Resume Tips

Scannable and Online Resumes

The Scannable resume

To make candidate databases more efficient, many companies have implemented document scanners, or Optical Character Recognition (OCR) systems, to quickly scan resumes into a master database. Resumes can then be retrieved from the system using keyword searches. Here are some pointers for making your resume scannable:

1. Use keywords

keywords increase your visibility in a database search
focus on nouns rather than verbs (for example, "Webmaster" is clearer than, "in charge of maintenance, design, and security of Web Site."
Picture your resume as a huge list of keywords- think about the ones that will get the most attention in a search

2. Keep it simple

in general, the most scannable resumes are also the simplest ones
Keep your text size between 10 and 14 points
Include your name at the top of every page
Put your name and contact info on separate lines
Use a space to separate slashes (1 / 00), most scanners have difficulty interpreting characters that touch one another
Use boldface type or capital letters for headings
Use discretion with italics, horizontal rules and underlines- not all scanning programs can read these decorative elements. If you decide to use these elements to highlight your text, just make sure no characters are touching
Remove ampersands, hollow bullet points, foreign characters, currency symbols, or any other unusual graphics that the scanner may have difficulty reading
Print your resume on plain white or extremely -light colored paper that is free of speckles and other decorative elements

The Online Resume

If you are going to post your resume to an online job board, you'll want a resume that is useful and user-friendly

In the world of the Web, keywords also rule.
Hiring managers also use keyword searches to harvest resumes from the internet that match specific job requirements
develop your resume in a traditional format and then extract choice words by which a recruiter may search. Not only should these words demonstrate your skills and experience; they should also reflect the type of job you're trying to find