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Everything You Need to Know About Submitting a Resume

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I've read recently, in multiple places, that attaching a Word document is preferable because scanning software can more easily read it than a PDF file. Is this not true?
Love your posts, Alison; I've been using your Ask a Manager blog frequently while job hunting after relocation.

Erin O'Brien of IA 12:56PM January 26, 2012

As a retrained job seeker I have not had to submit a resume in over 12 years and I would first like to say thank you, this has helped me a lot. I would also like to mention that SD is accurate in saying the online version of many company's hiring are bad. As someone that just finished school in the IT profession I am kinda thinking of maybe building one that will work and selling it to these companies. I have given up on many sites because those things do not work

FB of VA 2:57AM January 24, 2012

Incredibly resumes haven't changed much since Leonardo da Vinci created one in 1482 (true story).
I agree with commenter SD who complains about how awful the online apps are (most of them are applicant tracking systems). That's one of the reasons why my company www.Unrabble.com created an online interactive experience which is far more easy-to-use and intuitive, and helps busy hiring managers make great hires.
I like Alison's recommendation about keeping a plain text version of your resume handy to copy and paste into online apps.

Chris Harris of FL 5:20PM January 10, 2012

This is the most outrageous garbage. In current tech age we should be much more advanced. System should have for each and every one of us available openings based upon our skills and knowledge. This entire planet is way of track and while technology is heading forward, almost entire system nav. heading in before stone age.

irrelevant of CA 5:18PM January 10, 2012

Good advice, but let me just state how much I hate these online apps. I have, over the past few years, had resumes refuse to upload, no matter what I did, upload with formatting issues that made it look terrible (even though it was in the format the app said it would accept), or had the two page resume show up in the upload as a 2 page + one blank page, no matter what I did. I truly believe that getting a job in this day and age is not a reflection of your qualifications or work history, but how well you are able to navigate and outfox these online applications. Employers I'm sure find them convenient, but I have yet to find one job seeker who has anything good to say about them.

SD of IN 8:56AM December 09, 2011

Kari, don't over-think that too much. Just apply as soon as you decide you're interested, so you don't risk missing the window of opportunity. But don't worry about getting the day of the week right.

Alison Green of DC 4:04PM December 08, 2011

everything You Need to Know About Submitting a Resume is nice article posted. CV format also plays important role in it.
http://www.cvformat.org

CV format of CA 5:57AM December 08, 2011

Any thoughts on WHEN to send in an application?
I always worry that my app will get lost in the shuffle if I send it in Monday morning, or that it will get forgotten if I send it in too late in the week.
I'm probably just being paranoid, but this is definitely something I stress over!

Kari of CA 2:09AM December 08, 2011

Alison - Nice column, very succinct and to-the-point. As for the PDF/Word quandary, I've always sent word docs and never thought about converting to PDFs. It seems there are opposing viewpoints. Hopefully I won't need to think about it for a while, but I'd be curious if other hiring managers want to weigh in on that one.

Sarah of IL 10:33PM December 07, 2011

One issue with the "what format" advice- many auto reading software programs do not read pdf files well. If the employer uses one your document will show up as a blank page.
I always recommend to clients to submit a Word document.

Steve from Quality Resumes of MA 3:20PM December 07, 2011