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10 Tips to (Un)format Your Resume when Applying Online

By Lori, on May 11th, 2011
Ten Tips to Format Your Resume for Applying Online

When applying online, whether uploading your resume into an online job search engine  or copying and pasting your resume into an online job application, you should have a version of your resume that has no special formatting.
After you create your final, formatted version that you can print and fax, snail mail, or email as an attachment, you are ready to create an online ready version.
Here is a checklist of things to change:
1. Left justify everything
2. Remove street address (keep city, state) This helps protect you from online scammers looking for where you live.
3. Include your email address. (This should be in all versions of your resume.)
4. Remove bold.

5. Remove italics.

6. Remove underlines.
7. Remove bullets.  You can replace them with dashes (“ – “), as long as you type them in yourself.
8. Remove tabs. (Replace them with spaces, using the spacebar.)
9. Proof read!  Spell check!
10. Save a separate version (e.g. LoriHoward_Resume_Online.doc)
When you upload your resume for online viewing, or when you copy and paste into an online application – check the formatting before you Save or Submit!  Make sure the spacing is readable.  Make sure it looks clean and neat.
I have sometimes seen dashes or other characters, including punctuation removed.  Proof read your resume content before you click that final Save or Submit – and make whatever edits you need to make your resume readable.
Congratulations!  You are ready to apply online.
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