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Resumes
Preparing your resume for the
Internet and a database
Additional tips
The
resume is a marketing tool which acts as a door opener and allows an
employer to assess your qualifications quickly in the prescreening process
before interviews. Most resumes are initially read for 15 seconds or
less (3-5 seconds if unsolicited). They help the readers form mental
pictures of you and your activities as they look for key words and phrases.
Among 10s, 100s, or 1000s of resumes, the employer needs to ascertain
the benefits you are offering them, based on your past accomplishments.
- It is important
to tailor your qualifications to the job for which you are applying.
- The first impression
of your resume should be favorable for both your electronic and paper
versions: well organized materials, easy-to-read font, correct grammar
and spelling, up-to-date information. Your paper copies should be
printed on good quality paper and have no handwritten corrections
or white out.
- One to two pages
of information should be sufficient to present your credentials clearly
and concisely for the position. Only in rare cases would you need
to go to three pages, but then all three pages must contain essential
information needed by an employer to judge your qualifications. You
may get only one chance for that interview. Write in point form and
double check that all pertinent key words are there. You want to make
it easy for both a human reader and the computer to find the information
for which they are looking.
- Prepare a completely
positive document to present your skills. Don't be shy! However, the
resume must be an honest evaluation. Don't lie. The misrepresentation
will come back to haunt you - if not in the interview, then on the job.
- There is no
one right resume. Create a document that sells your strengths. Since
employers are looking for the best value for their hiring dollar,
you should market what makes you different from your classmates or
anyone else wanting an interview for that job.
- Many of your
strengths are revealed through both your content and style of writing,
(e.g., enthusiasm, confidence, reliability, communication skills).
Preparing
your Resume for the Internet and a Database (top
of page)
There
are three kinds of resumes: electronic version, paper version for scanning
and paper version for mailing, or an application form from an employer
or company which matches resumes to jobs. Submitting a resume targeted
to a specific job is recommended when organizations do not have a computer
database. The managers can see more specifically your qualifications
for their areas (e.g., machine design department vs. production unit).
An
electronic version of your resume is somewhat different from those prepared
on paper. Some points:
- An employer
can view the document one screen at a time, rather than glancing at
the 1 or 2 pages to get a sense of your qualifications. Try to limit
your information to 5 or 6 screens, with the first being the attention
grabber.
- Name and Summary
of Qualifications in point form are at the top of the first screen.
You may also be able to get your name, address, phone, fax, e-mail
at the bottom of the first screen. If not, that information will be
at the top of the second screen, to be followed by your Job Objective.
The order of your other headings can be similar to those on your paper
resume. Keep the information in each section targeted to the job you
want: leave off old or unrelated jobs and activities.
- You don't want
to get a message from an employer saying that your resume was unreadable.
You may want to check with the computer databases you are considering
listing your resume with, or the recent software and books, for more
information about formatting. ASCII (text only) and HTML are currently
being used. In some instances, the usual formatting techniques to
create interest and readability, such as italicizing, bolding, underlining,
may make your words illegible as some computer equipment cannot process
those features. Bullets before points sometimes also cause problems.
There may be several options you can choose from, some creating very
attractive resumes which can be sent through e-mail.
Points
you need to consider when preparing a paper resume for scanning into
an employer's database:
- As part of the
research you do on an organization, you may want to determine if you
need to submit a resume for scanning.
- Supply a good
laser quality document, on 8 1/2 x 11, white or very light colored
paper; use a sans serif font such as Arial, with point size 10 or
larger; avoid embellishments such as parentheses, brackets, horizontal
lines.
- As mentioned
in #2 above, italics, bolding, etc. may also prove problematic in
some instances.
- If using a very
basic formatting program, ensure that your headings are clearly seen
by being featured at the left margin. By indenting your text under
your heading, you will be able to show visually what belongs together.
Additional
Tips (top
of page)
- Employers looking
at your resume want to easily find the keywords relating to their
needs. Also, when your resume is stored in a database, an employer
will use the computer to conduct a keyword search. Your resume will
not be selected unless you have a "hit" with the minimum number of
keywords requested. Your resume will not be near the top of the list
unless you have all or most of the keywords they used.
- Interactive
multimedia resumes are becoming more common with the advances in both
hardware and software. If you choose this type, remember that some
employers may not have the latest equipment to download your resume
with sound and complex graphics quickly, or at all.
- Always have
a subject in your subject line when sending an e-mail resume to an
employer. A precise reference to their job and your fit may spark
their desire to read your resume rather than to hit the delete key.
(top
of page)
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