Don't use columns (like a newspaper) on your résumé. Scanners read from left to right and often have difficulty determining how to relate text to headings when the columns are the same width or when there are more than two columns. Although the keywords will be intact, your résumé may end up looking like garbage in the ASCII text version created during the OCR process. Using a narrow column of headings on the left followed by the text on the right doesn't seem to cause the same problem, however.

Dot leaders (like this . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .) can cause major headaches for the scanner, so avoid them.

One nice thing about electronic résumés is that they don't have to be limited to one page. The more keywords and synonyms you are able to use, the better your chances of being selected in a keyword search. Therefore, it is better to have a two-page résumé with all of your skills and qualifications listed than to have a one-page résumé with information missing because you tried to conserve space. The general rule for an electronic résumé today is:

• New graduates--one page
• Most people--one or two pages
• Senior executives--two or three pages

One caution, however. The reader may decide to stop reading after the first page if something doesn't entice him or her to read on. Therefore, you should make certain that the meat of your résumé is on the first half of the first page.

Remember to keep your sentences powerful and interesting to read. Cyberspace doesn't negate the need for good writing. You still want a human being to read your résumé sooner or later!

• Understanding the Technology
• Keywords
• Your Name
• Address
• Fonts
• Format
• Paper
• Sample Resume