Designing a Scannable Resume
by ResumeEdge.com - The
Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service
What happens when you create a
beautiful paper resume and mail or fax it to a company that scans resumes into a computerized database
instead of forwarding it to a hiring manager for review? It ends up in cyberspace instead of on
someone's desk. This automated process requires some special design considerations in order to make
your resume scanner friendly, which is what this section addresses.
According to U.S. News & World
Report, more than 1,000 unsolicited resumes arrive every week at most Fortune 500 companies, and before
the days of applicant tracking systems and resume scanning, 80 percent were thrown out after a quick
review. It was simply impossible to keep track of that much paper. As companies downsize and human
resource departments become smaller, it is even more important to manage the job application and
screening processes in an efficient manner.
Today, nearly half of all
mid-sized companies and almost all large companies are scanning resumes and using computerized
applicant tracking systems (still just 30 percent of all job openings, though). Some smaller companies
turn to service bureaus to manage their scanning or to recruiters who scan resumes because of the
volume of resumes they receive every day. If you are sending your resume to one of these companies and
your paper resume is not formatted in such a way that a scanner can read it, the words won't be spelled
right. And, if the words aren't spelled right, a keyword search will never turn up your resume.
This section is devoted to
helping you avoid the pitfalls that commonly cause a resume to scan poorly. This includes choosing the
right fonts, laying out the text of your resume in such a way that it is scanner friendly, selecting
the right paper color, etc. With these guidelines, your resume will be ready for a hiring manager's
computerized keyword search.
If you would rather not worry
about whether your resume is scannable, then simply send your formatted resume (styled any way you
like) along with an unformatted (ASCII text) resume.
Your recipient will then have a choice whether to scan the "ugly" one or to send the formatted one to
the hiring manager for review. You can never go wrong when you send both styles.
From Designing the
Perfect Resume, by Pat Criscito.
Copyright 2000. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
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