CREATING a Text-Only Resume for EMAIL
(Use this method when you have NOT yet created a Text-Only Resume)

PREPARING A "TEXT-ONLY" RESUME FOR CUTTING AND PASTING TO EMAIL:

• Open MS Word and pull up the document that contains your original resume.
  
  
• Click on FILE in your toolbar and select SAVE AS:
  
  
• Under "File Name," type in a new name for this document (example: Karen's Text-Only Email Resume).
  
  
• Under "Save as Type," click on the down arrow to the right and highlight TEXT ONLY.
  
  
• Click on the SAVE button to the right.
  
  
• Now go back to your toolbar and click on FILE and then CLOSE. (**Do not close MS Word.)
  
  
• Click again on your toolbar on FILE and OPEN. Now open the text file that you just named/saved. (**Make sure you open your text document while in MS Word.) You have just completed the initial converting of your resume to a text format. Notice that there is no longer anything fancy on your resume -- it has been stripped of fancy formatting such as bullets, bold, etc. This IS what it is supposed to look like. "It is now fixin' time!"
  
  
• Make sure your name and contact information (email address, phone number, etc.) is shown at the TOP of your resume. Your NAME should be the only item that appears on the first line at the top of your resume. Then, again, on SEPARATE lines list your STREET ADDRESS (2nd line), CITY, STATE, ZIP (3rd line), TELEPHONE NUMBER (4th line), and EMAIL ADDRESS (5th line).
• Do NOT put your Social Security Number on your resume. Email is easy to for "hackers" to get in and read personal information.
  
  
• Make sure you cursor is at the very beginning of your document (go to top left and click on left mouse). Click on FILE on your top toolbar. Click on PAGE SET UP. Change your Left and Right Margins to 1.5 inches and then click the OK Tab in the same box.
  
  
• Click on an icon below your tool bar that looks like a backwards "P" (it may already be turned on). You want to be able to see all the spaces, tabs, etc. in the edit mode. Delete all the TABS (little arrows pointing to the right) and replace them with spaces.
  
  
• Avoid trying to indent or center text using the spacebar. Keep all lines left justified against the page.
  
  
• If your resume is more than one page -- delete any page breaks or wording such as "Page 2" or "Continued." Technically, you are making your resume appear as one continuous electronic document.
  
  
• Use ALL CAPS for words that need special emphasis. Since "Text Only" stripped your resume of all bolds, bullets, etc. used for highlighting words, use capitalized letters to draw attention to important words, phrases, and headings. For best overall effect, use all caps sparingly.
  
  
• Replace each bullet point with a standard keyboard symbol. Bullets, triangles, arrows, etc. do not transfer well electronically. Suggested replacements are Asterisks (*), Double Asterisks (**), Dashes (-), and Plus signs (+). Use a Space Bar to place a single space immediately after each symbol (and before the words). DO NOT USE THE TAB KEY FOR SPACING. Also, allow lines to wrap naturally to the next line -- don't force a hard return using the Enter Key.
  
  
• If you are using any quotes (""......."") on your resume, they are probably Curly Quotes. These type of quotes will not transfer accurately and may appear as little rectangles. Because changing these quotes through the AutoFormat in MS Word will reformat your document, go through and delete all your quotes.
  
  
• Type the word "Key Words:" at the bottom of your resume and type in key words (preferably nouns)--separated by three spaces (Space Bar) -- that may not currently be listed on your resume but that you may want a company database to pick up if resumes are stored this way.
  
  
• You want to make one last adjustment. Each line should not be longer than 65 characters across in length. To check this, Click and block out one of the longest lines on resume (make sure that only ONE line is blocked out). Now click on TOOLS and WORD COUNT. Read what is says for "characters with spaces." The number should read 65 or below. If it is a higher number, move the last word on that line to the next line (Return Key) and make visual adjustments to your resume. Repeat this same step for any lines that look like they might be longer than 65 characters.
  
  
• Lastly, click on FILE on the toolbar above and PRINT PREVIEW. View your text and click on CLOSE. Rearrange your text as needed. Do a line-by-line review of your document to make sure there are no odd-looking wraps, extra spaces, or words scrunched together in the body. This may include inserting commas between items that were once in columns.
  
  
• You have now created a "Text-Only Resume for Email Posting"

Click here to go back for further instructions on how to "cut and paste" your resume.