Canadian Resume Writing Service

Offering Resume & Cover Letter Development Plus Career / Interview Coaching

Online Resumes Include HTML, Electronic, ASCII text, and Keyword Scannable Resumes

What are online resumes? Their format and content are designed to be read by electronic resume scanners using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to read, process, and track resumes.

Online resumes are increasing in popularity among recruiters and human resources personnel.

This method of screening resumes will increase dramatically in the 21st century, and is rapidly becoming the preferred method that recruiters and human resource personnel use to avoid hours of manual reviewing. These systems scan resumes for keywords, which include hot buzzwords, industry-specific jargon, areas of experience, and education, to ensure that applicants have the desired qualifications.

Electronic resume scanning is used to screen and sort applicants, primarily by large (5000+ employees), and medium size (500-5000 employees) organizations. It is estimated that 85% of medium to large firms are currently using electronic resume screening. If you are sending your resume to a company that you suspect may scan it, be safe and send both a scannable and a traditional version.

Now that you understand the importance of a keyword scannable resume, you need to know the basics of creating one.

A scannable resume needs to use a clear, large font. These documents are noun-based, rather than verb or adjective-based. Search engines do not care about how you "designed" or how you "established" certain forms or procedures. They look for nouns such as new account set-up, marketing, sales manager, quotas, cold calling, or territory management. Knowing the keywords for your target industry and profession is imperative. Review ads and job descriptions for ideas on keywords to use at the top of your resume. Try to incorporate these words into the resume without being obvious.

A plain text (ASCII) version of your resume is necessary to communicate with the wide variety of computers tied into the Internet - this format is one that every computer can understand.

When creating the ASCII version of your resume you will want to start with a powerful, professionally-written MS Word resume, then convert the file. Don't be alarmed when you first look at the ASCII text version - it will look "ugly." This text version will not recognize the formatting commands the word processing program uses. Online resumes are written for a search engine, not the human eye. There are several errors that you should avoid in the document, including: typeface/fonts, word wrapping, proportional typefaces, special character recognition, tabs, and alignment.

In the 21 century, an ASCII text version of your resume is necessary for anyone conducting an online job search - be prepared and have yours converted. Many companies refuse to open attachments for fear of viruses or word processing incompatibility - plus it takes hiring manager's time to open an attachment. Don't missed the advertised position you desire because you are not prepared.

If you don't know how to convert and fix the formatting, contact Canadian Resume Writing Service.

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Contact Candace Davies

candoco@telus.net

Toll Free # (877) 738-8052 Canada & U.S.A.
Local and International # (780) 513-0010

Fax # (775) 593-3556

Copyright © 1999 -2007

Candace Davies, Founder and Director

Canadian Resume Writing Service

R.R. #1, Site 24, Box 36

Grande Prairie, AB T8V2Z8

All rights reserved. Revised: November 27, 2007

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