Electronic Resumé Dos and Don'ts
Even a decade ago, it was still fairly common to mail a printed resumé to a prospective employer. However, the Internet has increasingly made the whole process of stamps and envelopes and the attendant stress about address labels and lost mail
so twentieth century.
Increasingly there are two major ways of getting your resumé in front of potential employers: uploading it to employers' web sites and resumé banks, or e-mailing your resumé to an employer in response to a job listing. Faxing or mailing has become an obsolete practice because employers are coming to rely on computer software that scan resumés for key words related to the available positions at their organizations. However, printed resumés are still necessary for interviews, because it's still seen as essential to have a paper resumé in hand to give to the interviewer upon request. Thus, as professionals, we essentially have to have two versions of our resumé, and to keep them consistent while having each present itself in the best way possible. While there are numerous resources for composing a more traditionally formatted resumé, there is still some question on how to create electronic resumes that will get noticed.
Here are some do's and don'ts that will help you through the process:
DO create a plain text file of your resumé. While you may want to employ typographical techniques to make certain items stand out in printed or formatted digital resumés, you should still have a plain text file (.txt file) available. Most employers request a plain text file because it is easier to run a text file through computer software that scans for key words related to the available jobs. When creating a text file, makes sure to pay attention to the limited amount of formatting you can do and make the most of it; check spacing and adjust any lines of text that seem out of place.
DO follow the instructions given your potential employer. If the employer you to send your resumé in the body of the e-mail, do not send them an attachment. Copy and paste your plain text resumé into the body of the email and take the time to check for potential formatting changes. Do not try to format the text by making portions of your resume bold, or change the font size or type. While you may have an email editor which allows for this formatting, your potential employer may only accept plain text messages. Stick to the basics for a successful transmission of your resumé.
DON'T save your resumé as a PDF. This format typically produces a much larger file than .doc or .rtf formats, and is not generally used for an electronic resumé. As a result, potential employer may discard your email unread, deciding that you are unprofessional and not worth their trouble.
DO test your electronic resumé by sending it to a few friends via email. Because they may be using different e-mail providers or have different software than you, they can make sure your resumé is not garbled in transmission. This precaution will help protect you from embarrassing formatting problems that sometimes crop up when information is transmitted across different computer systems.
DON'T assume that putting your resumé in the body of an email means you don't need anything else in your message to your potential employer. You still need to include a cover letter to tell your employer important bits of information that don't belong in a resumé and to give your application a professional appearance. However, since your e-mail will include your name and address, you can start your resumé with a career objective instead of including the heading with your name and address.
By following these do's and don'ts, you can make sure your resumé looks sharp when you send it via e-mail or upload it in a resumé bank.
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