p any strange characters or formatting. It should be as plain as possible - no columns, no tables, everything left aligned.

Always experiment: after you create your plain text file, try opening it, emailing it as an attachment, copying & pasting it into an email (plain text and HTML) and sending it to different types of email accounts (for example, a Hotmail account and what's called a POP3 account). If you don't take these extra steps, you're not really sure what employers are seeing when you share your resume this way.

The final electronic format we'll touch on is PDF. Increasingly popular, PDF files have several advantages over native word processing files. The biggest advantage is that layout and fonts are much less likely to be an issue. Many employment web sites let you upload your resume in MS Word format & have it automatically converted to PDF. If you get your resu

There are many ways to deliver your resume to a potential employer. With each different media, there are things to be aware of, pitfalls to avoid, and often ways to improve the chances your resume will be favorably received. Let's start by considering word processor files.

Once upon a time - like, the early 90s - there were many word processors. So many that you generally couldn't share files with other users (which was OK, since hardly anyone had email with which to share them). Obviously, that has changed. Everybody has email, and documents are freely exchanged. But, what word processor format should you use?

Henry Ford once said that his customers could buy his cars in any color, "as long as it's black." The first rule of sharing your resume in its native word processor format is similar: any word processor format is fine, as long as it's MS Word. (If you use an alternative word processor, generally you can save it to MS Word format).

(Tip for advanced users: under Word's document properties, fill in the fields with your name, document title, description, etc. In the unlikely chance anyone ever looks there, they will be very impressed at your attention to detail!)

Next, when sharing Word files, be aware that bad things can happen to layout and fonts. The fun and artsy font you used in your resume (a bad idea for so many reasons) may be randomly substituted by anything (even "dingbats") on a recipient's PC. The intricate columns you used (even though "Resumes For Dummies" said not to) may get garbled simply because the recipient has a different printer driver installed. The bottom line is simple: stick to universal fonts (like times new roman or arial), simple layouts and good word processing habits (such as sticking with default margins).

Special tip for Mac users … be sensitive to the fact that most recipients use PCs. Strange things happen when Mac word processor files are opened on a PC. For example, apostrophes often turn into question marks or boxes. Do yourself a favor - find someone with a PC with MS Word. Send them your Mac word processor file. Make sure they can open it. Have them print it. Proof it carefully. If you see errors, you may need to find a PC you can use for resume updates and distribution.

The next rule for sharing word processor files: always keep your antivirus protection up to date. As you may be aware, there is a special type of computer virus that can infect Word files. If you send out and infected file, your email may get blocked, or worse yet you may infect recipients, such as the employers you are hoping will hire you. Ouch! One final point with respect to word processor files. Because file attachments can be so dangerous (viruses, etc.), a growing percentage of recipients are not able to receive any sort of file attachment - including your resume. Their IT department may block all attachments at the server. When this happens, you'll have to consider an alternative, like paper, or copying and pasting your resume into an email or web form.

So let's consider electronic alternatives to word processor files, starting with plain text. This includes saving your resume in text only format (also known as ASCII).

There are several ways to create plain text. You can save an MS Word file as plain text. This is easiest, but strange results can occur. You can also create your resume using Windows' Notepad program, which only uses the plain text format. The easiest option may be to create your resume in Word, save it as plain text, open it in Notepad and clean up any strange characters or formatting. It should be as plain as possible - no columns, no tables, everything left aligned.

Always experiment: after you create your plain text file, try opening it, emailing it as an attachment, copying & pasting it into an email (plain text and HTML) and sending it to different types of email accounts (for example, a Hotmail account and what's called a POP3 account). If you don't take these extra steps, you're not really sure what employers are seeing when you share your resume this way.

The final electronic format we'll touch on is PDF. Increasingly popular, PDF files have several advantages over native word processing files. The biggest advantage is that layout and fonts are much less likely to be an issue. Many employment web sites let you upload your resume in MS Word format & have it automatically converted to PDF. If you get your resum

ive word processor, generally you can save it to MS Word format).

(Tip for advanced users: under Word's document properties, fill in the fields with your name, document title, description, etc. In the unlikely chance anyone ever looks there, they will be very impressed at your attention to detail!)

Next, when sharing Word files, be aware that bad things can happen to layout and fonts. The fun and artsy font you used in your resume (a bad idea for so many reasons) may be randomly substituted by anything (even "dingbats") on a recipient's PC. The intricate columns you used (even though "Resumes For Dummies" said not to) may get garbled simply because the recipient has a different printer driver installed. The bottom line is simple: stick to universal fonts (like times new roman or arial), simple layouts and good word processing habits (such as sticking with default margins).

Special tip for Mac users … be sensitive to the fact that most recipients use PCs. Strange things happen when Mac word processor files are opened on a PC. For example, apostrophes often turn into question marks or boxes. Do yourself a favor - find someone with a PC with MS Word. Send them your Mac word processor file. Make sure they can open it. Have them print it. Proof it carefully. If you see errors, you may need to find a PC you can use for resume updates and distribution.

The next rule for sharing word processor files: always keep your antivirus protection up to date. As you may be aware, there is a special type of computer virus that can infect Word files. If you send out and infected file, your email may get blocked, or worse yet you may infect recipients, such as the employers you are hoping will hire you. Ouch! One final point with respect to word processor files. Because file attachments can be so dangerous (viruses, etc.), a growing percentage of recipients are not able to receive any sort of file attachment - including your resume. Their IT department may block all attachments at the server. When this happens, you'll have to consider an alternative, like paper, or copying and pasting your resume into an email or web form.

So let's consider electronic alternatives to word processor files, starting with plain text. This includes saving your resume in text only format (also known as ASCII).

There are several ways to create plain text. You can save an MS Word file as plain text. This is easiest, but strange results can occur. You can also create your resume using Windows' Notepad program, which only uses the plain text format. The easiest option may be to create your resume in Word, save it as plain text, open it in Notepad and clean up any strange characters or formatting. It should be as plain as possible - no columns, no tables, everything left aligned.

Always experiment: after you create your plain text file, try opening it, emailing it as an attachment, copying & pasting it into an email (plain text and HTML) and sending it to different types of email accounts (for example, a Hotmail account and what's called a POP3 account). If you don't take these extra steps, you're not really sure what employers are seeing when you share your resume this way.

The final electronic format we'll touch on is PDF. Increasingly popular, PDF files have several advantages over native word processing files. The biggest advantage is that layout and fonts are much less likely to be an issue. Many employment web sites let you upload your resume in MS Word format & have it automatically converted to PDF. If you get your resu

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Special tip for Mac users … be sensitive to the fact that most recipients use PCs. Strange things happen when Mac word processor files are opened on a PC. For example, apostrophes often turn into question marks or boxes. Do yourself a favor - find someone with a PC with MS Word. Send them your Mac word processor file. Make sure they can open it. Have them print it. Proof it carefully. If you see errors, you may need to find a PC you can use for resume updates and distribution.

The next rule for sharing word processor files: always keep your antivirus protection up to date. As you may be aware, there is a special type of computer virus that can infect Word files. If you send out and infected file, your email may get blocked, or worse yet you may infect recipients, such as the employers you are hoping will hire you. Ouch! One final point with respect to word processor files. Because file attachments can be so dangerous (viruses, etc.), a growing percentage of recipients are not able to receive any sort of file attachment - including your resume. Their IT department may block all attachments at the server. When this happens, you'll have to consider an alternative, like paper, or copying and pasting your resume into an email or web form.

So let's consider electronic alternatives to word processor files, starting with plain text. This includes saving your resume in text only format (also known as ASCII).

There are several ways to create plain text. You can save an MS Word file as plain text. This is easiest, but strange results can occur. You can also create your resume using Windows' Notepad program, which only uses the plain text format. The easiest option may be to create your resume in Word, save it as plain text, open it in Notepad and clean up any strange characters or formatting. It should be as plain as possible - no columns, no tables, everything left aligned.

Always experiment: after you create your plain text file, try opening it, emailing it as an attachment, copying & pasting it into an email (plain text and HTML) and sending it to different types of email accounts (for example, a Hotmail account and what's called a POP3 account). If you don't take these extra steps, you're not really sure what employers are seeing when you share your resume this way.

The final electronic format we'll touch on is PDF. Increasingly popular, PDF files have several advantages over native word processing files. The biggest advantage is that layout and fonts are much less likely to be an issue. Many employment web sites let you upload your resume in MS Word format & have it automatically converted to PDF. If you get your resu

Because file attachments can be so dangerous (viruses, etc.), a growing percentage of recipients are not able to receive any sort of file attachment - including your resume. Their IT department may block all attachments at the server. When this happens, you'll have to consider an alternative, like paper, or copying and pasting your resume into an email or web form.

So let's consider electronic alternatives to word processor files, starting with plain text. This includes saving your resume in text only format (also known as ASCII).

There are several ways to create plain text. You can save an MS Word file as plain text. This is easiest, but strange results can occur. You can also create your resume using Windows' Notepad program, which only uses the plain text format. The easiest option may be to create your resume in Word, save it as plain text, open it in Notepad and clean up any strange characters or formatting. It should be as plain as possible - no columns, no tables, everything left aligned.

Always experiment: after you create your plain text file, try opening it, emailing it as an attachment, copying & pasting it into an email (plain text and HTML) and sending it to different types of email accounts (for example, a Hotmail account and what's called a POP3 account). If you don't take these extra steps, you're not really sure what employers are seeing when you share your resume this way.

The final electronic format we'll touch on is PDF. Increasingly popular, PDF files have several advantages over native word processing files. The biggest advantage is that layout and fonts are much less likely to be an issue. Many employment web sites let you upload your resume in MS Word format & have it automatically converted to PDF. If you get your resu

p any strange characters or formatting. It should be as plain as possible - no columns, no tables, everything left aligned.

Always experiment: after you create your plain text file, try opening it, emailing it as an attachment, copying & pasting it into an email (plain text and HTML) and sending it to different types of email accounts (for example, a Hotmail account and what's called a POP3 account). If you don't take these extra steps, you're not really sure what employers are seeing when you share your resume this way.

The final electronic format we'll touch on is PDF. Increasingly popular, PDF files have several advantages over native word processing files. The biggest advantage is that layout and fonts are much less likely to be an issue. Many employment web sites let you upload your resume in MS Word format & have it automatically converted to PDF. If you get your resume converted to PDF, take a few minutes to review it and ensure that the converted file looks right.

Finally, let's look at paper, the most traditional resume media. First, let's consider faxing. Unless you have to (i.e., the job posting specifically requests application by fax), avoid faxing. Faxes tend to all look alike, and they don't tend to look very good. They convey a "low-tech" message. Also, they often don't get where they are supposed to - they may sit on a neglected fax machine collecting dust along with "Fly to Hawaii for $99" flyers.

While faxing may be old school, paper isn't. There's something about a good resume, printed on high quality bond, that can't be surpassed. In fact, here's a tip for opportunities that really matter. Although postings on employment web sites usually specify applying online, following are two ways you can leverage the paper format as well. In both cases, start with a high-quality bond that is slightly off-white: grey or ivory are ideal. (Here's why: if it ends up in a stack of resumes the employer received online & printed out, yours will stand out from the generic photocopy paper all the other resumes are printed on.)

The first suggestion about paper copies is to always show up at any interview with several copies on the high-quality paper. Start any interview by giving everyone you're talking to a copy.

The second suggestion is to stop by the employer's office (risky, if they specify that you apply online, but this can really pay off) after applying online. Ask the receptionist to see the person hiring for the position. If you are lucky enough to get face time, hand them the resume, and provide some reason for stopping by ("I just updated this and I wanted you to have the latest copy.") Be prepared to just leave your resume with the receptionist if you're not able to see anyone. Alternately, if the person is hiring and has time, it may turn into a spontaneous interview - be prepared for anything!

As any employer can tell you, they receive a lot of resumes that are unusable or make a bad impression - incomplete faxes, garbled plain text, Word files that won't print out because the margins have been set wrong. These candidates are out of the running right away. Don't be one of them!