INTRODUCTION

WHY?

Over the past few years a number of employers who receive a large number of unsolicited resumes have begun to incorporate a new technology into their hiring processes. This technology allows them to input, at a very rapid rate, data from these resumes that can be stored and retrieved as quickly as job openings appear in their organizations. Candidates for positions with these firms need to understand a new approach in developing a "SCANNABLE Resume."

HOW?

By using the latest in document imaging technology, your resume can be scanned into a computer system and kept "active" for many years. Your resume is scanned into the computer as an image. Then, OCR (optical character recognition) software looks at the image to distinguish every letter and number (character) and creates a text file (ASCII). Then artificial intelligence "reads" the text and extracts important information about you such as your name, address, phone number, work history, years of experience, education, and skills.

A scannable resume should be so clean that the scanner can get a clean image. A scannable resume has standard fonts, i.e. Times Roman or Courier with 10-14 point size, and crisp, dark type such as a laser printer or a typewriter with a new ribbon would produce so the OCR can recognize every letter. The more skills and facts you provide, the more opportunities you'll have for your skills to match available positions.

Preparing a scannable resume is easy; like the traditional style resume, you focus on format and content.

FORMAT

To maximize the computer's ability to read your resume, provide the cleanest original and use a standard style resume. The computer can extract skills from many styles of resumes such as chronological (list and describe up to 6 jobs in order by date), functional (organize by skills rather than job titles), achievement (describe achievements rather than job titles), and combinations of resume types.

The most difficult resume for the computer to read is a poor quality copy that has an unusual format such as a newsletter layout, adjusted spacing, large font sizes i.e. greater than 18 point, graphics or lines, type that is too light, or paper that is too dark.

TIPS FOR MAXIMIZING "SCANNABILITY"
  • Use white or light-colored 8 1/2" x 11" paper, printed on one side only.
  • ALWAYS SEND AN ORIGINAL! Provide a laser printer original if possible. A typewritten original or a high quality photocopy is OK.
  • Avoid dot matrix printouts and low quality copies.
  • Do not fold or staple.
  • Use standard typefaces such as Helvetica, Futura, Optima, Universal, Palatino, New Century Schoolbook, Times, or Courier.
  • Use font size of 10 to 14 points. (Avoid Times 10 point.)
  • Do not condense spacing between letters.
  • Use boldface and/or all capital letters for SECTION HEADINGS as long as the letters don't touch each other.
  • Avoid fancy treatment such as italics, underline, shadows, and reverses (white letters on black background). Also avoid vertical and horizontal lines, graphics, and boxes.
  • Avoid two column format or resumes that look like newspapers or newsletters.
  • PERSONAL INFORMATION:
    • Place your name at the top of the page on its own line.
    • Use standard address format below your name on page one.
    • List each phone number on its own line.
  • Keep date ranges on one line.
CONTENT

The computer extracts information from your resume. You can use your current resume; however, once you understand what the computer searches for, you may decide to add a few key words to increase your opportunities for matching requirements or getting "hits".

Recruiters and managers access the resume database in many ways by searching for your resume specifically or searching for applicants with specific experience. When they search for specific experience, they'll search for key words (see a sample list of key words on pages 4 & 5) usually nouns. So make sure you describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions. The computer system will extract the words from your sentences, so you can write your resume as usual.

TIPS FOR MAXIMIZING "COMPUTER VISIBILITY"
  • Use enough keywords to define your skills, experience, knowledge, your education, and professional affiliations; duties you performed in job(s); equipment hardware and software you use in your job(s); licenses, degrees, certifications that you have.
  • Describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions. For example, it is better to use "managed a team of software engineers" than "responsible for managing, training, ..."
  • Use jargon and acronyms specific to your industry (spell out the acronyms for human readers).
  • If you have extra space, describe your interpersonal traits and attitude. Key words could include: time management, dependable, high energy, leadership, sense of responsibility, good memory.
    • NEW RULES
    • Use Industry Specific Buzzwords
    • Use Keywords, Nouns
    • Use White Paper, Standard Fonts, Crisp Dark Type
    • Use 1-inch Margins, White Space
    • More Than One Page Is Okay

    List of Key Words

    Interpersonal Skills

    Ability to Delegate Innovative

    Ability to Implement Leadership

    Ability to Plan Multitasking

    Ability to Train Open Communication

    Accurate Open Minded

    Adaptable Oral Communication

    Aggressive Work Organizational Skills

    Analytical Ability Persuasive

    Assertive Problem Solving

    Communication Skills Public Speaking

    Competitive Results Oriented

    Conceptual Ability Risk Taking

    Creative Safety Conscious

    Customer Oriented Self Accountable

    Detail Minded Self Managing

    Empowering Others Sensitive

    Ethic Setting Priorities

    Flexible Supportive

    Follow Instructions Takes Initiative

    Follow Through Team Building

    Follow Up Team Player

    High Energy Tenacious

    Industrious Willing to Travel

    List of Key Words

    Selected Professions

    Radiologist:

    Office Management Autoradiography

    WordPerfect 6.1 Iodination

    Microsoft Excel Radiobiological

    Dictation S-35

    Reports

    Real Estate Agent:

    General Office Asset Management

    Commercial Leasing

    Human Resource Manager:

    Hotel Administration

    Compensation Real Estate Appraisal

    Employee Benefits Realty

    Training Residential Property

    ADA Surplus Property

    Recruitment

    Diversity

    Retail Marketer:

    Inventory Turns

    Librarian:

    Point of Sale

    OCLC Sell-Through

    DIALOG UPC Scanner

    Reference Desk Negotiate Commercial Terms

    Public Programming Educational Administration

    Materials Selection Evaluation Training Programs

    Subject Cataloging Work Study

    On-Line Literature Search

    Inter-Library Loan

    Stock Broker:

    MLS Brokers Call Rate

    Dividend Reinvestment

    Manufacturing Manager:

    Chicago Board of Exchange

    BS Industrial Engineering NY Stock Exchange

    JIT (just-in-time ordering) Portfolio Management System

    ISO 9000 NASDAQ

    TQM Asset Valuation

    Telecommunications Investor Relations

    Optics Surrender Value

    Digital Imaging

    Substance Abuse Counselor:

    Packaging Engineer: 12-Step Program

    Analytical Ability Clinical Supervision

    Organizational Skills Family Systems Theory

    Materials Management Prenatal Teaching

    CHECKLIST FOR "SCANNABLE" RESUMES

    1. Did I carefully choose the most likely keywords for my resume and arrange them in an appropriate order?
    2. Did I use a popular, common typeface?
    3. Did I (except for the name) use a font size between 10 and 14 points?
    4. Did I avoid italics, script, and underlined passages?
    5. Did I avoid using graphics and shading?
    6. Did I use horizontal and vertical lines sparingly and allow a quarter-inch of white space around them?
    7. Did I use a 24-pin letter quality or laser printer?
    8. Did I use understandable abbreviations? Synonyms?
    9. Did I use 8 1/2" x 11" white or light-colored paper?
    10. Did I put my name at the very top?
    11. Did I avoid stapling or folding my resume?
    12. Did I have my resume photocopied on a first-class copier?
    13. Am I sending the original copy of my resume?
    14. If faxing, did I put the setting on "fine mode"?

    The answer to all these questions should be YES!

    Book List

    Here are some helpful books on the new world of resumes:

    Electronic Resumes for the New Job Market by Peter D. Weddle, (Impact, 1995, $11.95)

    Be Your Own Headhunter On-Line by Pam Dixon and Sylvia Tiersten (Random House, 1995, $16)

    The Electronic Resume Revolution by Joyce L. Kennedy (Wiley & Sons, 1995, $12.95)

    SAMPLE 1

    ALAN ALEXANDER
    10 Sunset Drive
    Furlong, PA 18925
    (215) 794-7203
    Email: ALANA@AOL.COM

    EDUCATION NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LEONARD N. STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

    Masters of Business Administration, May 1995

    Majors: Finance, Information Systems, and International Business

    BOSTON COLLEGE Chestnut Hill, MA

    School of Management

    Bachelor of Science, May 1989

    Concentrations: Finance and Computer Science

    EXPERIENCE LEXIS-NEXIS New York, NY

    Senior Account Representative 1994-Present

    • Market and sell tax, audit, and consulting automation systems to Big Six and other accounting firms.
    • Make recommendations on systems that would best meet needs of the client.
    • Establish and maintain relationships with partners in Big Six firms.
    • Manage $4 million sales territory exceeding revenue goal by $300,000.
    Automation Analyst
    • Created financial reporting system for sales management, increasing productivity by 60%.
    • Led and managed group of six in designing and implementing sales force automation.
    • Acted as liaison between corporate headquarters and clients regarding system integration.
    • Performed product analysis in the on-line industry to educate sales management relating to competitive products and services.
    ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES CORPORATION

    Sales/Project Manager WILMINGTON, DE 1988-1991
    • Sold environmental and industrial services to Fortune 100.
    • Established 27 accounts in $1.5 million territory.
    • Developed long-range marketing plans including market research, literature design, and database system to support program.
    • Analyzed financial statements and implemented programs to improve performance.
    • Supervised staff of thirty in completion of industrial contracts.
    ALLSTATE POWER-VAC, INC. Huntington, NY

    Project Manager 1988-1990
    • Bid for and managed industrial and municipal contracts in the Northeastern United States, supervising over twenty field workers.
    • Worked with Controller to automate general ledger to increase accounting efficiency.
    • Accelerated accounts receivable allowing $500,000 to become available for capital purchases.
    SKILLS Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, Power Point, Access, LEXIS/NEXIS, Dow Jones, Folio

    Views, SNAP, LEXIS Counsel Connect, QMF, DB2, dBaseIV, Lotus 1-2-3, Q&A,

    WordPerfect, Pascal, COBOL, VMS, CRSP Compustat, 2020(VAX), and Statview.

    ADDITIONAL TALBOTT CHILDREN'S HOME New York, NY

    INFORMATION Volunteer 1992-Present

    Organize and participate in annual retreat to New Hampshire for 25 inner city foster children.

    ACTIVITIES League ice hockey, IJSBA jet-ski racing, NCAA Division I Lacrosse, skiing, mountain

    biking/climbing, bicycle touring, basketball, and photography.

    SAMPLE 2

    ALEXA AMIRAN
    1005 Pinhorn Drive
    Levittown, Pa 19056
    (215) 949-3952
    Email: AMIRA@AOL.COM

    CAREER
    SUMMARY     		   A top 1% performer with four and a half years of business process redesign experience in a medium-sized property and casualty insurance company, an MBA degree with an IS concentration, and a BA from Dartmouth College. 

         
    CAREER EXPERIENCE    NATIONAL GRANGE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Keene, NH

    Circle of Excellence
    One of only 6 employees chosen from over 900 for exemplary performance, effectiveness, attitude, and other achievements and qualities. (1992)

    Senior Operations Analyst
    Designed work flows and cost-justified Bond Processing System (projected savings are more than $200,000 in 3 years). Responsible for all floor plan design and implementation. Managed mainframe system that calculates performance, quality and staff levels; increased number of department users from 33 to 41. Directed fellow analysts on assigned projects. One of 5 chosen to lead training sessions for over 150 clerical staff. (1991-1992)

    Operations Analyst
    Directed first corporate work flow audit. Led design and implementation of microfilm unit for client company with over 100,000 policies in force. Cost-justified and negotiated purchase of mail system that saved more than $150,000 in 4 years. Received Instructor designation in work measurement technique from consulting firm. Employee of the week 3 times. (1990-1991)

    Associate Operations Analyst
    Identified savings of $40-50,000 for independent agency on consulting basis. Contributed to design of system to automate corporate correspondence. Received Certificate in General Insurance. (1989-1990)

    Operations Analyst Trainee
    Wrote procedures, Set work measurement standards, and recommended staff levels to mail room management. Trained typing staff on mainframe word processing package. (1988-1989) 

         
    OTHER EXPERIENCE    Total Quality Management Project Leader
    Write script and design storyboards about TQM for college's first CD-ROM multimedia software package, intended for internal use and possible sales to other college and universities. (August 1994-Present)

    Teaching Assistant, Tutor and Proofreader
    Lead weekly review sessions for statistics and calculus professors. Tutor undergraduate stduents in business and Liberal Arts subjects. Proofread student papers on walk-in and appointment basis. (January 1994-Present)