Tips on Crafting that Online Resume

The difference between the electronic resume and the printed version is who -- or what -- gets to see it first. The job hunter wanting to post online must first understand this difference before he can prepare a resume suited for an electronic medium.

Without question, the Internet has revolutionized all aspects of modern living -- business operations, information gathering, the communication process, even how we pay our bills. Now, the Internet is even reshaping the hiring landscape.

Just as you can now conveniently use the computer to shop or pay online, so can you use it to send your resume to potential employers.

The electronic resume does not differ from the traditional printed version in purpose: Both are powerful selling tools that outline your work skills and experience so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the company's growth.

A marked difference
There is, however, a marked difference in who -- or what -- gets to see it first: While the old-fashioned resume is written for quick skimming by the human eye, the Web -- or scannable -- resume is written to be searched by the digital eye. The job hunter wanting to post online must first understand this difference before he can craft a resume suited for an electronic environment.

You may well ask: Is there really a need to prepare an electronic resume? With almost everything now being done via the Net, it would be foolish not to do so.

An electronic resume is vital in today's times because an increasing number of businesses have started using the Internet for hiring purposes. In fact, about 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies reportedly already have a Web hiring presence, and the US-based research firm Internet Business Network estimates there are about 100,000 job-related sites online.

And online recruitment isn't likely to fade away anytime soon either. For hiring managers, it represents convenience, efficiency and 24-hour connection to the job market.

“With automated resume submission, we are sure that we get the maximum number of applicants. We can reach out to as many prospective applicants as possible,” stresses Dona Yap, the personnel head of a computer firm.

With an electronic resume, therefore, you are well poised to take advantage of this boom in Internet hiring and send your e-resume instantaneously to any potential employer in any part of the world.

That is exactly what Singapore-bound freelance writer Vernie Reyes, who has been accepted as editor of a technical magazine there, did. “The Internet is truly amazing. I just filled in my resume details and applied online. To my surprise, they contacted me, and eventually hired me for the job,” she narrates.

Still need convincing? Jobstreet.com, the leading e-recruitment site in the Asia-Pacific region, receives many success testimonials from jobseekers, saying they were able to land a job after registering their resumes with the website.

Making a Web-compatible resume
Okay, you're finally sold to the idea. Your next question: How do I make a Web-compatible resume that will impress the digital recruiter?

Reyes, a veteran at online job application, says there are two ways of submitting your electronic resume: by direct e-mail to a hiring firm or by filling an electronic form and entering it in an online resume bank.

Most companies rely on Internet career sites to help them make jobseeker matches. What's important to remember is that well-established websites usually have automated recruitment-management software that winnows the resumes against predetermined employment standards.

At JobStreet.com, for instance, SiVA does automated searches and segregates resumes based on keywords that indicate the candidate's skill, education, knowledge levels and other specific standards set by the hiring employer. This enables the employer to save a sizable amount of time traditionally spent going through each resume and separating the qualified from the unqualified.

Focus on nouns
Programmer Ruby Alcala says that knowing this, you must remember to focus on nouns, not verbs. “Computers do searches by scanning your resume for keywords and phrases describing skills and work experience needed for the job -- and most of these are nouns,” Alcala says.

But while buzzwords are important don't forget the human aspect of your resume as well. “Buzzwords help a lot in the initial scanning stage, but make sure you balance this with a description of your personality and attitude intended for human eyes,” says recruitment officer Tristan Ocampo.

This is because after the computer has done an initial search and drawn up the shortlist of qualified applicants, an HR officer will be the next to handle your resume. So be sure to include in it as well your competitive human qualities such as dependability, responsibility and initiative.

“If you wish to increase your selection chances, highlight relevant and related accomplishments,” Ocampo says. Avoid potential screen-out elements such as unrelated work experiences or a list of brief jobs giving the impression you're a job hopper.

Save as plain text
On the file format, job seekers are enjoined to send their Web resumes in plain ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Exchange) text format to ensure all operating systems can read your resumé.

Some job seekers also develop resumes in HTML format so they can exist as a web page, and rather than submit an online resume, the applicant can just direct the employer to its URL address.

When you are asked to submit by e-mail, always paste your resume into the body of an e-mail message. Attachments are not recommended, not only because the recipient's operating system may not be able to read it, but also because most employers are wary of them for fear of contracting viruses.

Protecting your privacy
Now you know what it takes to tailor-fit a resume for the electronic medium. But one last thing before you hit that send button: Be warned that once released on the Web, your resume is fair game for browsing by anyone. So if you feel the need to protect your privacy, career counselor Pinky Madrigal suggests indicating only your e-mail address, withholding your personal address and phone number.

“Remember that once posted, your resume becomes a public document whose readership is beyond your control,” Madrigal says.

Or, you can choose a career resource website that asks your permission first before your resume is released for viewing. JobStreet.com, for instance, has the Truste seal which guarantees privacy and confidentiality for registered resumes. In essence, the jobseeker has the final say on who to send the resume to or who shall have access to its contents.

With that in mind, start posting those online resumes!