Electronic Resume

An electronic resume is designed specifically for use on a computer. Because there are many details to consider in writing a resume that will be posted or transmitted on the Internet, or one that will be scanned into a computer when it is received.

If you want to design a scannable resume. This type of resume uses a format that can be easily scanned into a computer and added to a database. Scanning allows a prospective employer to use keywords to quickly review each applicant's experience and skills, and to keep your resume for future reference.

Electronic Resume Tips

To get you started, following is a list of things to keep in mind when creating electronic resumes.

• Use standard fonts in which none of the letters touch.
• Keep in mind that underlining, italics, and fancy scripts may not scan well.
• Use boldface and capitalization to set off elements. Again, make sure letters don't touch. Leave at least a quarter inch between lines of type.
• Keep information and elements at the left margin. Centering, columns, and even indenting may change when the resume is optically scanned.
• Do not use any lines, boxes, or graphics.
• Place the most important information at the top of the first page. If you use two pages, put "Page 1 of 2" at the bottom of the first page and put your name and "Page 2 of 2" at the top of the second page.
• List each telephone number on its own line in the header.
• Use multiple keywords or synonyms for what you do to make sure your qualifications will be picked up if a prospective employer is searching for them. Use nouns rather than verbs that are keywords for your profession.
• Be descriptive in your titles. For example, don't just use "assistant"; use "legal office assistant".
• Make sure the contrast between print and paper is good. Use a high-quality laser printer and white or very light colored 8.5-by-11-inch paper.
• Mail a high-quality laser print or an excellent copy. Do not fold or use staples, as this might interfere with scanning. You may, however, use paper clips.

In addition to creating a resume that works well for scanning, you may want to have resume that can be E-mailed to reviewers. Because you may not know what word processing application the recipient uses, the best format to use is ASCII text. It allows people with very different software platforms to exchange and understand information.

Here is a list of things to avoid when crafting your electronic resume:

• Tabs. Use space bar. Tabs will not work.
• Any special characters, such as mathematical symbols.
• Word wrap. Use hard returns (the return key) to make line breaks.
• Centering or other formatting. Align everything at the left margin.
• Bold or italics fonts. Everything will be converted to plain text when you save the file as a "text only" document.