Resume content tips to maximize "Hits" in the resume tracking database:

• Include keywords throughout your resume so that you will be found in a database search.

• Use enough key words to define your skill, experience, education, professional affiliations, etc. 

• When you describe your experience, use specific words rather than vague descriptions. 

• Use terms, jargon and familiar industry acronyms for all relevant skills and experience that could be of a value in a position. 

• Include your e-mail address near your mailing address.

• Keep tense consistent.

Changing your formatted resume into plain ASCII text

The following information will help you convert your saved resume in MS Word format to a text (ASCII) file: 

1. Make a copy of your original resume.
2. Remove any special formatting such as graphics, images or tables.
3. Replace bullets with asterisks (*), dashes with double hyphens (--), smart quotes with straight quotes (' or ") since they will turn into strange characters if you leave them in.
4. Use the spacebar instead of tabs.
5. Do not use centered, full justified, or right alignment since all special formatting will be lost when saved in ASCII.
6. Do not use bold, italics, or various font sizes. Everything will appear in the default font for the computer of the person viewing it.
7. Separate paragraphs or sections with double returns.
8. Save your file as TEXT ONLY WITH LINE BREAKS. This will remove all the formatting and put a line break in every line instead of using the word wrap. Close your file after saving it. 
9. Reopen your file in a text editor such as Notepad to see the ASCII version. It should now look as it will when you send it via an email.
10. Proofread your text, taking special note of spacing where you originally had tabs and the line breaks. Adjust line breaks that split names, dates, or phone numbers.
11. Save your ASCII file. It is now ready to copy and paste it into the submit form.

How to Copy and Paste your resume

1. Minimize your web browser window by clicking the Minimize button in the upper right corner of your web browser window.

2. Open your Word Processor program (i.e. MS Word or Notepad) where you composed your resume and cover letter in.

3. Open your resume or cover letter.

4. Click on the Edit menu from the top of the word processor window and click on SELECT ALL.

5. The text of your resume should be highlighted.

6. Click on the EDIT menu again, and select COPY.

7. Minimize your Word Processor and bring up the web browser window again.

8. Click the right button of your mouse in the text box where you wish to paste your resume or cover letter.

9. Select PASTE from the menu that appears by your mouse.

10. Your resume or cover letter should now appear in the text box.