Use diligence in formatting your resume
In order to seek out and apply for the jobs in which you are interested, it might be necessary to post your profile and resume on a job search web site such as monster.com or hotjobs.com. These search engines allow you to upload your resume in a Microsoft Word or text file format, or create one using their forms.
Outside of job search web sites, e-mailing your resume as a form of application has become commonplace. However, each employer or headhunter has different rules on the file types they will accept via e-mail; because while most companies will accept an attachment in Microsoft Word, you’ll have to be conscious of the font type and size, as well as margins you are using to compose your resume.
If a company requires a text file, you should follow these steps to convert your Microsoft Word document into a text resume:
- Select File, Save As
- Name the file (as a best practice, use your name as the file name, and use underscores as spaces);
- Under Format, select Text Only
- Select Save.
Carefully review resume before sending
Now that you have converted your file to a text file, make sure to open it and review how the spaces, tabs, and bullet points have transferred over. You may need to do some editing in order to format your resume so that it fits the file type. Note that a plain text file doesn’t allow for bold, italicized or underlined fonts, but you can make sure that all your text is left justified and the spacing is correct.
That having been said, if an employer asks you to include your resume in the body of an email, you should treat this as a text file when formatting. Copy and paste the entire resume in an email and keep the font styles basic; use Arial or Times New Roman fonts and keep the size in the 10 or 12 point range; you can also adjust all the spacing and bullet points as appropriate.
A good rule-of-thumb to follow is to keep the email simple and avoid bolding or italicizing text, since you don’t really know the type of email software your recipient is using, if they accept HTML, or only text emails. If you are sending your resume as an attachment, format the email body as a cover letter. At the top of the email, include your name and address, as well as the address of your recipient. Typically, the address can be found either on the job listing or at the employer’s web site.
Adhere to employer’s website requirements
If you are sending your resume in the body of an email, follow the same guidelines in terms of the email content; however, don’t assume that including a resume in the body of an email is the only information you should include in your message to a potential employer. Even if the resume is copied into the email, you still need to let your employer know a little bit more about yourself via a cover letter.
Moreover, since you will include your address at the top of the email, feel free to start your resume with a career objective instead of including the heading with your name and address. Much like proofing is critical in perfecting your resume, testing how your resume is displayed in a body of an email or how it opens as an attachment via another computer is important.
Rally your friends or family for help, and send them sample emails with your resume included in the body of a message or as an attachment. This will provide a great opportunity for you to insure that your resume is reaching your potential employers in a format that is clean and professional.
