Resumes--How to make them work for you!

(If you need help with getting a resume together or fixing the one you have, click here .)

Things Have Changed

With the advances of technology (computers and scanning equipment, namely) and with the new weirdnesses of the job market and economy, job seekers must adapt to the requirements of these changes.

What used to work in resumes a few years ago, let alone a decade ago, will not work in today's job market. And just as so-called certain software grammar and spell-checkers are not a catch-all answer to making your grammar and spelling "perfect", the resume "templates" provided with some software can lead users into a self-delusional disaster.

How Things Have Changed

More and more companies use scanners to scan hardcopy resume information into computerized databases. Companies also use website forms so that potential applicants can enter their pertinent information and resume into the database themselves. This causes major formatting problems if you are relying on a resume you created with one of the software templates. Why? Because although the templates have been designed to stroke your ego and make your resume look graphically pretty, that same graphical aspect of the resume causes headaches with the scanner, and thus fouls up your information in the potential employer's database -- making it less likely that your resume will be picked out of the pile.

Here are things that confuse scanners:

Strange and nonstandard type/fonts.
Excessive bold and italic styles. (You may be able to do this in moderation--just don't go overboard with it.)
Graphics, pictures, smiley faces, etc.
Information in tables

You should definitely avoid arranging your material side-by-side in tables--when this material is scanned it gets jumbled.

For example:

Your Name Home Phone: 555-555-1234

1234 Main Street Email: yourname@internet.net

Anytown, State 12345 Fax No: 555-555-5678

Skills and Experiences in the Technical World Familiar with all sorts of technical stuff including trying to put good stuff in this table form of a resume.

will look like the following after it is scanned:

Your Name Home Phone: 555-555-1234
1234 Main Street Email: yourname@internet.net
Anytown, State 12345 Fax No: 555-555-5678
Skills and Experiences in the Familiar with all sorts of
Technical World technical stuff including trying
to put good stuff in this table
form of a resume.

However, you can center your information like so:

Your Name
1234 Main Street
Anytown, State 12345
home phone: 555-555-1234
email: yourname@internet.net
fax no: 555-555-5678

Skills and Experiences in the Technical World

Familiar with all sorts of technical stuff including trying
to put good stuff in this centered and block form of resume.

After scanning, it will look like the following example,

Your Name
1234 Main Street
Anytown, State 12345
home phone: 555-555-1234
email: yourname@internet.net
fax no: 555-555-5678

Skills and Experiences in the Technical World

Familiar with all sorts of technical stuff including trying
to put good stuff in this centered and block form of resume.

Your Name	Home Phone: 555-555-1234
1234 Main Street	Email: yourname@internet.net
Anytown, State 12345	Fax No: 555-555-5678
Skills and Experiences in the Technical World	Familiar with all sorts of technical stuff including trying to put good stuff in this table form of a resume.