MS Word Resumes

As a technical writer you know the importance of document design. You have probably spent so much time designing your resume that you are sick of looking at it. However, all of your careful design can be rendered worthless if you fail to consider some basic compatibility issues.

Fonts

Your choice of fonts can lead to problems if the person who is reading your resume doesn't have the same fonts on their computer. Two ways to deal with this problem are:
  1. Use standard fonts such as Arial and Times.

  2. Embed the fonts in the document.
    (This option is available under the Save As dialogue.)
Unless you are looking for a marketing or desktop publishing job where you want to really make a statement, be conservative in your choice of fonts.

Printers

Printers settings can also cause problems--if you have your default printer set for your dot matrix and your prospective employer has a laser, your page layout will be ruined.

The best way to ensure the majority of reviewers see your resume the way you intend is to set your default printer to the HP LaserJet 4. Find someone who has one and print your resume out on it.

Version Conflicts

One of the biggest problems I have had is version conflicts. Word 6 will not open a Word 97 file--often even when it is supposedly saved as one. Most companies post which version they want--follow their guidelines.

Also be sure to open your resume in the different versions. It is better for you to be unpleasantly surprised then to give a reviewer a bad impression.

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© 1999, Paul Dunham