1. No spelling or typing errors. Not even one.
    
2. Address it to the person who can hire you. Resumes sent to the personnel department have a tougher time of it. If you can find out (through networking and researching) exactly who is making the hiring decision, address the letter to that person. Be sure the name is spelled correctly and the title is correct. A touch of formality is good too: address the person as "Mr.," "Ms.," "Mrs.," "Miss," "Dr.," or "Professor." 
   
3. Write it in your own words so that it sounds like you--not like something out of a book. Employers are looking for knowledge, enthusiasm, focus. 
   
4. Being "natural" makes many people nervous. And then even more nervous because they are trying to avoid spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. 
   
5. Show that you know something about the company and the industry. This is where your research comes in. Don't go overboard--just make it clear that you didn't pick this company out of the phone book. You know who they are, what they do and you have chosen them! 
   
6. Use terms and phrases that are meaningful to the employer. (This is where your industry research and networking come in.) If you are applying for an advertised position, use the requirements in the ad and put them in BOLD type. For example: the ad says--

"2 years' experience processing magnetic media (cartridge, tape, disc); interface with benefit plan design, contracts and claims; and business background with strong analytical & technical skills--dBase, Excel, R&R, SQL."

Make sure your cover letter contains each of these requirements and shows how you measure up. For professional cover letters we recommend the Resume Store

Scannable Resumes

Human resource professionals in small, medium, and large organizations are investing in new state-of-the-art computer systems to increase efficiency in storing and accessing resume information. By using artificial intelligence capabilities, resumes are optically scanned into the computer system as an image. The computer then "reads" the resume and creates a database of the applicant's relevant skills, degrees and achievements in the form of key words. Employers then access a candidate's resume by searching for key words.

To maximize potential employment opportunities, it is important to be prepared to submit an effective "scannable resume". Develop your resume by using the following guidelines for format and content.

• Keep it simple.
• Standard serif and sans serif fonts work best. Avoid ornate fonts and fonts where the characters touch. Font size is also important. Use sizes between 10 points and 14 points type size.
• Italics and underlining cause problems for the scanner, especially if combined. Use boldface for emphasis or ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
• Vertical or horizontal lines should be used sparingly. When used, leave at least a quarter of an inch of space around the line.
• Avoid graphics... and shading or shadowing.
• Do not compress or expand the space between letters or lines.
• Do not double space within sections.
• The resume you submit should be an original. It should be printed with a laser printer on white or light-colored 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. Print on one side only.
• Resumes which have been folded, stapled or otherwise mutilated will not scan well.
• It is imperative that you describe your skills and accomplishments in key word phrases.
• Use the language of your profession.

Nouns are more distinguishable to a computer than action verbs. Label yourself with phrases that describe activities or experiences. For example: Use "managed training and development" vs "trained and developed" or use, "Assisted with salary survey" vs "surveyed salaries of..." You may also want to consider a summary of accomplishments that focus on results not duties and responsibilities. Remember to keep the resume basic in format, style, and language.

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