Free Online Tips: Creating an Electronic Resume

A scannable resume and an internet resume are similar; they are used by hiring authorities to create an electronic database.  Make sure you write your document to catch the attention of a search engine, not for the human eye.  This is difficult for most job seekers to do, and is one reason so many people hire a Certified Professional Resume Writing Service.

A search engine doesn't care that you spearheaded a campaign or that you were instrumental on some project.  However, it does care that the resume of a person applying for a financial executive position includes P & L reporting, CPA, and financial analysis, industry buzzwords that are picked up by internet search engines.

The length of an electronic resume is rather irrelevant; the computer doesn't care if it is three or four pages long.  Don't number pages or include line breaks.

Here are some online resume tips:

  • The first line is your name. Make sure it is centered.
  • The next two lines should include your address and phone number(s).
  • Use a clear, consistent, and readable font like Arial, Times, or Helvetica, in 10 to 12 point size.
  • Use plain text only. Do not use italics, script, shading, parentheses, brackets, bolding, or underlining, as these tend to be misread by many scanners.
  • Leave large margins all the way around the resume. You want your abilities, skills, and experiences to be clear and easily scanned.
  • Use simple text on a blank background; do not use graphics, elaborate borders, shading, or other fancy touches.
  • Load your scannable resume with critical keywords, job- and industry-specific terms, buzzwords, and jargon.  The computer is programmed with search words to determine which resumes will be put into the "YES" pile.  The person they hire may not necessarily be the best candidate for the job; it may be the person who included many matching keywords.
  • Research keywords which are crucial and necessary to the industry and profession for which you are applying.  Read job ads, job descriptions, trade journals, and company websites.  If you don't have time, hire a Certified Professional Resume Writing Service.

Print your scannable resume with a high-resolution printer, and use high-quality white paper only.  Laser printers and high-quality ink jet printers will print a high-quality resume.  If you don't have one, take your disk to a local print shop and have your resume printed there.

  • Send high quality original prints, never photocopies.
  • Do not fold or staple the resume; use a large envelope.
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