resumes & cover letters »
Scannable Resumes
Because of the large number of resumes employers receive, resumes are being filed electronically. Resumes are scanned and optical character recognition (OCR) software is used to convert the text into a format that computers read and store. Employers use applicant-tracking software to match stored resumes with open positions. The stored resumes are searched using keywords from the job description.
Follow these guidelines to ensure that your resume does not remain dormant in the database:
- Use fonts sized 10–14
- Avoid ornate fonts, and fonts where the characters touch
- Use Times New Roman, Tahoma or Arial font
- Use boldface or all capital letters; italics and underlining can cause problems, especially if combined
- Avoid graphics, columns, shading and shadowing
- Don't double space within sections
- Do not fold or staple
- Use keywords and phrases
- Use language from your profession
- Use sparingly vertical and horizontal lines