Organizations lose productivity when positions remain vacant. Technology has now provided employers and recruiters with new tools to expedite the recruitment and hiring process, enabling quicker access and evaluation of job applicants and their qualifications.

Some organizations are utilizing electronic mail as a delivery option for resumes. Many recruiters prefer to receive resumes electronically because it moves applicants quickly through the hiring process; they either scan the document visually or send it on for computer scanning, electronically forwarding to hiring managers those resumes that meet job requirements.

Other organizations request job seekers visit their website and complete applications online. Applicants are directed to complete a number of fields and insert a plain text resume.

Plain text or ASCII is the text of choice for resumes transmitted electronically or via the Internet. ASCII bridges the gap between the multitude of word-processing and electronic mail programs because it is universally recognized by personal computers, Macintosh computers, UNIX workstations, and mainframe terminals.

But not all organizations are either set up or want to receive their resumes or applications in electronic format, so you must identify and comply with organizational requirements before you apply.

When to Send an Electronic Resume

You’ll prepare and send a resume in plain text or ASCII when:

• A hiring manager or recruiter requests one.
• A newspaper employment listing states you should forward your resume and provides an electronic mail (e-mail) address.
• An organization requests on its website that you use its e-mail address to deliver your resume.
• An organization provides an on-line form on its websiote to quickly forward your resume and cover letter in ASCII text.

What to Say in Electronic Resumes

Electronic resumes start out as either traditional or scannable resumes, so you’ll use the appropriate content from your traditional or scannable resume.

What Not to Say in Electronic Resumes

1. Don’t use an electronic mail address from work; use a personal electronic mail address.
2. Avoid unprofessional-sounding screen names. Remember, when employers open their electronic mail, they see a listing with the subject and sender. It is more appropriate to send a message from Sambates@abc.com rather then Poodlelover@abc.com.
   

TIP: Choose black text only. Color text will take longer to transmit and may be unreadable.

How to Say It in Electronic Resumes

STEP 1: Evaluate the job you are seeking and locate the job requirements.

STEP 2: Determine if you have an existing resume on file that meets the criteria.

STEP 3: If your resume meets the criteria, follow the directions under “Formatting Electronic resumes.”

STEP 4: If your resume does not demonstrate that you meet the job requirements, save it as a new document and work through each section, detailing skills, experience, education, training, and credentials that match job specifications.

Tips on Writing Electronic Resumes

1. Prepare your resume in your word-processing program and use the spelling checker.
2. Proof the electronic mail address, subject, and your electronic resume carefully before sending. It is easy to hit the wrong keys when using electronic mail so carefully check for errors before transmitting.

Formatting Electronic Resumes

How you format your resume prior to transmittal determines how it will look when received. Follow the instructions carefully to ensure legibility.

• Use left justification for all text.
• Remove all special effects such as ruling lines, bullets, bold, italics, and underline.
• Use uppercase to emphasize section headings, job titles, organization names, colleges/universities, and degrees. (These are just examples; choose uppercase only for the items you want to highlight.)
• Balance spacing and uppercase to complement appearance and legibility. Space text carefully for clarity.
• Set your right hand margin to 6 or 6.5 inches to ensure no more than 75 characters per line. This should eliminate the problem of premature line wraps.
• Convert all text to ASCII.
• Save the entire document as a text file.

Producing Electronic Resumes

When you are ready to mail your resume electronically, follow these steps:

STEP 1: Copy your resume using the pull-down edit menu.

STEP 2: Open your electronic mail program.

STEP 3: Select “compose a message”

STEP 4: Fill in the address section with the e-mail address of your recipient.

STEP 5: Use the subject area to state what you are sending, for example: “Resume for Billing Supervisor” or “IT Manager resumes.”

STEP 6: Paste your resume into the body of the e-mail message.

STEP 7: Review the message to ensure adequate spacing, no premature line breaks, and ease in readability.

STEP 8: Send your message.