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Creating Scannable
Resumes
Human resource departments (especially in large companies)
often use computer systems to increase their efficiency in handling
resumes. So, you may have more than one resume—a traditional
resume to bring to an interview and a scannable resume.
Scannable resumes are scanned into a computer system and become part
of an employer’s database of resumes. Employers can then “ask” the
database to find resumes that match types of experience, education
or skills needed for a given position. The database creates a list
that lets the employer know which resumes are a “match” for
the position. Obviously, you want the database to put your resume
in the list of matches. We’ve compiled some guidelines relating
to formatting and to maximizing your “match” potential.
Formatting Tips
These formatting tips will help you create a resume that scans
nicely into the database.
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Use white or light beige paper. If you use
dark paper, the scanner may not be able to distinguish the text
of the resume from the paper its printed on.
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Use standard font styles. If the scanner doesn’t recognize the font, it will substitute
unattractive (and meaningless) characters (for example ????).
Use common fonts such as Times New Roman or Courier.
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Use standard
font sizes. Generally, you should use 10, 12, or 14 points.
(Avoid 10-point Times New Roman.)
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Use left justification. Scanners
can have difficulty with extra spaces created by full justification.
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Use bolding or ALL CAPITAL LETTERS for emphasis. As long as the
letters do not touch (as in fancy font styles),
bolding or using
all capital letters is your most effective way to draw
emphasis to parts
of your resume (i.e. with headings).
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Avoid italicizing and underlining. Italicizing and
underlining tend to make the text look “smudged” and
difficult to read when scanned.
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Avoid graphics, lines,
borders, shading, and boxes. Although graphics, lines,
borders, shading, and boxes
can be used
effectively for print
resumes, these elements do not scan well.
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Avoid punctuation. The database may not be able to recognize words with punctuation.
For example,
it may
not recognize
manage, as manage
(note the comma). Instead, use vertical lists to
separate information.
Maximizing “Matches”
The tips above relate to formatting the resume so that it will make
the most important parts of the resume—your contact information,
work history, education, and other skills—recognizable to
various databases. Just as important as making the resume recognizable
to databases is to make the resume search-friendly. Employers use
keywords to search within databases for resumes. Let’s look
at a few tips to maximize the “matches” between the
employers search and your resume.
- Spell out acronyms or abbreviations. Generally, you want to
spell out any acronyms or abbreviations. For example, you may
want to
spell out Artificial Intelligence rather than mention it
as “A.I.” However,
you may want to keep acronyms or abbreviations if they are
considered industry jargon (more about jargon in tip number
4). For example,
CPA might be more commonly searched for than certified public
accountant. If possible or applicable, you may want to include
both the acronym
or abbreviation and the spelled-out word.
- Use nouns and not
verbs. While in a traditional
resume you would most likely
use action verbs (such as manage, direct,
supervise), in resumes that will be scanned, nouns (manager,
director, supervisor)
should be used.
- Increase your use of key words or terms. Key words or terms extend the “use nouns” tip. These
are the essential characteristics of the job—education,
previous employment, skills, and accomplishments. Key
words or terms may include previous job titles. Often, you’ll
want to use key words for your field (which relates to
the industry jargon tip below). These key words may be found
also in job ads (especially
if you’re submitting the resume for a specific job).
- Use industry jargon. You’ll want to use words
everyone knows, also known as buzzwords or descriptors.
These words
are often specific
to your industry or profession.
Although the formatting tips and maximizing for matches tips are
unique to the scannable resume, in other respects the scannable resume
will be much like a traditional
resume. You’ll still put your
name first on the page, and you’ll still include contact information
after your name (each item should begin a new line: name, address,
phone number, email address for a scannable resume). The biggest difference,
however, is that a scannable resume will not be visually appealing,
whereas the traditional resume usually is.
The tough question: should you send a scannable resume or a more
visually pleasing traditional resume? The answer depends. You should
have updated versions of both, but you may use them in different ways.
As we’ve alluded to in the introduction, you may send in your
scannable resume so that it can be scanned into a searchable database,
but you should bring your traditional resume to the job interview.
Ultimately, you need information to make the decision. You need to
know if your resume is going to be scanned. The employer may ask for
a scannable resume, or you may want to call the human resources department
and ask if they would prefer a scannable resume. You also may include
both a traditional and scannable resume with your cover letter and
indicate that the scannable resume is for that purpose.
Our final tips for mailing the scannable resume: when you mail your
scannable resume, mail an original (not photocopied) that is printed
(ideally with a laser-quality printer) on one side only. Don’t
staple or fold the resume.
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