"Scannable Resumes Becoming Obsolete"

With the increase in companies accepting resumes electronically, scannable resumes will soon be a thing of the past, says Pat Criscito, author of E-Resumes.

I talked to Pat today via phone as a follow-up to my article on "Knowing Just the Right Thing to Say: Using Keywords Correctly in Resumes" in the September/October 2007 issue of Resume Writers' Digest.

Companies are getting more of their resumes over the Internet, says Criscito, so they're not investing as much in systems to scan resumes manually. She notes that this can be a benefit for resume writers, as the formatting limitations of resumes designed to be scanned often hindered resume writers.

Criscito is revamping her recommendations on electronic resumes for the second edition of "How to Write Better Resumes and Cover Letters," to be released early in 2008.

Speed Resume Writing

For some resume writers, speed and turnaround time can be a competitive advantage. However, for every resume writer, meeting client deadlines is critical. Because each resume is different (and each client is unique), it sometimes can feel like you're starting from scratch each time you sit down to start a project.

In addition to the tips published in my book, "Write Great Resumes Faster" (2nd edition), here are some ideas:

• Create an inspiration notebook. Some resume writers maintain a hard copy "library" of past projects, categorized alphabetically by job title. Others create a Word document into which they copy-and-paste Qualifications Profiles, lists of keywords, and cover letter closings.
• Develop a list of electronic resources you can count on. Creating a Word document with links to key online research sites can save you time searching Google for the right link. Or use the "Favorites" tool in your web browser to collect web links.
• Create a visual cue for your writing. Creating cluster "word maps" can be a useful way to organize your thoughts for a resume. Write the client's job title in the middle of a piece of paper and then draw "spokes" to key concepts you want to cover in the document.
  

Explaining Resume Tense to Clients

Ever get an e-mail like this from a client?

“I love the resume, but please change the profile statement to: ‘I am a dedicated professional with extensive experience in corporate accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting. You will find me to be consistently successful in providing accurate information for management decision-making. I can develop and implement accounting training programs to increase staff efficiency and productivity. I am also an effective communicator with the ability to work with individuals at all levels of employment.’”

Aughhh! Where to begin? How do you explain the unique nuances of "resume tense” (and the lack of pronouns) to your clients?

I’ve developed a short response which explains resume tense to clients:

Hi (Client Name):

Thanks for your e-mail! I forgot to mention to you that resumes use a unique style of
writing to emphasize brevity in order to maximize the reader’s time. Many individuals find this style of writing a bit confusing, so I wanted to clarify for you how resumes are written.
• Resumes use a version of first-person style, but omit the subject (“I” / “me” / “my”).
• We use present tense for activities you currently perform, and past tense for past activities
and achievements (particularly for older positions on your resume, but also to describe responsibilities you once performed in your current job, but no longer do).
• To emphasize brevity, we remove most articles (“a” / “an” / “the” / “my”), except when doing so would hurt the readability of the sentence.
• We write in a strong, active style, emphasizing action verbs (“direct” / “manage” / “conduct” / “develop”) instead of passive descriptions of activity.
• Most often, numbers one through nine are spelled out; numbers 10 and above are expressed as numbers.

If you have any specific questions about the language used in your resume, let me know! Otherwise, please be assured that I have written your resume to conform to the generally-accepted principles of resume writing.

There. I feel less "tense" already!

Next Special Report: For New Resume Writers

With the recent publication of our first special report, on "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor," by Diana LeGere, it's time to start working on a second report.

Next we're tackling the challenges faced by new resume writers. I've often talked about the turnover in the resume writing industry. Part of the challenge is that there are low barriers to entry, but it's difficult make $30,000 or more in your first year. I want to help increase the chances of success for these new practitioners -- to give them a game plan for their first year.

Do you have an idea, strategy, or suggestion for these newbies? E-mail me at RWDigest@aol.com. We'll look to release the next special report in December. (Be sure to e-mail me with any ideas you have for special reports you'd like to see.)