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RESUME GUIDE "TWEAK" YOUR RESUME
Jobs
10 simple steps to making your resume
"e-mail ready"
So how do you transmit a copy of that gorgeous-looking resume you
already have on file in your word processor? Following is an exercise
that illustrates how you can convert an existing resume to text-only
format. You can use Notepad, a text editor that comes with Windows
3.1 and Windows 95. Macintosh users tell me that SimpleText
bundled with the operating system will accomplish the same. When
you have completed this step by step exercise, compare your results
to the ASCII resume that follows.
1.
In your word processor document, set your margins so that you
have 6.5 inches of text displayed.
2.
Compose a resume from scratch or open an existing resume in
your word processor. For this exercise, Microsoft Work 6.0 or
higher was used.
3.
Select all of the text, and then select a font that is
nonproportional 12 pitch, such as Courier 12. This will give you
65 characters per line, which will accommodate most e-mail
programs.
4.
Save your resume as a "text only" file with "line breaks." If you
have been instructed to use "hard" carriage returns at the end
of paragraphs instead of lines, save as "text only" without the
line breaks.
5.
Open this new file in Notepad, or any other text editor that you
can cut and paste text into.
6.
Review your resume in the text editor. Notepad lets you view
your resume as it will most likely be viewed by the recipient.
Formatting characteristics such as proportional fonts will
disappear because text editors display data in one fixed font,
and it will indicate what part of your text contains unsupported
ASCII characters such as bullets or underlining.
7.
Replace all unsupported characters with their ASCII equivalent.
For example, bullets created in Microsoft Word 6.0 or 7.0
appear as a question mark when opened in Notepad. They can
be replaced with asterisks or hyphens. Any character found on
your keyboard is an ASCII-equivalent character. If you see long
lines of text in your editor, use Notepad's word wrap feature
under the Edit menu. This feature inserts "hard" returns,
allowing you to format the resume to meet specified margins. If
you have been instructed to enter hard carriage returns at the
end of paragraphs instead of lines, then do not use this word
wrap feature.
8.
Once you are satisfied with the way it looks in your text editor,
copy and past the text of the resume into the body of a test
e-mail message.
9.
Create a short cover letter. You can do this the same way you
created your resume. Cut and paste this text above the resume
in the e-mail message. Do not send the cover letter separately
as an e-mail attachment.
10.
Send a copy of this e-mail message to yourself and to a friend
who is using a different e-mail program before transferring the
text file to the recruiter to test compatibility.
What Plain Text Looks Like
Now compare your newly created text-only resume with the following
example. It's not much to look at visually, but computers love it. You
can use capital letters and spaces to enhance the "look and feel" of
your resume.
Here is an example of what a plain text format resume might look like:
THOMAS B. SEEKER
4120 Bellow Drive, Baltimore MD 21203
Voice:(410)555-8164 E-mail: [email protected]
OBJECTIVE: Systems Engineer; Client/Server Systems
Architect
QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY:
Nine years of experience in designing, installing,
and troubleshooting computing systems; a proven
track record in identifying problems and developing
innovative solutions.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Programming: C, C++, Visual BASIC, FORTRAN, Pascal, SQL, OSF/Motif,
UNIX Shell Script (sh, ksh, csh), BASIC, Clipper, Algol 68, and 80X86
Assembler.
Operating Systems: UNIX (bsd & SVr3/r4), MS Windows,
MS DOS, MS Windows NT, Solaris, HP-UX, Ultrix, AIX,
VAX/VMS, and Macintosh System 7.
Networking: TCP/IP, OSI, Microsoft LAN Manager,
Novell Netware, DOS, Internet, Ethernet, Token Ring,
SNA, X.25, LAN-WAN interconnection.
Applications: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Access,
Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Project, Microsoft
Publisher, Lotus 123, Lotus Freelance, and others.
EDUCATION
BS, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of
California, Los Angeles, 1990.
CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, (MSCE
#132546), August, 1997.
Microsoft Certified Product Specialist, TCP/IP
Networking, June, 1997
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
(TCP/IP) Technology Systems Institute, 1996.
Database Administration, Performance tuning, and
Benchmarking with Oracle7, Oracle Corporation, 1995
Computer Systems Technology Program, Air Force
Institute of Technology (AFIT), Graduate Courses in
Software Engineering and Computer Communications
(24 quarter units completed),1992
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Systems Engineer
Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC), McClean, VA, 1996-Present
Selected as the Systems Engineering Lead on a
Federal Agency terabyte database modernization
project.
Designed and managed the development of an
enterprise-level client/server automated auditing
application for a major financial management company
migrating from mainframe computers, db2, and FOCUS
to a workgroup oriented, client/server architecture
involving Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT
Advanced Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle7, and
UNIX.
Designed an enterprise level, high performance,
mission-critical, client/server database system
incorporating symmetric multiprocessing computers
(SMP), Oracle7's Parallel Server, Tuxedo's on-line
transaction processing (OLTP) monitor, and redundant
array of inexpensive disks (RAID) technology.
Conducted extensive trade studies of a large number
of vendors that offer leading-edge technologies;
these studies identified proven (low-risk)
implementations of SMP and RDBMS systems that met
stringent performance and availability criteria.
Networks Administrator
Defense Information systems Agency (DISA),
Washington D.C., 1990-1993
Implemented and managed the Defense Message System
(DMS) Central Test Facility; omtegrated pver
$117,000 in hardware and software.
Proposed and obtained approval of a $1.6 million
budget to develop the DMS Beta Testbed Network.
Conducted a feasibility study on a development
project that resulted in a $172,000 cost savings on
planned equipment acquisitions.
Recipient, Department of Defense Meritorious Service
Medal.
Automated Data Processor
US Army Infantry, Germany 1987-1990 Designed a
maintenance reporting program that converted the
laborious task of producing weekly status reports
from a 4-day to a 2-hour process. Developed a
departmental computer literacy training program,
teaches classes on microcomputer operating systems,
office automation software, and introductory
programming. Taught a "Structured Programming and
Problem Solving" course for the Community Education
Center after work hours.
by Rebecca Smith
Author of Electronic Resumes and Online Networking, Career Press,
� 1999 by Rebecca Smith
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