News From the Front We've moved to your TV! Our own Josh Glenn, Editorial Director, headed up an eight part series on CNNfn's IT'S ONLY MONEY. The Tripod segment was called "News From the Front."
We covered a lot of areas to help you be savvy, streetsmart and wise. There's more to getting a job than working for your Uncle Stu. Josh helps you get wired for the electronic age.
The Electronic Resume: Stripped Down, Fine-Tuned, and Ready to Rumble Today's job market is a whole new jungle -- you know it and we know it. Gone are the days when a college grad could scrawl a few biographical notes on a beer-stained napkin and expect a gaggle of job suitors to come running. Companies get more and more resumes for fewer and fewer jobs, and they're using technology to help deal with the avalanche. Job-seekers need to get their resumes set for the New World, which means designing them to please both an employer and the employer's computer.
- A popular employer can receive up to 5,000 unsolicited resumes a month. This means that companies are using computers -- automated applicant tracking systems -- to handle the job of sifting through the pile so there's not just a load of resumes gathering dust in a file drawer.
- According to a 1994 study by the Association of Human Resource Systems Professionals, virtally all companies with more than 1,000 employees are using automated systems.
- But hey, if you're applying to a smaller business, you've got nothing to worry about, right? Wrong, pal. That same study -- in 1994, mind you -- also said that 40 percent of companies with fewer than 1,000 workers use automated applicant tracking systems. And some experts estimate that 80 percent of medium-sized to large companies will be using the "job computers" by 2000.
"Fascinating," you say. "But what does this all mean to ME?" Glad you asked, friend. For starters, it means that when you send out a resume, the human resources flak isn't necessarily the first to screen it. The H.R. person scans it and it goes into a database. Then, when Mr. or Ms. Employer wants to hire an accounts manager, for example, they punch in "accounts manager," and a few other keywords (B.A., major: finance, CPA, maybe the names of five reputable accounting firms). The job computer searches through the files and turns up five (or 50) resumes that fit the bill. And this changes everything.
- First, it changes what your resume should look like. Less is more. Italics, underlines, swanky graphics, funky fonts, they all screw up the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, which screws up your resume. Use simple fonts, white (or light-colored) paper, and don't get too fancy.
- Second, it changes how you write the resume. Forever, people have been telling you to use action verbs in your resume. Those work great if a person is looking at them, but now you have to get past the computer, which scans for nouns. So the new thing is keywords. Look at it this way: If you were looking for a bike repairman in the yellow pages, would you look under "dynamic leader in the bike-repair field," or "organized and empowered a staff of 11"? No, you'd look under "Bicycles -- repair." So would the computer.
This means you have to think like a politician: Use lots of labels, and put them at the top of the resume, in a "summary" or "keyword" paragraph. Did you lead a task force to rethink the filing system? Then you're a "Leader" -- write that down. And write it up top, in a "Summary Paragraph." Did you help run a day-care program? You're a "Program Coordinator." And a "Child-Care Supervisor." We know, it seems pretty crass and unnatural, but remember: If you can't get past the computer, you can't dazzle a person in the face-to-face interview.- Third, it changes the medium you use (or can use). You still need a paper resume, but now the electronic resume is a must as well. Electronic resumes can be e-mailed at the drop of a hat and don't rely on scanner technology, ensuring that what the employer sees is the same document you worked so hard on. They can be posted to job boards and resume banks, and on usenet groups geared to job-hunters and employers. And they show Joe or Jane Employer that you're hip to the times and tech-savvy!
You got questions, we got answers! 1. Say, explain this "keyword" thing again. How do I do a keyword summary?
Great question, and here's what you do. You know that "objective" you have at the top of your resume? Get rid of it. Put a little "summary paragraph" in its place. Start with the big things -- "five years' experience" Look, we know these things sound really weird, but they're essential in today's resume. The key is, you want to avoid making them look weird. Don't write "never got my Ph.D." in hopes that the resume'll come up in a search for "Ph.D." It will, and it will promptly be spiked from the system. Remember, no one likes a smart ass.2. Now, do I need some sort of special equipment to do this electronic resume thing?
Nothing that you don't already have. Look, you're already on Tripod, so why not start with our resume builder? Or try one of those job-finding services we mentioned, most of which have their own resume builders. Or, for that matter, any resume you have can be translated into an electronic resume just by saving it in ASCII text, which lets you send it via e-mail.3. Do you mean to tell me that the paper resume is yesterday's news?
Nope, not by a longshot. Paper resumes, as far as we can see, are here to stay, at least for a while. What we are telling you is that you need both a paper resume and a electronic resume, and that your paper version needs to be made with a scanner in mind.4. OK, then when do I send a paper resume, and when do I send an electric one?
Well, you probably ought to call the company you're applying to (usually a good idea anyway) and see if they use an applicant tracking system and if they accept electronic resumes. For the most part, when you send an unsolicited resume to a company, you'll probably still send the paper version. But if you have the electronic version handy, you can fire it right off to employers the minute they say "why don't you e-mail me your resume?" -- which doesn't give them a chance to forget about you.
Handy Links to Help You Trip the Resume Electronic Career Builder: This jobs site includes a "personal search agent" feature which acts as a sort of online headhunter, notifying you when a job you'd want pops up in a region you'd want to live in. The site also has a section called "Location, Location, Location," which helps you find that ideal city to work in, helps you get a job in that city, and finally, helps you with the moving process.
CareerPath: The classified ads from 24 major daily newspapers nationwide. Plug in your job description and search away (and keep your fingers free from messy newsprint).
Monster Board: One of the biggest job-posting boards on the Net. Post your resume here for a year, and update it as often as you like -- free.
Career Mosaic: Clearly among the best career sites on the Web. Company profiles, career resource center, a special College Connection section, and most of all: Lots o' jobs.
HeadHunter.NET: Free service designed to help bring job seekers and employers together in a love connection.
Career Builder: Incorporates a career advisor, information on relocation, and a personal search agent which automatically notifies you when new jobs that meet your criteria become available.