Are resumes for federal jobs scanned for keywords by an automated system?

This is partially true. Real people, human resource specialists, do look at resumes. Some agencies also use an automated system to review applications. For the agencies that do use an automated system, the resume review process has two parts:

1. An automated application review process that looks at all the required areas of your eligibility and qualifications for the job.
2. A review by a human resource specialist of your resume to verify the information in the application.