the scannable resume
DESCRIPTION
Crib notes on how to produce a scannable resume.TRANSCRIPT
THE SCANNABLE RESUMEHow to Beat a Resume Parsing System
RÉSUMÉS
CHANGES TO THE JOB APPLICATION PROCESS
Internet boom inspires HR to use internet attachments for résumés
Software was created to help HR and Recruiters sort through the résumés
INTRODUCING THE PARSER
Parser: A résumé computer program that removes
styling (bullets, lines, shading, borders, ect.) in order to break down text on submitted résumés for relevant information.
AKA Applicant Tracking System
HOW DOES THE PARSER READ MY RÉSUMÉ?
The parser assigns values to the contents of your résumé
Examples of CategoriesEducation-Where you went to school.Contact Info.-Are you local?Skills- What skills on your résumé are
relevant to the position?Work Experience- Does the résumé have
the work experience needed for the job?
HOW DOES HR USE THIS INFO.?
HR personnel uses the information from the parser to scan candidates with relevant skills and work experience
They do a “Google Search” with the parser to “keyword search” your résumé
WHAT’S A “RÉSUMÉ KEYWORD?”
Keywords are specific words or phrases that job seekers use to search for jobs and employers use to find the right candidates.
Every industry and job posting has phrases, technology, or certifications specifications.
Ex. Project Manager, PMP Certificate
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Your résumé will be scored on its relevancy to the position
Relevancy is defined as: Matching of employer search terms and your
résumé
If you don’t have the relevant keywords, your résumé won’t be read by HR
HOW TO WRITE A SCANNABLE RESUME
Know Your Fonts
Spacing, Spacing, Spacing
Contact Information
Summary of Qualifications/Keywords
Education & Experience
FONTS AND CHARACTERS
Just Say No To:
Bold, Italicizing, Script, ShadingShading, Graphics, Borders & Underlining
Replace bullets with *(asterisks) or –(hyphens)
Avoid Slashes Ex. Design/develop
FONTS AND CHARACTERS
Use 10 – 14 point font
Use Helvetica, Times New Roman, Arial, or Palatino
Don’t compress lines between characters
Don’t put lines around area codes, use periods
Ex. 555.555.555
LINES AND SETTINGS
Put a line of space between job descriptions
Don’t use horizontal or vertical lines.
Don’t use tables, complex layouts, or columns
PERSONAL INFO &SECTION HEADINGS Your name should be the first line of
your résumé on top of the page.
If your resume has two pages, put your name and Page Two on the second page.
Each line of your address should be on a separate line.
Category Headings should be listed with capital letters
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE
KEYWORDS AND PLACEMENT The keyword section should be on page one
to earn a higher ranking
Place keywords in the Summary section of your résumé
This is a noun-intensive description of your experience and skills.Example keywords: manager, managing, management, BS Computer Science, mainframes, programming, programmer.
Use them to describe actions from your job. Ex. Instructor for Java Script course
WHERE TO FIND KEYWORDS
Keyword Sources:
Resume Specific Keywordshttp://resumekeywords.org/industry-specific-
resume-keywords/
ONET : http://www.onetonline.org/
Google: www.google.com
SAMPLE KEYWORD SUMMARY
EXPERIENCE
Focus on accomplishments that relate to your goal.
Don’t list job responsibilities.
Quantify your results.
Example: Increased revenues from $300,000 in 2008 to
$3.5 million in 2012.
EDUCATION-DON’T FORGET TO LIST…
Institution type Education/degree % Marks (GPA Above 3.7) Year of passing Certifications College Name College Address Highest education Languages Software Skills (Oracle, Windows) Certifications
HOW TO CHECK YOUR SCORE
RezScore is a free parsing site Upload your resume to find your score.
http://rezscore.com/ *HR likes to see a score of 80% or higher or a
“B” on this rating system
COMPARE TO JOB DESCRIPTION
Compare your resume to a job description here:
Resunate: The Only Smart Online Resume Builder
FINAL NOTES
Smaller companies don’t use parsers, so send them a formatted résumé
Not sure an employer wants a scannable or formatted résumé?
*Send both and add words “Scannable Résumé at the bottom
Use formatted résumés for interviews and Job Fairs
QUESTIONS
RESOURCES
Boston College Career Center Carnegie Library Career Center Resume Keywords ONET Resunate RezScore