Introduction
When posting your resume online, it is most often required that you copy and paste an ASCII/Plain Text resume rather than the version you have created in Microsoft Word format (or any other popular word processing formats). This will ensure that what you post is what potential employers will see as, oftentimes, formatting conventions used in word processing programs are lost when posted online. In this handout, we will cover the steps involved in creating an ASCII resume, as well as copying and pasting an ASCII resume to a web form.
Instructions for creating an ASCII Resume
(These instructions are intended for Microsoft Word users)
Open your resume in Microsoft Word (Add your paragraph of additional keywords at the end of the resume).
Choose "File > Save As" and select the location where the file will be saved. Click on the "Save as Type" drop arrow when the box appears. Choose "Text" or "Plain Text" and click the "Save" button. Your file should now have an extension of ".txt" at the end of the file name.
A box will appear indicating some formatting will be lost. Click "Yes" to continue with Save.
Close out Microsoft Word.
Open your resume in Notepad by double clicking the icon or by going to "Start > All Programs > Accessories > Notepad" from the Desktop.
In order to clean up the appearance of your ASCII/plain text resume and add definition to your sections, go through the document and remove erroneous spaces/tabs; capitalize all Section Headers, Previous Places of Employment, and Job Titles; and place a blank line (hard return) after each bullet point.
In Notepad, Choose "Format" from the Toolbar. Make sure the option for "Word Wrap" is NOT checked.
Choose "File > Save"
Help! My Resume Became 3 Lines!
These instructions are designed to ensure proper formatting when copying and pasting a resume or sending it as an attachment: Although your resume may appear without line breaks when you open it as an attachment, this version will still be acceptable in the printed format and when read by a computer
While plain text resumes appear rough in terms of formatting, recruiters expect this and do not discriminate because of this.
What if I am asked to copy and paste my resume into the body of an email?
When copying and pasting your ASCII resume to the body of an email, you may be able to change fonts and add options, such as bolding from within your e-mail program. However, remember that all email programs are not alike.
To get an idea of how the resume will look once delivered; send a file to yourself and to a friend with a different email program. You can always go back and make necessary changes.
Why is the ASCII resume left UNWRAPPED?
The ASCII resume is left unwrapped because it will take on the parameters of whatever it is opened in. When you copy and paste an ASCII to a box at a website, the resume will take on the parameters set by the website.
If you would like to see what the resume will look like, you can open it in Word or check "Word Wrap" in Notepad to get a view with margins.
The theory behind this method of conversion is that the ASCII resume is the copy and paste resume, not intended for viewing and printing but to be used in the scanning process.
Under what circumstances might I want to ATTACH an ASCII Resume rather than attaching my Word resume?
If you think the recipient may have difficulty opening your Word document (or you don't have Microsoft Word).
If you know that your resume will be read by a computer rather than a person, you may prefer to submit your ASCII version with its additional keywords.
If in doubt, consider attaching both your Word and ASCII resumes.
Copying and Pasting an ASCII Resume from Notepad
Open your Resume in Notepad by double clicking the icon or by going to "Start > Programs > Accessories > Notepad" from the Desktop.
Choose "Edit > Select All" (CTRL-A) to highlight the entire text
Choose "Edit > Copy" (CTRL-C) to copy text to the windows clipboard
Minimize the Notepad window by clicking on the minus sign in the right corner.
Connect to the Internet and open the site where you plan to copy and paste your resume
Position the cursor at the top of the box where you plan to paste your resume.
Click "Edit > Paste" (CTRL-V).
For an example of what your ASCII resume should look like, see our sample on the following pages. Keep in mind that the ASCII resume will most frequently be used to copy and paste into a web box rather than printed out.
For more information on creating and posting resumes, as well as 100s of sample resumes, visit http://www.everymanunemployed.com/
EverymanUnemployed.com provides free resources and information for job seekers to help land their next job.
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