says 'distributed team,' use 'distributed team' rather than 'remote workers.'
Keyword matching is text-based. Using the JD's exact phrasing produces the strongest match.
Do not include contradictory location terms
If the JD requires onsite presence, do not emphasize remote work preference on your resume.
While ATS does not penalize contradictions, human reviewers who see the resume after ATS screening will notice the mismatch.
Location terms are among the easiest keyword wins available. They require no qualification or experience. They can be added to any resume in under a minute. And they are relevant to nearly every modern JD. For candidates who are close to a scoring threshold, this small addition can provide the margin needed.
Location terms as part of a broader tailoring strategy
This is a micro-example of the broader principle from our generic versus tailored analysis. Generic resumes miss these keywords because candidates do not think of "remote" as a keyword. Tailored resumes pick them up because the candidate reads the JD and mirrors its language. Location terms, industry vocabulary, job titles, certification names, and skill terminology are all part of the same pattern: the JD contains the scoring vocabulary, and the resume needs to echo it.
Full methodology
Dataset: 48 JDs cataloged for work-location terms. Terms were classified as remote-specific, hybrid-specific, onsite-specific, or absent.
Scoring impact: Measured by comparing keyword component scores for resume-JD pairs where the resume did and did not include the JD's location terms, holding other content constant.
Limitations: Location term usage varies by industry and geography. Our dataset skews toward technology and professional services roles in the US market.
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What Resumes Get Wrong on Keywords
Location terms are one category of commonly missed keywords.
Generic vs Tailored Scores
Generic resumes miss location terms. Tailored ones include them.
The Rejection Gap
2-4 points from location keywords can be the threshold-crossing margin.
Action Verbs Myth
Another example of where common advice misses the real scoring mechanisms.