{"id":1258,"date":"2011-09-26T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-09-26T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tameri.com\/wordpress\/poetponders\/?p=1258"},"modified":"2025-06-23T17:44:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T22:44:29","slug":"crafting-a-resume-for-the-digital-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tameri.com\/csw\/2011\/09\/26\/crafting-a-resume-for-the-digital-age\/","title":{"rendered":"Crafting a Resume for the Digital Age"},"content":{"rendered":"

Visalia Direct: Virtual Valley
\nSeptember 26, 2011 Deadline
\nNovember 2011 Issue<\/p>\n

Crafting a R\u00e9sum\u00e9 for the Digital Age<\/strong><\/p>\n

Job hunting<\/a> is tough enough without companies forcing applicants to use poorly designed online r\u00e9sum\u00e9 submission databases. A reader emailed me asking why some companies rejected her r\u00e9sum\u00e9, despite great qualifications. Based on my experiences assisting students on the job market, I suggested the reader\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 might have the wrong margins for some online systems.<\/p>\n

Yes, the wrong margins can lead to rejection in today\u2019s digital job hunt.<\/p>\n

Hiring committees tell me they receive 200, 300 and, in one case, 500 applications for job openings. My students want every edge they can get when applying for positions. I\u2019ve had to learn a lot about the hiring process to help students craft r\u00e9sum\u00e9s for this strange new reality.<\/p>\n

The university where I work uses an online career database. Many employers have turned to these systems. You might have used one already, via the Web. The job application is completed online. Once you finish the basic application, the system asks you to submit a r\u00e9sum\u00e9. You end up providing the same information twice, but that\u2019s the system. I\u2019ve wondered if finishing an online job application isn\u2019t part of the test you have to pass.<\/p>\n

When you submit a r\u00e9sum\u00e9, the online systems sometimes ask for both an uploaded Word document and a \u201cplain text\u201d version. The database searches for keywords and job skills, eliminating some applications before a human has read them. While the human resources department could read these documents, the reality is that so many people apply for openings that having the software sort through applications makes the process slightly less daunting.<\/p>\n

If you want your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to survive the computer-based screening process, you have to craft a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 for the digital age. In a disappointing twist of fate, this means the great software technology that allows you to design a beautiful document can actually hurt your chances of obtaining an interview. Online, the less complex the career documents, the better.<\/p>\n

Allow me to offer some tips that might improve your digital career hunt.<\/p>\n

Tip 1: Use one-inch margins around all pages. Employers have demonstrated to me various reasons for this rule. Some print the documents and place them in binders, for example. If your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 has no \u201cwhite space\u201d the holes go right through the text. Then you have high-end copier-printers, such as the one where I work, which print and hole-punch pages automatically. It is an impressive machine, but if you send me a document without margins, the printer cuts off the text.<\/p>\n

Tip 2: Use the most common fonts available: Times and Arial. While that fancy desktop publishing program you own might have included 500 fonts, many corporate offices limit which fonts are installed on systems. My work computer has only the fonts that shipped with Windows, not one more or less. Yes, Hoefler is a nice font, but I can\u2019t print it. Use Times New Roman for the text of a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 because studies have shown it is easier to read at smaller sizes than sans-serif faces like Arial. I suggest using Arial for headings, which is a clean look.<\/p>\n

Apple and Microsoft include Arial and Times New Roman with their operating systems. Other fonts, like the elegant faces Gil Sans and Palatino, are not on every computer system, even if I wish they were. You might be okay with the newer Microsoft Office<\/a> fonts, but some companies still use older versions of Office.<\/p>\n

Tip 3: Avoid table-based r\u00e9sum\u00e9 templates. I realize some r\u00e9sum\u00e9 books, and even Microsoft\u2019s Word templates, use tables to align elements of r\u00e9sum\u00e9s. This is fine if the document will only be distributed on paper. Unfortunately, it can cause problems if you email the document or if you are asked to convert the file to another format such as plain text.<\/p>\n

To format a portable and reusable r\u00e9sum\u00e9, use tabs, line indents, and margin settings to align various elements of the document. Tables have a nasty habit of converting elements to a vertical \u201cstack\u201d when exporting documents.<\/p>\n

Tip 4: Send a copy to a friend to test. Send a copy of your Word-based r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to a friend to test how well it displays and prints. If you use an Apple computer, send a copy to a friend with Windows. If you use Windows, try sending your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to a Mac user. The more you test your documents, the more likely they are to be ready for the job hunt.<\/p>\n

Tip 5: Preview your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 as plain text. If you are asked to provide a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 in plain text format, use the \u201cSave As\u2026\u201d feature to create a plain text r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Always open the new file to see what has changed. You probably will need to correct some problems no matter how careful you were.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve learned an even better way to test a text r\u00e9sum\u00e9: copy the document and paste the r\u00e9sum\u00e9 into an email message. In your email program, select \u201cFormat, Plain Text\u201d and send the document to yourself. The document should be free of all special formatting and appear as it will to most employers. It won\u2019t be pretty.<\/p>\n

Tip 6: Name your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 file something meaningful. I tell my students to use a name like \u201cWyatt_Resume.doc\u201d when sending a job application. Imagine receiving a hundred files named \u201cResume.doc\u201d and having to locate a particular r\u00e9sum\u00e9. If you use your name, the file will stand out and be easier to locate.<\/p>\n

Personally, I still prefer printed documents. There\u2019s something more professional about a nice r\u00e9sum\u00e9 on fine cotton-fiber paper compared to an email attachment. But, I also realize that companies aren\u2019t going to go back to hand-sorting job applications.<\/p>\n

R\u00e9sum\u00e9 Formatting Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n