By Steven Ginsberg
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 24, 1998; Page F09

After weeks of angst it all seems worthwhile now. You hold in your hand your new, updated resume, complete with bullets and bold type. No recruiter could turn you down, you think.

But it's not the recruiter you need to worry about, it's the machine. That's because many organizations, including Fairfax County and the CIA, now use a computer system, rather than a human being, to do the first screening of applicants.

The system works like this: Fairfax County scans your resume into a computer. The computer then sorts through the data looking for keywords that the county has programmed to find the candidates with the qualifications they want. For example, the keywords for an administrative position might include "Wordperfect," "Lotus 1-2-3" and "typing score."

Next the machine ranks candidates' resumes according to the number of keyword matches. Thus, if 10 keywords are programmed and your resume includes five of them, you'll automatically be placed in the middle of the pack. Whether you know Lotus 1-2-3 is a side issue -- if you don't include that word in your resume you may never get the chance to tell anyone about it.

Ugh! And just when you thought you had this resume thing figured out.

So what can you do?

"You need to ask everywhere you apply if they're scanning," said Robbie Kaplan, career consultant at Vienna-based Kaplan and Associates. It's also useful to ask about the actual scanning machine because some computers require specific fonts while others can't process bold type, Kaplan said.

As for the keywords, applicants usually can get a good idea of what employers are looking for from reading job postings and talking with employers.

Along with scanning, electronic resumes and other changes have revolutionized resume writing. To tell you all about the changes, we got the scoop from local employers and resume experts.

Online Resumes

With their addiction to computers, recruiters in the high-technology industry increasingly request resumes online. In many cases, online resumes are put through a system in which keywords are more important than sentence structure.

"It's just garbage in, garbage out," said Ron Krannich, author of "High Impact Resumes and Letters" and co-owner of Development Concepts Inc., a career consulting firm in Manassas Park.

Therefore, electronic resumes should be crafted similar to scanned ones, with an emphasis on keywords, Krannich said. In the technology industry this means that you better include all the computer languages you know and any other technical skills that employers crave.

Another reason high-tech companies want electronic resumes is because they allow recruiters to start the application process immediately, Krannich said. That's why it's important to always have an updated resume on file. If you spot a job and then have to put together your resume, chances are you've already missed the boat.

Because the online format is different, the trick with electronic resumes is to convert the information from its traditional outline form to a paragraph-oriented.

First, de-justify the resume saved on your disk. Then, remove all bullets, bold type and other embellishments. Finally, copy it and paste it into e-mail, ensuring that it appears in a straightforward, readable manner.

As easy as it sounds, a lot of applicants sink their chances by not e-mailing properly. The guiding principle is to not use an attachment; there's no way to be certain that an employer's computer will be able to read it.

Then simply click on the send box and wait for the call.

Selling Yourself in Sales

"Sales resumes need to be accomplishment-achievement oriented," said Kaplan, who also is the author of "Sure-Hire Resumes." "Resumes have to showcase what you've accomplished and how you meet the job requirements in graphic detail." To do this, Kaplan added, there are five areas that sales workers should highlight:

Be descriptive about the size and scope of territory you covered.

Provide exact sales figures.

List all achievements and awards.

Detail what you did that hadn't been done before.

If favorable, compare your sales numbers to your predecessor's.

Employees should strongly state their achievements, Kaplan said, because sales workers need to show they can sell themselves, otherwise an employer will never think they can move a product.

Specifically, then, the resume should start with a one- or two-line "qualifications summary." Something to the effect of: natural sales ability with an aggressive and persistent approach to identifying and closing sales.

Next, jump right into experience. Below each job summary, Kaplan suggests detailing her five standards. And don't be shy about listing them all. The best way to fill up a sales resume is to include such accomplishments as 100 percent over quota, sales representative of the month or closed a contract worth $1 million.

If your awards are limited or if you don't have any from your most recent job, however, Kaplan recommends including them in their own section at the bottom of the page.

For Photographers, Accentuate the Positive

Photographers might not think so, but resumes are crucial for getting a job, employers say.

"Much more than expected, I get bad resumes," said James Oesch, owner of James Oesch Photography in Annandale. "Some aren't typewritten, they have grammar and spelling mistakes. One time someone just sent in a torn piece of paper."

What photographers need to remember, Oesch said, is that in addition to being creative artists, they need to be businessmen. "They have to have an appreciation that it's a business," he said. "They have to deal with clients and have an appreciation for how that works. I need to feel comfortable that the person can do that."

But it doesn't take much. A clear, well-written presentation is enough to show that you understand the need to be a professional and that you can communicate well, Oesch added. You don't even need an official resume as long as you have a well-worded cover letter that provides the pertinent information, he said.

The most important aspect to highlight is school and work experience. "I look for a pattern of photography," he said. "How long have they been doing it? Did they just graduate? I want to see if they have an ongoing interest."

It's good to include specific skills. Detail your experience with color, black and white, different lenses.

"If I get 30 to 50 resumes," Oesch said, "I'm not going to interview everyone. I'll interview between three to five people and the resume determines that cut."

If you have questions about getting ahead, you can e-mail Steven Ginsberg at ginsbergs@washpost.com