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RESUME
TIPS AND HELPFUL HINTS FOR ELECTRONIC
TRANSMISSION
In many cases, resumes
are stored as an electronic document. These documents are
used to search for specific skill sets. Below are some
tips to help in this process so that your skills are
correctly placed into databases, and easily retrieved.
Should You Send Plain
Text Or A Formatted Document?
If you are unsure of the
desired format, send a text version as well as one that is
formatted since many individuals find a formatted document
more easily read. You should avoid non-standard fonts that
are not easily read electronically. You can bold words but
do not use any underlines or italics. You should have two
versions of your resume: a "computer-friendly"
copy for scanning and a "people-friendly" copy
to bring to an interview.
Place Name And Address
At The Top
Many electronic readers
search for name and address at or near the top of a
resume. You should place your name as the first line as
well as your address on the next few lines. Always be sure
to include your email address within the contact
information section of the resume.
Try To Use White Space
Computers use white space
to recognize that one section has ended and another has
begun. Put your name on the first line, and your address
and contact information on a separate line. Always include
your e-Mail address.
List Technical
Knowledge
List your technical
knowledge first in an itemized fashion. Use as many
related words as you can that reflect your work and school
experience. List all operating systems, hardware and
software. This will satisfy the visual curiosities of
managers, recruiters, and OCR scanners conducting key word
searches.
Keep the Design Simple
You should avoid graphics
and shading. Both of these items can cause problems in the
electronic reading of your resume. Scanning equipment is
set to read text, not "graphics" or
"pictures." When you use complex tables,
pictures, many hyphens, boxes, or periods, the scanning
software may not read your resume correctly. Your resume
will be photocopied, faxed, and even scanned numerous
times, defeating any costly special paper efforts.
Keywords Should Be
Used
Keywords are used to
search for candidates for a position. These keywords are
descriptors, or buzzwords, that describe your skills and
experience. They also allow a recruiter to search on your
abilities. Emphasize key words such as analyst,
administrator, developer, and engineer.
Be Concise
As a rule of thumb,
resumes reflecting five years or less experience should
fit on one page. Someone with more experience can justify
the additional page. Try to keep the resume to no longer
than two pages, if possible, or you may find that the
hiring official or recruiter will not wish to read it. You
should avoid lengthy descriptions of whole projects of
which you were only a part. Consolidate action verbs where
one task or responsibility encompasses other tasks and
duties. Reduce the usage of articles like (the, an, a) and
you should never use "I" or other pronouns to
indicate yourself. |
