Scanning Your Resume - Resume Tutorial - America's Career InfoNet

Explore Careers

America's Career InfoNet

Scanning Your Resume

Many employers use scanners to convert the contents of your paper resume to electronic format. Think of your scannable resume as a plain-text version of your typical resume.

Why create a scannable resume? Employers commonly scan resumes to screen large numbers of job applicants for likely candidates. Once your resume is in electronic format, a computer program can search your scanned resume for certain terms and keywords.

How are scannable resumes different from your basic resume? A computer, not a person, will "read" your resume. Content, not artistic value, matters the most. Formatting and graphics may not transfer to electronic format, and may create problems for computer programs.

Maximize the effectiveness of your scannable resume by minimizing formatting. Your scannable resume should:

Be left-justified, not centered.
Limit the use of columns.
Use a common font, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
Limit the number of font types and font sizes.
Avoid use of font formats such as italics or boldface.
Not contain graphics, lines, or bullets.

Additional Resources:

Here are more simple steps for a more effective scannable resume:

Don't fold or staple your paper resume.
Send originals, not copies of your resume.
Use light-colored paper.

Finally, use keywords in the body of your resume. Keywords might include industry-specific terms, areas of expertise, skills, and anything else that matches an employer's needs and makes you stand out from the crowd.

START OVER

RELATED RESOURCES

AMERICA'S CAREER INFONET

RESUME TUTORIAL HELP

CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration