Electronic Resumes for Today's Jobs
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2004-07-02 15:24:00-04:00
No matter what type of paper resume you have, it's a good idea to have an electronic version. Once you have your paper resume done, it doesn't take much more time to create an electronic version. It's worth the effort.
An electronic resume has the same content as your paper resume. But it contains only text, with no special formatting. That way, different kinds of e-mail technology can read it.
An electronic resume also has a list of key words at the top. This makes it easier for the employer's automatic scanning system to pick out resumes with certain skills.
How Electronic Resumes Work
An employer may ask you to put your resume in the body of an e-mail message. Or, you may fill out a resume form on an employer's Web site or a job bank.
Employers often ask for electronic resumes when they expect a lot of applicants for a job. They want their computer systems to scan the resumes first. The employer picks keywords for the computer to look for. These are words describing the skills and experience needed for the job. The scanning system picks out resumes with those keywords. Then the employer actually looks at only those resumes.
Some smaller employers also like electronic resumes, even if they don't use a fancy scanning system. They like to avoid too much paper.
The formatting of your paper resume will not transfer to e-mail or to a job-bank form. Instead, it will look like a mess. It may be totally unreadable.
Why is this?
The technology for e-mail, and for forms or templates on Web sites, is different than word-processing technology. This means that e-mails and Web sites can read only what you can type in on your computer keyboard.
This kind of plain, non-formatted text is often called ASCII. If you see it, this term just means to make what you type on your computer very plain.
For example, you can type in an asterisk (*) on your keyboard. But to put in a bullet, you have to click on something else. You can't type in the bullet from your keyboard. So, e-mails or Web sites can read an asterisk. But they can't read a bullet. They will change the bullet into something else, such as a question mark or an odd symbol.
The same is true for bolding, underlining, and italics. E-mails and Web sites can change them into a mess!
Also, e-mails and Web sites can read spaces that you put in when you hit the space bar on your keyboard, or when you hit "enter." But they can't read tabs or columns.
For example, your paper, or formatted, resume may list the names of your employers in one column and the dates you worked there in another column. If you copy and paste that resume into an e-mail, the spacing will change. It could be totally unreadable.
So, in the electronic version, don't use columns. Don't create spaces with the tab bar. Instead, type everything flush left on the page. Use the space bar, or start a new line by hitting "enter."
Say you are applying to many jobs online. Having a non-formatted version of your resume can save you time. That way, you can quickly cut and paste your text-only resume into an e-mail or into a computer form. You won't have to stop each time to fix the formatting or spacing.
Or, if you are applying online just once or twice, you may prefer to cut and paste your resume into an e-mail or a Web site form, and then fix all the formatting by hand.
In any case, you've worked hard to make your paper resume look just right. And the non-formatted version isn't handsome! So, if you have the employer's address, follow up your electronic resume with a mailed paper version.
You can also attach your formatted resume to an e-mail. Employers worried about computer viruses may not open the attachment. And this won't work if you and the employer use different word-processing programs. But many employers can now scan attachments for viruses. And some can read attachments from different kinds of word-processing programs.
Use Keywords
Electronic resumes, also know as "e-resumes," need to include keywords.
Keywords are nouns that describe the important skills of the job. While using action verbs is still important, use some nouns too.
Add a section at the top of your resume, just for keywords.
For example, in the body of your resume, you can say "managed financial operations." In the keyword summary, write "financial manager."
Or say you have a functional resume, with an area for manufacturing. There, you can write "constructed modular home parts." In your keyword summary, write "Modular home construction."
What's the best way to choose keywords?
- First, check out the job description. Use as many of its words as possible.
- Next, think of words you are already familiar with, from your past experience. What are the buzz words specific to your field?
- If you are new to the field, or want a refresher, look up information about your industry or job field. Find industry-specific nouns that describe your skills and the functions of the job.
- Include words related to the job title, to the required job skills, and to required or desired certificates or education.
Tips for Your Electronic Resume
- If you e-mail your resume, grab attention with a creative subject line.
- Electronic resumes can exceed two pages, which is the recommended length of a paper resume. But don't go beyond six or seven computer screens.
- Make sure someone reading your electronic resume learns all about your skills on the first screen. You can gain valuable space if you omit your contact numbers up front. Instead, put then in the body of your resume.
- If you send your resume inside an email, include your cover letter in the same e-mail.
- Avoid using abbreviations - spell out everything.
- Avoid repeating keywords. Use synonyms instead.
- Be sure to put keywords in a special section at the start of your resume. Separate each key word or phrase by either a comma or a period.
- Use standard typeface, such as Times Roman or Courier, with a size between 11 and 14 points.
- To highlight your text, use capital letters instead of bold, underlining, italics, or fancy characters. Use a dash, asterisk, or plus sign instead of bullets.
- Use the space bar instead of tabs or indents.
- If your posted resume will be public, you may want to remove your name and contact numbers from the body of the resume. Instead, put them only in the boxes that are confidential.
Finally, to be sure your resume looks the way you want it to, e-mail a copy to yourself first. Then you can fix any formatting glitches before you send it off.
Sample Electronic Resumes
(Adobe Acrobat Required)
Additional Resources
America's Job Bank
Create and post your resume online, all completely free. From the U.S. Department of Labor.
Monster.com Resume Center
Get free resume advice. Join the resume message board discussions.
Books
Find these books online at Barnes and Noble.com
Best Keywords for Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews: Powerful Communications Tools for Success, Wendy Enelow, Impact Publications, 2003. Choose powerful resume words to show what you can do.
e-Resumes: Everything You Need to Know About Using Electronic Resumes to Tap into Today's Hot Job Market, Susan Britton Whitcomb, Pat Kendall, McGraw-Hill, 2001. Understand how employers use electronic resumes. Tailor yours.
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