Format
by ResumeEdge.com - The
Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service
Rely on white space to define sections. Scanners like white space. They use it to determine when one
section has ended and the next has begun. Horizontal lines can also be used to define sections since
they are usually ignored by more sophisticated scanning software, provided they do not touch any of the
letters on the page. However, avoid the use of short, vertical lines since scanners try to interpret
these as letters.
Don't use columns (like a newspaper) on your
resume. Scanners read from left to right and often have difficulty determining how to relate text to
headings when the columns are the same width or when there are more than two columns. Although the
keywords will be intact, your resume may end up looking like garbage in the ASCII text version created
during the OCR process. Using a narrow column of headings on the left followed by the text on the right
doesn't seem to cause the same problem, however.
Dot leaders (like this . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .) can cause major headaches for the scanner, so avoid them.
One nice thing about electronic resumes is that
they don't have to be limited to one page. The more keywords and synonyms you are able to use, the
better your chances of being selected in a keyword search. Therefore, it is better to have a two-page
resume with all of your skills and qualifications listed than to have a one-page resume with
information missing because you tried to conserve space. The general rule for an electronic resume
today is:
- New graduates--one page
- Most people--one or two pages
- Senior executives--two or three pages
One caution, however. The reader may decide to
stop reading after the first page if something doesn't entice him or her to read on. Therefore, you
should make certain that the meat of your resume is on the first half of the first page.
Remember to keep your sentences powerful and
interesting to read. Cyberspace doesn't negate the need for good writing. You still want a human being
to read your resume sooner or later!
From Designing the
Perfect Resume, by Pat Criscito.
Copyright 2000. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
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