Tips for writing and
formatting a scannable resume that computers can read courtesy of Resumix.
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New technology
New opportunity
There's a new technology that could be
very helpful to you. It could help you find you next job. It's called
electronic applicant tracking, and it's being used by leading businesses
and organizations.
By using the latest in document
imaging technology, your resume can be scanned into a computer system and
kept "active" for years. The computer can search for just about anything in
your resume. You could be qualified and considered for jobs you never
thought of. The computer can make it easier for you to be considered for
more jobs, and it keeps your one resume on file so it's quicker to update
your information.
Here's how it works. Your resume is
scanned into the computer as an image. The OCR (optical character
recognition) software looks at the image to distinguish every letter and
number (character) and creates a text file (ASCII). Then artificial
intelligence "reads" the text and extracts important information about you
such as your name, address, phone number, work history, years of
experience, education, and skills.
Why is it important for you to know
this? When you prepare a resume for the computer to read, you want it to be
"scannable". A scannable resume is clean so the scanner can get a clean
image. A scannable resume has standard fonts and crisp, dark type such as a
laser printer or typewriter with a new ribbon would produce- so the OCR can
recognize every letter. And a scannable resume has plenty of facts for the
artificial intelligence to extract- the more skills and facts you provide,
the more opportunities you'll have for your skills to match available
positions.
A Scannable Resume
maximizes the computer's ability
to "read" your resume
maximizes your ability to get
"hits" (a hit is when one of your skills matches the computer
search)
Preparing a scannable resume is
easy; like the traditional style resume, you focus on format and
content.
Format
To maximize the computer's ability
to read your resume, provide the cleanest original and use a standard
style resume.
The computer can extract skills
from many styles of resumes such as chronological (list and describe up
to 6 jobs in order by date), achievement (describe achievements rather
than job titles), functional (organize by skills rather than job
titles), and combinations of resume types.
The most difficult resume for the
computer to read is poor quality copy that has an unusual format such
as a newsletter layout, adjusted spacing, small font sizes, graphics or
lines, type that is too light, or paper that is too dark.
Tips for Maximizing
Scannability
Use white or light-colored 8
½ x 11 paper, printed on one side only.
Provide a laser printer original
if possible. A typewritten original or a high quality photocopy is OK.
Avoid dot matrix printouts and low quality copies.
Do not fold or staple.
Use standard typefaces such as
Helvetica, Futura, Optima, Universe, Times, Palatino, New Century
Schoolbook, and Courier.
Use a font size of 10 to 14
points. (Avoid Times 10 point.)
Don't condense spacing between
letters.
Use boldface and/or all capital
letters for section headings as long as the letters don't touch each
other.
Avoid fancy treatments such as
italics, underline, shadows, and reverses (white letters on black
background).
Avoid vertical and horizontal
lines, graphics, and boxes.
Avoid two-column format or resumes
that look like newspapers or newsletters.
Place your name at the top of the
page on its own line. (Your name can also be the first text on pages
two and three.)
Use standard address format below
your name.
List each phone number on its own
line.
Content
The computer extracts information
from your resume. You can use your current resume; however, once you
understand what the computer searches for, you may decide to add a few
key words to increase your opportunities for matching requirements or
getting "hits".
Recruiters and managers access the
resume database in many ways, searching for your resume specifically or
searching for applicants with specific experience. When searching for
specific experience, they'll search for key words, usually nouns such
as writer, BA, marketing collateral, Society for Technical
Communication, Spanish (language fluency), San Diego, etc. The computer
system will extract the words and information from your sentences; you
can write your resume as usual.
Tips for Maximizing
"Hits"
Use enough key words to define
your skills, experience, education, professional affiliations,
etc.
Describe your experience with
concrete words rather than vague descriptions. For example, it's better
to use "managed a team of software engineers" than "responsible for
managing, training..."
Be concise and
truthful.
Use more than one page if
necessary. The computer can easily handle multiple-page resumes, and it
uses all of the information it extracts from your resume to determine
if your skills match available positions. It allows you to provide more
information than you would for a human reader.
Use jargon and acronyms specific
to your industry (spell out the acronyms for human readers).
Increase your list of key words by
including specifics, for example, list the names of software you use
such as Microsoft Word and Lotus 1-2-3.
Use common headings such as:
Objective, Experience, Employment, Work History, Positions Held,
Appointments, Skills, Summary, Summary of Qualifications,
Accomplishments, Strengths, Education, Affiliations, Professional
Affiliations, Publications, Papers, Licenses, Certifications,
Examinations, Honors, Personal, Additional, Miscellaneous, References,
etc.
If you have extra space, describe
your interpersonal traits and attitude. Key words could include skill
in time management, dependable, high energy, leadership, sense of
responsibility, good memory, etc.
Tips
Some people may want to have two
versions of their resume:
One for the computer to read - with a scannable
format and detailed information. Send this one.
One for people to read -possibly with a creative layout,
enhanced typography, and summarized information. Carry this one to the
interview.
When faxing, set the fax to "fine
mode"; the recipient will get a better quality copy.
