Many businesses and organizations fill positions through electronic applicant tracking. This is a computerized database of electronic résumés, searchable by any number of criteria: work history, experience, education, specialization, skills, etc.

By creating a scannable résumé, your résumé can be scanned and stored electronically as a computer file. This system makes it possible for you to be considered for more jobs, and it's easier to update your information.

Your résumé is scanned into the computer as an image. Then OCR (optical character recognition) software looks at the image to distinguish every character (letter or number) and creates a text file. When recruiters and managers search the résumé database for applicants with specific experience or skills, the database program "reads" the text and finds all résumés that match the search criteria.

Preparing a scannable résumé is easy; like a traditional résumé, you focus on format and content. However, understanding what the computer searches for enables you to add "key words" to increase the chances your résumé will get more "hits" (this is when one of your skills matches the computer search).

Content: How to Maximize Hits

You want to maximize the opportunities for your skills to match available positions, so a good scannable résumé has plenty of facts for the database program to extract. The more skills and facts you provide, the better your chances of getting hits.

Tips for Maximizing "Hits"

• Employers search for candidates using specific key words—usually nouns—such as writer, BA, marketing, Society of Technical Communication, Spanish (language fluency), San Diego, Adobe Illustrator, teacher, leadership, etc.
• Describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions. For example, it's better to use "managed a team of software engineers" than "responsible for managing, training . . ."
• Describe achievements rather than job titles.
• Be concise and truthful.
• Use jargon and acronyms specific to your industry (spell out the acronyms for human readers).
• Increase your key words by including specifics; for example, list the software you use, such as Word, Excel, Quicken, HTML, Javascript and Photoshop.
• Use common headings such as Objective, Experience, Employment, Work History, Positions Held, Appointments, Skills, Summary, Qualifications, Accomplishments, Strengths, Education, Affiliations, Publications, Licenses, Certifications, Examinations, Honors, Personal, Additional, Miscellaneous, References, etc.
• Use more than one page if necessary. The computer can easily handle multiple-page résumés, and it uses all of the information it extracts from your résumé.
• Describe your interpersonal traits and attitude. Key words could include: skill in time management, dependable, high energy, leadership, responsibility, good memory. (For more ideas, see Action Words)

Format: How to Maximize Scannability

To maximize the computer's ability to scan and accurately read your résumé, use a standard style format and provide the cleanest original copy possible.

• Avoid two-column formats or newsletter layouts.
• Avoid fancy treatments such as italics, underlining, shadows and reverses (white letters on black background).
• Avoid vertical and horizontal lines, graphics and boxes.
• Use standard typefaces such as Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Optima, Times Roman and Universe. Fancy fonts and serifs will confuse the OCR.
• Use a font size of 12 to 14 points.
• Don't condense spacing between letters.
• Use Boldface and/or all capital letters for section headings as long as the letters don't touch each other.
• Place your name at the top of each page on its own line.
• Use standard address format below your name.
• List each phone number on its own line.
• Use white or light-colored 8 1/2 x 11 paper, printed on one side only.
• Provide a laser print original if possible. A typewritten original (using a fresh ribbon) or a high quality photocopy is OK.
• Avoid dot matrix printouts and low quality copies.
• If mailing, do not fold or staple sheets together.
• Many employers prefer electronic submissions: You either paste your résumé into their online form or you e-mail your résumé as an attachment or simply paste it into the body of the message.