Printing resumes

The employer you re submitting your resume to— Employers typically have specific guidelines for resume submissions. For example, some only accept traditional printed resumes, whereas others prefer to receive an electronic file in a particular format (such as Microsoft Word,... 

As you read this chapter, think about the types of jobs for which you will be applying, and determine which resume format best suits your needs. Keep in mind, it may be necessary to create several versions of your resume based on the type of job you re hoping to land. For example, you may want to have a traditional printed resume ready to submit to companies where you know an HR person (or executive) will be reading the resume, and also have a keyword version of your resume ready to send to companies using applicanttracking software. 

To be the most competitive as an applicant, it s an excellent idea to create a traditional printed resume and then modify that resume into both a scannable (a resume that contains the same basic information as a traditional resume, but focuses on the use of keywords) and an electronic resume. 

The chronological format is the most popular out of all the different formats for traditional printed resumes because it s extremely easy for an employer to quickly see a summary of your work experience, skills, and education. The majority of job seekers use this format, especially those who have a consistent employment record and at least some work experience to showcase. 

Instead of following the same format as a traditional printed resume, use keywords as opposed to action verbs to describe your employment history, skills, and education. For more information about how to create an electronic resume and how to take full advantage of today s computer technology and cyberspace when searching for a job, see Chapter 7 . 

If you re applying for a traditional job that requires a traditional printed resume. 

As a job seeker, if you will be applying for jobs at medium- to large-size companies that already use applicant-tracking software, it s important to create a resume that will be compatible with applicanttracking software. Focus on using keywords within your resume that you believe will match keywords the employer has already selected. Instead of using action verbs (as you would for a traditional printed resume), incorporate nouns that describe your skills, experience, and education. 

Although a scannable or keyword-based resume can follow any of the formats of a traditional printed resume, the wording will be different. After the heading section, some applicants add a section called "Keywords," which is simply a listing of nouns, phrases, industry terminology, and buzzwords you know the computer will search for when it evaluates your resume. 

Although you re creating a printed resume you believe will be read by a computer, you should still follow the resume design tips provided in this book for traditional printed resumes. After all. 

In today s cut-throat business world, it s extremely common for a job seeker to have multiple versions of his or her resume. It s definitely a worthwhile time investment to take your traditional printed resume and modify it into a scannable resume. 

If you re a top-level executive who knows your resume will be read and evaluated by a person rather than a computer, creating an electronic or keyword resume won t be useful or necessary. Likewise, if you re absolutely sure your resume will be read and evaluated by a person, focus on creating a traditional printed resume as opposed to an electronic resume. People applying for jobs at small companies probably don t need this type of resume. 

When you re ready to begin writing the work experience section of your resume, for a traditional printed resume, begin each sentence, bulleted point, or item of information with an action verb. Appendix A offers an extensive list of words and phrases you can incorporate into this section of your resume. 

It doesn t matter which resume format you decide to adopt (chronological, functional, targeted, etc.). When creating a traditional printed resume, how the document appears on the page is the first thing a reader notices. 

For traditional printed resumes, it s also acceptable to use a slate or light gray paper. Avoid using bright-colored or dark-colored papers, however, which will cause your resume to stand out for the wrong reasons. As for the weight of the paper, 24- or 28-pound bond paper works fine. One way to help your resume stand out is to use a heavier paper stock. Expect to pay between. 15 and 1.00 per sheet for quality resume paper unless you buy a box of 50-500 sheets at an office-supply store. 

As mentioned, black ink on white paper is the most common traditional printed resume. You can stray from this rule by using a dark blue (navy) or burgundy ink color. If you choose to incorporate an ink color other than black, and you do it tastefully, you could wind up with a resume package that grabs the reader s attention in an extremely positive way. 

A scannable resume is a printed resume that is scanned and evaluated by a computer as opposed to being read by someone. You will have to modify the resume s content and appearance for the scanner. 

As long as your resume focuses on information you know the employer is looking for, in a format the employer s computer system can understand, your chances of landing the job you apply for will be improved. The best way to ensure that you are submitting the right type of resume to a specific employer (i.e., a traditional printed resume versus a scannable resume) is to contact that company s HR... 

When your resume is in an electronic file, it can be e-mailed to an employer, posted on a website, added to an online database, and imported into applicant-tracking software used by potential employers. Although you won t have to deal with issues like choosing resume paper, picking the perfect font or ink color, or formatting your resume to look perfect on the printed page, there are other issues to contend with when creating an electronic resume. If you created your printed resume on a PC, you already have an electronic file with which to work. If you had someone prepare your printed resume and don t have access to or can t use the electronic file, you will have to create your electronic resume from scratch. 

Aside from general-purpose word processors, there are a handful of off-the-shelf software packages designed specifically for creating, formatting, and printing resumes. These packages are available wherever software is sold, and some can be purchased and downloaded off the Internet. 

Can you create the type of resume I need (a traditional printed resume, a keyword resume, or an electronic resume) ... 

Creating an electronic resume requires different skills than creating printed resumes, so the job seeker should make sure these are skills the person they hire possesses. Web-based resumes are in essence personal webpages created in the style of a resume. This too is a service that some professional resume writers offer. 

Don t emphasize keywords if you re creating a traditional printed resume focus on using action verbs and descriptive phrases. This adds more power to your resume. Refrain from using cliches (overused phrases or words), such as "hard working." Use a thesaurus or the list of action verbs/phrases supplied at the end of this book, and find creative and powerful ways to communicate your main points. 

C YOU BEGIN to draft your traditional printed resume, you make a greater impact if you use action verbs to describe your accomplishments, skills, and responsibilities. Incorporate one action word for each item listed on your resume. As you incorporate these verbs into your resume, choose only the ones that work best with your individual skills and accomplishments, and refrain from using the same action verb two or more times. Even if you ve held the same type of job with several different employers, use different wording to describe each of your employment experiences. 

As you ll soon discover, there are many different resume formats and types of resumes you can create. If you need a traditional printed resume, you can choose to follow a chronological, functional, or combination format there s also a keyword-based resume format, which is becoming more popular as many employers currently use applicant-tracking software to evaluate resumes. As a job seeker, you will also need to determine if your resume should be scannable or if you need an electronic resume so you can easily apply for jobs online. 

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