How Employers Can Combat COVID-19 Communication Fatigue

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HR.com AUGUST 2020 24 Submit Your Articles
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought
unprecedented change to organizations
– including both the move to a remote workforce
for many companies, as well as an overnight digital
transformation. While this has certainly made for
key struggles across the economy, there are also
pleasant surprises; some businesses are finding that
with good working habits, remote employees are
actually more productive in this digital landscape
than they were pre-pandemic.
Many businesses and employees are adapting faster
than they ever thought possible – I was speaking
to a CHRO recently, who said he never thought his
company would support a work-from-home policy,
but due to the pandemic they implemented it in
just 48 hours. Now, he’s saying it’ll likely stick in
some form.
One of the core components of this new digital
workplace is internal communications. This remote
environment has pushed enterprises to quickly
implement several communications-related
improvements, including:
● More transparency from leaders. Many executive
and c-suite leaders now address their employees
regularly, such as in weekly updates.

Businesses and employees are adapting to
change faster than they ever thought possible
How Employers Can
Combat COVID-19
Communication Fatigue
By Keith Kitani
● New ways to digitally connect. Employees are
making more use of social channels like Slack
or Microsoft Teams to communicate on a
peer-to-peer level, creating what is essentially a
virtual watercooler.
● Shorter, more frequent meetings. At Microsoft,
they’ve found an increase in overall number
of meetings, but a decrease in length of those
meetings – a more productive approach to
meetings that will likely stick around for the
longer term.
● Faster communications and updates. Especially in
times of crisis, the ability to keep your workforce
up to date on global news as well as company
changes has never been more valuable.
However, as part of this change and evolution,
it’s clear that use of digital communications is
increasing exponentially. According to an infobrief
released by IDC prior to the pandemic, employees
at U.S. companies were receiving 576 billion emails
per year, and it has only become worse in this new
era. Microsoft has found a significant rise in instant
messaging use during the pandemic, with 110%

more messages sent from managers, and 50% more
messages sent from employees. This increase, along
with the use of online collaboration tools spiking as
much as 943% in recent months, it’s safe to say this
trend isn’t going away.
https://web.hr.com/7hcy
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15259-working-from-home-
more-productive.html
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15259-working-from-home-
more-productive.html
https://hbr.org/2020/07/microsoft-analyzed-data-on-its-newly-
remote-workforce
remote-workforce
remote-workforce
remote-workforce
http://guidespark.com/idc-
infobrief/?utm_campaign=pr&utm_medium=article&utm_source
=HRcom202008
=HRcom202008
remote-workforce
remote-workforce
https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Blog/As-Work-From-Home-
Numbers-Rise-Due-to-the-Coronavirus-Pandemic-
Collaboration-Tools-See-Spikes-in-Usage
https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Blog/As-Work-From-Home-
Numbers-Rise-Due-to-the-Coronavirus-Pandemic-
Collaboration-Tools-See-Spikes-in-Usage

It’s easy to understand, then, that employees are
feeling the effects of this extreme increase in
communications. “Zoom fatigue,” is one example,
becoming a common term after the platform saw an
increase of up to 200 million users daily in March.
While these new and existing communication tools
have certainly helped organizations in their efforts to
connect and drive productivity within a newly remote
workforce, communication fatigue has emerged as a
new obstacle.
However, even in such a noisy, overloaded
environment, we still need to manage the growing list
of priorities businesses are facing today: Handling
the effects of COVID-19 on our organizations,
aligning employees with evolving business
strategies, and continuing to maintain company
culture. On top of this, our core HR programs
must still go on – onboarding, Open Enrollment,
wellness programs, performance managemen t, total
rewards, compensation, HRIS implementations, and
more. In the middle of all of this complexity, one
thing is a clear common denominator – effective
communication experiences will be critical to the
success of any initiative.
Without successful communications, we won’t be
able to drive the business outcomes we need, which
are only achievable through employee buy-in. So, how
can we combat communication fatigue and ensure
our messages get through and drive these important
programs? As it remains unlikely that we can reduce

the number of vital programs, we’ll need to make
our communications more strategic and effective.
Here are two key approaches to reducing employee
communication fatigue:
Create targeted, relevant communications
Most communications today focus on simply hitting
“send” – delivering information, but not necessarily
focused on getting through to the intended audience.
The result is many one-size-fits-all communications
that flood employees with so much non-relevant
information that they start to disengage. Prior to
the pandemic, IDC reported that 34 billion email
messages were going straight to trash annually –
and it’s likely only gotten worse. And, if there’s a lack
How Employers Can Combat COVID-19 Communication
Fatigue
of engagement with the first message, another will
inevitably be sent, creating a terrible cycle of more
and more messages.
To combat this, it’s crucial to adopt a strategy that
acknowledges the diverse employee population
you’re engaging with. This means, essentially,
that different groups will require different targeted
approaches for your message to feel make it relevant
and engaging. Here are a few ways to achieve this:
● Personalize your message – Use tone, style, and
even employee names and data to make your
communications tailored to the employee, making
it much more likely that they’ll absorb and engage
with what you’re saying.

● Target your communications – Align your
messaging with the groups of employees who
most need the information. Think about your
communications from a location-specific,
team-specific, or department-specific point of
view, and strategize accordingly.
● Meet employees where they are – The best
way to reach an audience is through a channel
they already use, especially when the message
is time-sensitive. Gartner recently found that
more and more people prefer texting for urgent
communications – including in the workplace –
with text open rates reaching 98%, versus an open
rate of 20% with emails.
● Measure your results – Your employees are the
best source of information as to what is and isn’t
working with your communications. Use data to
understand both engagement and sentiment so
that you can sharpen and iterate your strategy as
you go.
https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-
diseases/coronavirus/zoom-fatigue
https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-
diseases/coronavirus/zoom-fatigue
infobrief/?utm_campaign=pr&utm_medi um=article&utm_source
=HRcom202008
=HRcom202008
https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/insights/articles/tap-
into-the-marketing-power-of-sms

https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/insights/articles/tap-
into-the-marketing-power-of-sms
More engaging, consumer-like
experiences
With this sudden lack of work-life balance, employers
are competing for attention not just with other
workplace communications, but with Instagram,
Facebook, and other social platforms. In other words,
employees live in an environment where content
is always readily available. To keep up, workplace
communications need to employ a consumer-grade
perspective to increase engagement, ultimately
helping your audience to internalize key ideas and
drive the outcomes you’re looking for. Follow these
strategies for your communication experience:
● Organize your message into short, clear ideas –
Your communication experience should be easily
digestible; your employees are likely not interested
in watching a “kitchen sink” video or reading a
paragraphs-long email.
● Put the focus on your audience – Design
communication journeys and experiences
with your employees’ point of view in mind. By
understanding what’s most important to them,
you’re more likely to capture their attention.
● Structure a multimedia campaign – Structure
your communication experience to carry your
messaging over a strategic period of time,

using different elements and media (e.g. videos,
infographics, interactive storytelling) to truly
engage your viewers.
As companies continue to deal with the complexities
of COVID-19, and figure out how to operate in this
new era, communication becomes truly imperative
to keep the workforce aligned and productive. An
effective communication experience will serve
to strengthen the impact of any initiative or core
program you need to implement, opening the door
for the employee buy-in you need to drive your most
crucial programs toward success – all while helping
to reduce the communication fatigue that you and
your employees are experiencing more and more
each day.
How Employers Can Combat COVID-19 Communication
Fatigue
Keith Kitani is CEO and Co-Founder of
GuideSpark. He brings over 20 years of
digital communications and eLearning
expertise to creating, building and
leading GuideSpark as it transforms
workplace communications.
Would you like to comment?
https://web.hr.com/f75t
http://www.guidespark.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithkitani/

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Assignment Instructions
Module 8 Assignment
Part 1: Research a minimum of four articles regarding group
norms and conformity. Explain how both conformers and non-
conformers influence the group. Explain the consequences of
not having either type of group member in any given group.
Part 2: Identify and explain two ways that human resources
professionals can support managers. Identify and explain two
ways that controllers can support managers. Why is it important
for managers to work collaboratively with controllers, human
resource professionals and other internal stakeholders and
leaders within the company?
Length/Formatting Instructions
Length
4 Pages
Font
12 point, Calibri Font, no more than 1" margins
Program/File Type
Submit in Word or PDF
Attachments
Should be pasted into the Word document if possible.
Referencing system
APA referencing system is necessary in assignments, especially
material copied from the Internet.
For examples of correct citations, visit the following links:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

File Name
Module 8 Assignment Grading Rubric
Your work will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Category
Exemplary
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory
Unacceptable
Four Articles/Group Norms
20 points
Student provides a clear, logical example of at least 4 articles
regarding group norms and conformity.
16 points
Student provides a mostly clear, logical example of at least 3
articles regarding group norms and conformity.
10 points
Student provides a partially clear, logical example of at least 2
articles regarding group norms and conformity.
4 points
Student provides a weak or unclear example of at least 1 article
regarding group norms and conformity.
Conformers and Nonconformers
20 points
Student provides a clear, logical description of how conformers
and nonconformers impact groups.
16 points
Student provides a mostly clear, logical description of how
conformers and nonconformers impact groups.
10 points
Student provides a partially clear, logical description of how
4 points
Student provides a partially clear, logical description of how

Human Resources Support
20 points
Student provides a clear, logical description of two ways that
human resources supports managers.
16 points
Student provides a mostly clear, logical description of two ways
that human resources supports managers.
10 points
Student provides a partially clear, logical description of one -
two ways that human resources supports managers.
4 points
Student provides a partially clear, logical description of one-
two ways that human resources supports managers.
Controller Support
20 points
Student provides a clear, logical description of two ways that a
controller supports managers.
16 points
Student provides a mostly clear, logical description of two ways
that a controller supports managers.
10 points
two ways that a controller supports managers.
4 points
two ways that a controller supports managers.
Mechanics -Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling
10 points
Student makes no errors in grammar or spelling that distract the
reader from the content.
8 points
Student makes 1-2 errors in grammar or spelling that distract
the reader from the content.
5 points
Student makes 3-4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract

the reader from the content.
2 points
Student makes more than 4 errors in grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the content.
Format - APA Format, Citations, Organization, Transitions
10 points
The paper is written in proper format. All sources used for
quotes and facts are credible and cited correctly. Excellent
organization, including a variety of thoughtful transitions.
8 points
The paper is written in proper format with only 1-2 errors. All
sources used for quotes and facts are credible and most are cited
correctly. Adequate organization includes a variety of
appropriate transitions.
5 points
The paper is written in proper format with only 3-5 errors. Most
sources used for quotes and facts are credible and cited
correctly. Essay is poorly organized, but may include a few
effective transitions.
2 points
The paper is not written in proper format. Many sources used
for quotes and facts are less than credible (suspect) and/or are
not cited correctly. Essay is disorganized and does not include
effective transitions.
MANAGING YOURSELF
How to Build Rapport …
While Wearing a Mask
by Dustin York
SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

SKY-BLUE IMAGES/STOCKSY
Nonverbal communication in the workplace is extremely
important. Whether you’re trying to sell a
car, pitch a project to your boss, or nail a job interview, what
you convey beyond words can
determine the difference between success and failure. This
makes communication in the age of
Covid-19 more challenging for the obvious reason that masks, a
necessary component of fighting the
pandemic, hide the parts of our faces that display facial
expressions — particularly those micro
expressions that we use without thinking to convey as well as
perceive sincerity, trustworthiness, and
good intentions.
2COPYRIGHT © 2020 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
PUBLISHING CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
https://thehill.com/changing-america/opinion/502144-how-
covid-19-is-changing-the-way-we-communicate
https://thehill.com/changing-america/opinion/502144-how-
covid-19-is-changing-the-way-we-communicate
In situations where there’s an incongruity between what’s
spoken verbally and what’s displayed
nonverbally, people instinctively lend greater weight to the
latter. Unfortunately, if your expressions
are concealed by a mask, that can happen more often. A case in
point is a 2013 study which found that
when doctors wore face masks during consultations, patients
had more negative perceptions of
them.
Of course, from a public health perspective, wearing masks is a

must in the midst of this pandemic,
and we mustn’t stop doing so just because they present certain
challenges. Here, then, are some tips
for how to communicate effectively and build rapport while still
doing your part to keep everyone
safe.
Avoid Clear Masks Unless Necessary
Clear masks may seem like a good solution, but some people
find them unsettling, and they also tend
to fog up. A situation when it may still be worth using clear
masks is when the person you’re speaking
to is deaf or when you’re addressing an audience that may
include deaf individuals. Otherwise, it’s
usually best to stick with regular, non-clear masks and
compensate for the covering up of your micro
expressions by using the other suggestions provided here.
Practice Your “Mask Voice”
The quality of your voice makes a big difference in how people
respond emotionally to what you say,
and this is true in both personal and professional interactions.
Even if we say the exact same things
but in different tones, people will respond differently. When we
wear masks, our voices must play an
even bigger role than usual. Fortunately, there are research-
backed ways to make them more
effective. I call it using our “mask voice,” and I use the
acronym PAVE to help people remember four
key elements: pause, accentuate, volume, and emotion.
• Pause: Normally, visual cues of the mouth help us to see when
a speaker is pausing for a response.
Since we can’t see that now, make a conscious effort to

noticeably pause here and there to give
people opportunities to jump in or respond. This also breaks up
your message into digestible
chunks.
• Accentuate: Avoid monotony by accentuating key phrases and
information, but don’t always
accentuate in the same way. Use different intonation.
• Volume: Masks have a slight muffling effect so speak up (but
don’t shout, obviously).
• Emotion: In appropriate moments, try to make your voice
more expressive by conveying positive
emotions like excitement, awe, gratitude, and sympathy. Do this
in moderation since you don’t
want to come across as if you’re performing Shakespeare.
Practice Active Listening
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.242001030
7
https://bmcfampract.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-
2296-14-200
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52764355
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52764355
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10919-007-0038-2
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-57532-001
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-57532-001
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563
216304873

Now that you’ve adjusted your voice, you can also adjust the
actual words you use. This starts with
active listening. When your conversation partner is speaking,
show interest by periodically nodding
and making sounds of understanding like “Mm hmm.” If the
speaker pauses but isn’t finished
talking, you can again affirm understanding or interest with
phrases like “I’m listening” or “And then
what happened?” If the speaker expresses emotions, especially
negative ones (e.g. frustration or
disappointment), paraphrasing can be a powerful way to affirm
their feelings. You can start with a
phrase like “So do you mean…” or “What I hear you saying
is…” and then say what you think they’re
feeling with your own words instead of just parroting what they
said. This kind of active listening and
paraphrasing helps build rapport and increases your perceived
likeability.
Use Gestures and Body Language
Let’s move on to body language. Try to make full use of
gestures while speaking to convey meaning
and emotion—a little more than usual wouldn’t hurt. Obviously,
you don’t want to overdo it to the
point where it distracts your audience or you look like a mime.
A good rule of thumb would be to
increase the level of your gesturing by about 10%.
Since we can’t shake hands, one gesture you should use often to
build rapport is waving your hand
when greeting people. The ritual of handshaking goes back
centuries and served important
psychological functions, for example, showing that you weren’t
carrying any weapons and could
therefore be trusted. While the reason for handshaking has

evolved, the importance of it has not. A
friendly, animated wave can go a long way towards conveying
that same sense of goodwill.
Mirror Your Counterpart
Mirroring is a non-verbal behavior that involves imitating the
body language of a person or group of
people with whom you are interacting. A lot of mirroring
happens naturally and unconsciously.
Studies have shown that it helps build rapport between
individuals, and the practice of doing it
intentionally has become more popular for this reason. As with
gesturing, however, you don’t want
to overdo it to the point where it becomes noticeable or
unnatural. In this case, less is more.
Keep the Two T’s Aligned
The “Two T’s” stands for the “toes and torso.” During
interactions, your feet have a natural tendency
to reveal what’s really going on in your mind. So if you’re in a
meeting but are hungry, your toes
might start pointing in the direction of the door. This can be
subconsciously interpreted as a lack of
interest so keep your toes and torso aligned and facing the
person or people with whom you’re
interacting. Side note: if you notice the other person’s toes
facing away from you, you definitely
don’t want to mirror them.
Smile with Your Eyes

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10904010903466
311
https://hbr.org/2019/05/when-you-pitch-an-idea-gestures-
matter-more-than-words
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-dark-side-of-mirroring-
tactics-1476219571
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spycatcher/200911/w
hat-the-feet-and-legs-say-about-us
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spycatcher/200911/w
hat-the-feet-and-legs-say-about-us
Smiling is an extremely important form of nonverbal
communication in business as well as in
socializing. Research shows that smiles with eyes that look
angry, fearful, sad, or neutral are
perceived as not happy and, therefore, not indicative of the
friendliness we associate with happy
smiles. When we’re wearing masks it is therefore even more
important to “smile with your eyes” —
or “smize” as model Tyra Banks calls it — if you want to create
positive feelings.
Simply put, when you smile there’s a wrinkling that occurs at
the outer edges of your eyes. This
happens more naturally and noticeably for some people than
others, so I recommend intentionally
wrinkling your eyes when you’re wearing your mask, even if it
feels awkward at first. To get it right,
practice in front of a mirror with your mask on. As long as
you’re actually smiling with your mouth
when you do this, it should look natural.
Know When to Zoom
Generally speaking, in-person communication is preferable to

video conference – even when you
have to wear masks during the former and you don’t during the
latter. With offices open or opening
around the world, you’ll have to make more choices going
forward. And there may still be situations
in which Zoom or other tools make more sense, such as if
you’re part of a high-risk group or living
with someone who is, or if slides and graphics play a big role in
your presentation.
Masks are here to stay for the foreseeable future. But the time
and effort you put into internalizing
these tips won’t just pay off during the pandemic. They’ll
continue to help you communicate more
effectively when we’re all able to show our full faces again.
Dustin York is an associate professor and the director of
undergraduate and graduate communications at Maryville
University.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001691
817305450
https://www.wsj.com/articles/smize-mask-coronavirus-
pandemic-covid-tyra-banks-reopen-restaurants-11598463705
https://online.maryville.edu/business-degrees
https://online.maryville.edu/business-degrees
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719
(Reserarch Feature aimed at developing new-economy skills in
higher education))
Job Interview Skills and Techniques
- A Practice set in Communication
Riya Rupani
Introduction
An interview is a verbal and visual interaction between two or
more
individuals. An interview is to view the internal skills of a
candidate & to
match candidates with jobs. The objective of this paper is to
emphasize on
the interview skills and techniques to be acquainted by the
candidate hunting
for jobs both in private and public organizations. This paper has
been

bifurecated into four parts before the interview, interview day,
during the
interview and after the interview. It also includes some
commonly asked
questions along with suggestions for giving the appropriate
response. Two
model interviews are also given in this paper. The author
concludes by stating
that these skills and techniques cannot be mastered overnight
but can be
developed with sheer hard work and conviction. Today’s
corporate scenario
is characterized by high paced life, cut throat competition and
skyrocketing
aspirations. The formula for success goes beyond technical and
domain
expertise . There is a sheer necessity for personal effectiveness
that stems
from effective communication.
SENSE - AND - RESPOND
Dale Carnegie, in his famous bestseller, How to Win Friends
and Influence

People, writes that most successes in life are achieved by men
who
possessed, in addition to their knowledge, the ability to talk
with people
according to their way of talking and sell themselves and their
ideas. This is
very apt for the interview, candidates have to sell their ideas,
sell their skills
& talents to prospective employer. Interview is more a test of a
candidate’s
personality rather than an examination of his personal
achievements & level
of his general education. It is also a chance to candidate to find
out if the job
is right for him or not. One of the key parameter for success in
an interview
is methodical preparation. By and large interview process can
be segregated
in to four levels.
Before the interview : • Interview day • During the interview •
After the
interview. Here is the quick check list of some do’s and don’ts
at every level
or stage.

Before the interview : Know the company : • Collect the details
from
company website. • Study annual report. • Get details of main
production/services. • Get details of any new product/service
launched. •
Study organizational structure of the company.
Dress outlook (DRESS TO IMPRESS!!) : • It should be formal
• It should
be ironed • It should be clean • It should be comfortable •
Simple
accessories • Strong perfumes should be avoided.
Hair style : • Hair should be neatly combed. • If one wears
turban it should
be clean and properly tied preferably should match with the
color of shirt.
Foot wear : • Shoes should be polished • Avoid new footwear •
Be
comfortable in your footwear.
Maintain folder : • Carry original testimonial • Take 2-3 copies
of resume
• One set of photocopied testimonial • Inculcate habit of reading
newspaper.
Interview day : • Read the newspaper or see the latest news
bulletins. •
Reach the venue at least half an hour before. • Avoid heavy
meal. • Talk to
the fellow candidates. • Be positive, don’t live in the past.
During the interview : • Go with confident walk. • Smile on the
face.
• Ask permission before you go. • Greet the Board, if female
member is
there in the panel, greet her separately • Do not sit down on
your own

Journal of Commerce and Management Thought IV - 3720
• Do not start on your own. • Keep your gestures under control
• Try
to avoid monosyllable answers. • Be a good listener. • Be
relaxed. •
Maintain eye contact but don’t gaze chairman or any particular
member of
the panel all the time. • Voice should be moderate. • Do not
accept
tea/coffee if offered • Do not shake hands. • Do not interrupt
interviewer.
• Do not enter into any arguments. • Do not bluff.
After the interview : •Keep sitting, get up only when any board
member
asks you to do so • Thank the board. • Put the chair in proper
place with
grace and confidence. • Firm handshake, only if it is offered •
Do not turn
back to look at the member • Do not forget to close the door
after you. •
If not called by the company calls up the company and collect
feedback.
Through an interview the Selection Committee gets an
opportunity to
analyze a candidate personality as well as intelligence. It is
done through
exposing some questions to candidate of a general nature as
well as those

pertinent to his area of specialization. Some frequently asked
general
questions and expected questions can be prepared beforehand by
the
candidate. Here are some frequently asked questions along with
suggestions
for giving the appropriate response.
Question 1. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
• Tell your academic records. • Your qualification. • Your
skills etc.
•Talk about things you have done. • Talk about jobs you have
held
Question 2.WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR PREVIOUS JOB?
• Better job prospects. • Better monetary returns.
Question 3.WHAT APPEALS TO YOU ABOUT THIS JOB?
• To achieve through heights. • To learn, work hard & quench of
thirst
of knowledge.
Questions 4.WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
Highlight following : • Your positive attitude. • Strength of
your subject
knowledge. • Your ability of work under pressure. • Your
Professional
expertise. • Your leadership skills. • Your Problem solving

skills. •
Your ability to focus on projects.
721Job Interview Skills and Techniques...
Questions 5.WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSESS?
• Tell your weakness as your strength.
Example:
1. I am work alcoholic so I expect the same from my team
members.
2. I am committed to assigned work, which I expect from my
co-workers.
This leads to affect the interpersonal relationship. But the
outcome of
the work is satisfied.
Question 6.WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS COMPANY?
• Collect the information from the sources like website, annual
report,
publication, etc.
Question 7.WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE JOB, IF IT WERE
OFFERED
TO YOU?
• Yes, certainly, I will accept this job.

Question 8.DON’T YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE
INEXPERIENCED
FOR THIS JOB?
• Admit that you are inexperience, but explain your strength.
Question 9.WHAT SALARY DO YOU EXPECT?
• Be acquainted with the company’s salary structure.
• Suggest a little higher salary to your achievements/experience
to justify
Question 10. WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?
• Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs.
• Do not mention any other candidate to make a comparison.
Question 11. ARE YOU WILLING TO PUT THE INTERESTS
OF THE
ORGANIZATION AHEAD OF YOUR OWN?
• Always say ‘YES’
Question 12. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR
MISTAKES?
• Be sure to give examples that turn a negative (a mistake) into
a positive.
Examples:
1. I think one of the most important things I've learned is
persistence. Not
to give up too soon, because the solution is probably right in
front of me.

2. I have learned to give every person a second chance, because
first
impressions can often be misleading.
3. I used to think that there was one best solution to a problem,
but I've
learned that that kind of thinking limits the possibility of great
success.
Question 13. WHAT PROBLEMS HAVE YOU
ENCOUNTERED AT
WORK AND HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THEM?
• Be sure to include a positive outcome to the problems you
refer in your
reply.
Examples:
1. I feel that the best way to deal with any challenges is to meet
them head
on. When I found that one of my colleagues was saying things
that
weren't true behind my back, I went to him and talked it
through. It
turned out that he had misunderstood what I had said and I was
able to

set the record straight with him Once I found a major flaw in
the work
of one of the most senior members of the department, which
could have
been very costly to the company if it had been overlooked. I
went
directly to him and called it to his attention so he could fix it
before it
affected the final outcome.
Question 14. ARE YOU APPLYING FOR OTHER JOBS?
• Be genuine • Answer it short and straight and then focus on
this job
application and what contribution you can make for this firm.
§ Anything other than this can be a distraction.
Question 15. ARE YOU A TEAM PLAYER?
• Always say “Yes, I am a team player.” • Elaborate the
answer with
some examples. • Do not drag the answer; just make it short
and sweet.
Question 16. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO DO YOUR BEST
ON THE
JOB?
• This is purely a personal attribute that only you would know
• Some good examples include – Recognition, Achievement,

Challenge
and so on.
Question 17. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
• It is always good to have some questions ready with you.
• Questions that are related to your association with the
organization will
be good.
Examples:
1. What sort of assignments will I be handling to assist on?
2. How soon can I be ready to be productive?
A careful study of the model interviews given here, coupled
with some
more effort on the part of the candidate, can be taken almost as
a guarantee
of success. The questions and answers given here are based on
the feedback
received from the candidates who have appeared for the
interviews.
Psychotherapist once asked a world-class marksman about
qualities that

make for success. He repiled“The secret is mental conditioning,
every day I
played a movie in my head in which I see myself shooting a
perfect score.”
These model interview are meant for mental conditioning.
MODEL INTERVEIW-I
(Mr. Sunil Karekar is a candidate for the recruitment of bank
probationary officer. He is soberly dressed, has a pleasant
personality and
becomes friends with the other candidates waiting for the
interview.)
Candidate : (Enter the hall and say with a pleasant smile) Good
morning to
you, sir.
Chairman : Good morning, Mr .Karekar. Please take your seat
and be
comfortable.
Candidate : Thank you very much, sir. (On not finding any chair
nearby, he
politely asks) May I take the chair lying in that corner?
Chairman : (Look at the candidate and say)Yes you may do so,
Mr Karekar.
Candidate : (Brings the chair close to the chairman’s table and
sit down
comfortably). Thank you.sir
Chairman : So, Mr Karekar .I see from your bio-data that you
passed your

BA and appeared for MA final in economics. Why did you opt
for
economics?
Candidate : Check Sir, I think for a career for banking,
economics is more
useful than English literature or political science which was the
other two
subjects I could have opted for in my MA. Banking itself is an
economic
activity and knowledge of economics would help me perform
my duties well.
Member : Mr. Karekar, we agree with you as far as your choice
of economics
is concerned for your MA. But the term economy is derived
from the Greek
word oikumene, meaning household. How does it help in
banking
Profession?
Candidate : Sir, every housewife performs an economic activity
when she

decides how to spend her limited resources and budget the
expenses of the
family. Money and Banking is important and inter-related parts
of any
economic activity. Economic as a science is concerned with
increasing
production and wealth to satisfy human wants. Wealth takes the
shape of
money and then banking comes into picture. Hence, banking and
economics
are closely related.
Chairman : Can you tell us when a regular central banking
system was
instituted in India?
Candidate : Sir, with the promulgation of Reserve Bank of India
act 1934, a
central banking System was launched in our country.
Member : When did the Reserve Bank of India come in to
being?
Candidate : The Reserve Bank of India was officially
inaugurated on 1April,
1935.
Member : Could you briefly explain the role of Reserve Bank of

India in the
country?
Candidate : Sir, Reserve Bank of India plays a dual role in the
country’s
economy, that is, Promotional and regulatory. In promotional
capacity it
helps the government in its developmental projects by raising
loans and in the
regulatory role; it looks after the monetary policy of
government of India.
Member : What about issuing of bank notes?
Candidate : Sir, issuing of bank notes comes under the
regulatory function
of the Reserve Bank of India. All bank notes above one rupee
denomination
are issued by this bank.
Chairman : Some of our banks were nationalized when Mrs.
Indira Gandhi
was our prime Minister. How many times the nationalization of
bank has

taken place and in which year did the first nationalization take
place?
Candidate : Sir, so far bank have been nationalized twice. The
first was in
the year 1969
Chairman : How many banks were nationalized in 1969 and
when did the
second nationalization takes place?
Candidate : Sir, with the first nationalization in 1969, 14
leading banks were
nationalized And the second nationalization took place in 1980.
Member : So how many banks are nationalized now?
Candidate : At present, there are 20 nationalized banks in India.
Chairman : Mr. Karekar, you must have heard the name of the
Imperial
Bank of India. What has happen to this bank?
Candidate : Sir, the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India
in 1934
necessitated a change in the status of Imperial Bank .Now the
state bank of
India is the Successor of the Imperial bank of India
Member : Have you heard the term “lead bank”? What does this

term refers
to?
Candidate : The lead bank system was introduced in 1969. It
was based on
the concept of “Area banking”. Each lead bank is allotted a
district(s). The
lead bank has to Study the condition in the area allotted to it
and prepares a
development plan which includes credit policy and other
requirement. The
lead bank system is also referred to in the area of industrial
financing. When
two or more bank with the maximum share in the project is also
called the
lead bank.
Chairman : You have not fully answered my question
concerning the
Imperial Bank of India. Give us some more details regarding
this bank
renamed and so on.
Candidate : Sir, the Imperial Bank of India was nationalized and
renamed as
the state bank of India in 1955. This is done by the Imperial

Bank of India
(amendment) act of 1934.By this amendment the imperial bank
lost its status
as a central bank but remained the sole agent of the Reserve
Bank of India.
Member : What do you understand by the term “differential
interest rates”?
Candidate : Sir, the scheme of differential interest rates is
meant primarily
for the benefit of the weaker section of society. They are
provided easy
finance for productive purposes at a concessional rate of the
interest which is
four percent per annum.
Member : Under the government‘s scheme of self employment,
loans are
given to unemployed people through the Department of
industries. Do you
know how? These loans are disbursed and what is the role of
bank?
Candidate : Sir, earlier this scheme was meant for unemployed

graduates
and professionals Such as engineers. The government has
extended the
benefit to matriculates for the purpose of self –employment.
The department
of an industries grant loan to an individual in consultation with
one of the
nationalized bank called the lead Bank, the Employment
exchange and the
district industries officer/manager. Once the loan is sanction, it
is disbursed
by any of the nationalized banks for which the loanee has to
complete certain
formalities as required by the bank. The loan is given at a
differential rate of
interest and without security. The Government give s a subsidy
of upto25 per
cent and the loanee is required to repay only 75 percent of the
loan amount
to the bank.
Chairman : Mr. Karekar, may we know what your hobby is?
How do you
pass your free time?

Candidate : Sir, frankly speaking, whenever time I get time,
after my work
and studies, I spend listening to musical instruments
Chairman : Music is a good pastime. Are you also a singer
yourself or plays
some musical Instrument or do you only listen to music?
Candidate : Sir, I am a singer myself .I also know how to play
the tabla and
electric guitar.
Chairman : Very Good, Mr Karekar. Do you like classical music
or film
song?
Candidate : I am fond of old film songs and ghazals
Chairman : Mr. Karekar, from what you have told us so far, we
have come
to the conclusion that you know quite a lot about banking.
However, one last
question. Could you Please tell us why you have opted for a
career in
banking?

Candidate : Sir, my qualification and interest in banking
together prompted
me to look for a Career in banking .With the nationalization of
bank, jobs
in bank have become at Par with any administrative
government job
.Moreover, banking offers good Prospects for really
hardworking people I
have some friends who joined as clerks but now they hold
position of
accountant, sub- manager and even manager.
Chairman : That’s all, Mr, Karekar. You can leave now.
Candidate : Thank you, Sir.
MODEL INTERVIEW-II
(Mr. Suraj Singh is an aspirant for an I A S job. He has
qualified in the
written examination and is called for the interview by the
Selection Board of
the UPSC. He is dressed in a simple but well-tailored and
ironed suit with a
matching tie and turban.)
He arrives at the venue for the interview nearly 20-25 minutes
earlier.
He comes and greets the other candidates present there and

shortly he is able
to strike up a conversation with them. He exchanges views and
various news
items with the other candidates and keeps them engaged in
cordial and
friendly discussions. After sometime, a peon comes and calls
the name and
roll number of Mr. Suraj Singh and escort him to the interview
hall.
Candidate : (Opens the door and says) May I come in, sir?
Chairman : Yes Mr. Suraj Singh, please come in and take your
seat.
Candidate : (Enters the room and says) Good morning to you
all, sir (and
takes the chair saying) Thank you, sir.
Chairman : Mr. Suraj Singh. I can see from your file that you
have a ood
academic record right from pre- university onwards.
Candidate : Thank you for the compliment sir. However, sir it
seems you
have not seen my matriculation record. I secured 86 Percent
marks in
aggregate and three distinctions in the Main subjects, that are
Science, Math
and English.

Chairman : Yes, you are correct, I didn’t see that. After
obtaining two MA
degrees and also an LLB, what prompted you to opt for a
government job?
You could have done well in any private sector where you
would have got
more money except, of course, security.
Candidate : Well, sir, I preferred an IAS cadre due to the status
one enjoys,
the authority and command one gets and, above all, the job
satisfaction that
one gets due to the challenging nature of the assignments. In the
private
sector you only have a status within your institution whereas an
IAS officer
holds a high status in an entire district or even state. As far as
security is
concerned, if a person is hard working and takes interest in his
job, he is
secure in the private sector also. No doubt, in the private sector
you have

more money and liberal perks, but I am not looking for only a
well-paid Job.
I am looking for a challenging job in which there is authority
and status.
Chairman : That’s fine, Mr. Suraj Singh
Member : Being a student of economics, you should be good at
Statistics
also. Could you tell us which state has the highest female-to-
male ratio?
Candidate : Sir, the highest female-to male ratio is in the state
of Kerala
Member : Which state can claim to have the highest literacy
rate?
Candidate : Sir, it is again Kerala.
Member : But what about Chandigarh?
Candidate : Sir, it is a Union Territory and your question relates
to a State.
(Note: The member has tried to confuse the candidate. However,
the
candidate has shown his alertness and knowledge in tackling
this question.)
Chairman : Good, Let us now turn to other points.
Member 2: (Another member intervenes and says) As a post-

graduate in
economics, can you give us a brief definition of the concept of
mixed
economy?
Candidate : Sir, in a mixed economy both the public and private
sectors are
allowed to exist side by side. As a matter of policy, they
complement each
other. A mixed economy is beneficial for developing countries
such as India.
Chairman : I see that you have also done your second MA in
history. Is there
any useful purpose of history in our day- to- day life? (Before
the candidate
can answer this question, one of the members intervenes and
says)
Member : And how is it going to help you as an IAS officer.
Candidate : (Addressing the member and says) Sir, I will answer
your
question after answering the first question.
(Now the candidate addresses the chairman)

Sir, history serves a very useful purpose in our life. We cannot
understand the present and plan for the future without having
sufficient
knowledge of the past. Through a study of history we learn the
causes behind
our country’s rise and fall and the mistakes committed in the
past which
resulted in its downfall and decline. We can learn a lesson from
history and
avoid repeating past mistakes.
(Now he turns towards the member and says)
Sir, no doubt history will not directly help me as an IAS officer,
but as
I have said earlier, through a study of history, we learn what
were the causes
of downfall or which policies resulted in the downfall of rulers.
As an IAS
officer, I may be required to take certain decisions, I would,
therefore, be able
to avoid committing the same errors in the present and be able
to take better
decisions.
Chairman : As a student of history, could you tell us how the

policies of
Samudra Gupta differed from those of Ashoka, the Great?
Candidate : Sir, Samudra Gupta did not follow the pacifist and
the religious
policies of Ashoka. He did not believe in conquest by Dharma
as Ashoka did.
Instead, Samudra Gupta tried to extend his empire by military
conquests.
Member 2 : Mr. Suraj Singh, could you please tell us how your
law degree
is going to help you in your career as an IAS officer? Isn’t it a
degree useful
only for lawyer and others in the judiciary services?
Candidate : Sir, I believe law is a subject of interest for every
citizen. Every
citizen of India should be familiar with the laws of the land. For
an IAS
officer, it is specially useful to have a detailed knowledge of
law. Suppose, as
an IAS officer, I am appointed to manage a public sector
industry, my

knowledge of labour, industrial and commercial laws would
prove to be very
helpful. If appointed as the head of district administration,
knowledge of IPC
CRPC, etc. will help me to maintain law and order. Some
knowledge of law
will be helpful in any type of work, especially administrative
tasks.
Chairman : This means that to become an efficient
administrator, you
should be MA in economics and history with LLB?
Candidate : Sir, I did not mean that. I only said that a study and
knowledge
of these subjects are going to help me perform my duties more
efficiently.
People like J.R.D. Tata and the Birlas did not possess any of
these
qualifications, yet they efficiently managed large industrial
houses. To be a
good administrator, one has to be a good leader and possess
other managerial
abilities. These subjects are of secondary importance but would
definitely

help.
Member : Mr. Singh, from our discussions so far, I have
observed that you
are not worried about this interview and it gives us a feeling
that you are
carefree. Why is it so?
Candidate : Sir, I am sure you don’t want to see long faces in
interviews. A
cheerful smile is loved by everyone. Moreover, any amount of
worrying is
not going to help me in this interview. One is worried or tense
when one is
lacking confidence. I am extremely eager to be selected but for
that I do not
think I need to have a long and serious face. Also, when I
entered the hall, I
found all of you very happy and cooperative right from the
beginning to our
decision. Whatever little fear or worry I had before coming here
vanished due
to your cheerful and friendly discussions.
Member : Very good. Your explanations about your
cheerfulness and

carefree attitude have satisfied us.
Candidate : Thank you for the compliment, sir.
Chairman : Do you read newspaper every day?
Candidate : Yes, sir, even if I don’t get the time in the morning,
I ensure that
I read the day’s newspaper in the evening or at night.
Chairman : Which newspaper do you read?
Candidate : Sir, I read the Indian Express and The Times of
India.
Member : What is the most important news item you have read
in today’s
newspaper?
Candidate : Sir, there was no newspaper today as yesterday was
26th
January which is observed as a national holiday all over India.
(This question
was put just to confuse the candidate and see his mental
alertness in
answering it.)
Chairman : What is your favorite pastime or hobby?
Candidate : Sir, I read novels in my spare time.

Chairman : Don’t you think you are simply wasting your time
by reading
novels?
Candidate : You may be right. Sir from one point of view but as
I said, it is
only a pastime. I do not waste my useful time on reading
novels. I read them
only when I need some change or relaxation. (With a smile) sir,
you will
appreciate that everyone needs some hours of peace and
relaxation.
Chairman : Well done, Mr., Singh. That will be all.
Candidate : Thank you sir. (He gracefully stands up, puts the
chair in its
original place and confidently walks out.)
Conclusion
Job interview skills & techniques have a direct bearing on
whether
candidate will get the job or not. It’s the gate pass to the good
job. By being
prepared, presenting a professional demeanor candidate can
make the most of
the opportunity. Job interview skills & techniques cannot be

mastered over
night but can be developed with sheer hard work & conviction.
References:
1. Edgar Thorpe and Showick Thorpe (2006), “Winning at
Interviews “ Second Edition.
2. Michele Brown and Gyles Brandreth “ How to interview and
be interviewed”.
3. Programmerworld.net/career/interview.
4. http://www.Job-search-mentoring.com/job-interview-
skills.html.
The Author:
Riya Rupani is Assistant professor, N.E.S Ratnam College of
Arts, Science &
Commerce, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Email : [email protected] • Received on : Apr, 06.2013
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Business Communication Quarterly
76(4) 427 –445
© 2013 by the Association for
Business Communication
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DOI: 10.1177/1080569913501860
bcq.sagepub.com
Article
Updating Best Practices:
Applying On-Screen Reading
Strategies to Résumé Writing
Charlsye Smith Diaz1
Abstract
The best practices presented in textbooks and professional
publications provide
separate guidelines for paper-based and electronic or
“scannable” résumés. This
article recommends changing these practices so that writers can
prepare one résumé
for both paper and electronic delivery. These recommendations
focus on three
areas. Résumés should be formatted based on eye-tracking
research about on-screen
reading. Specific guidelines should help writers decide when to
include an objective or

summary. Keywords should be prioritized over active verbs.
Last, résumés still must
be formatted for paper but designing for on-screen reading is
now equally or more
important, and best practices need to reflect this change.
Keywords
résumé, résumé design, electronic résumés, job-search
communication
There are stories on the Internet about people who send out
their résumés stuffed in a
shoe (to get a foot in the door) or in a pizza box (to deliver a
top-notch candidate).
Students want to know: Should I do that? They are really
asking: What should a
résumé look like in 2013?
•• What expectations about traditional résumés still exist? Are
U.S. employers
ready for sneaker résumés? Résumés in color? Image-based
résumés?
•• If an objective is optional, what criteria should be used to
decide when to
use one?
1University of Maine, USA
Corresponding Author:
Charlsye Smith Diaz, Department of English, University of
Maine, 5752 Neville Hall, Room 304, Orono,
ME 04469, USA.
Email: [email protected]
501860BCQ76410.1177/1080569913501860Business
Communication QuarterlyDiaz

research-article2013
428 Business Communication Quarterly 76(4)
•• Is the practice of using active verbs and parallel construction
to “emphasize
your vitality, and help you stand out” (Lannon, 1994, p. 481)
still important
today?
•• Do employers really use optical character recognition (OCR)
software to scan
résumés so that they can be “read” by computers?
In this article, I identify current résumé-writing practices and
then recommend
practical changes to these practices based on research about the
way people read from
computer screens and on employer preferences for receiving
résumés.
Establishing Current Practices: Materials Consulted
To determine the current best practices for résumé writing, I
collected and examined
materials that students are likely to encounter. These materials
include approximately
30 textbooks, a magazine distributed by campus career centers,
trade books, and
advice that students might encounter online. The collection
focuses on printed and
online materials for which college students are the main
audience. Students also may
seek advice about résumés from advisors, relatives, internship

supervisors, and others,
but information from these types of sources was not collected.
The textbooks examined were published between 1982 and 2013
for business and
technical communication courses. Current best practices were
established based on the
materials published between 2010 and 2012; materials published
in or prior to 2009
were used to place practices in historical context.
I examined the articles about résumé writing published in the
2011 and 2012 edi-
tions of Job Choices, a magazine published annually by the
National Association of
Colleges and Employers (NACE; 2011a, 2011b) and distributed
through career cen-
ters at 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities. NACE
publishes three print and
digital editions of each issue: a business and liberal arts edition;
a science, engineer-
ing, and technology edition; and a diversity edition. Each
edition includes the same
articles related to résumés. Job Choices is free for students.
Another free resource is information available online. While
impossible to capture
and catalog all information available online, I drew on
information published on
RésuméEdge.com, a professional résumé preparation company
operating online, and
information curated on CareerBuilder.com.
Alison Doyle’s Job Search Guidebook (2011), authored by the
curator for About.
com’s Job Searching site, is one of two trade books referenced

in this study. Doyle’s
ebook is available at times for free download to Kindle.
Communications consultant
Arthur D. Rosenberg (2008) authored the second book, The
Résumé Handbook: How
to Write Outstanding Résumés & Cover Letters for Every
Situation. These books are
representative of information available in the trade press.
Review of Current Practices
Some readers may find a review of current résumé-writing
practices to be unneces-
sary; however, these practices need examining specifically
because they have become
Diaz 429
an unquestioned part of how we teach and talk about résumés.
Current résumé instruc-
tion focuses on four topics:
•• Résumé structures: chronological or functional (skills-based)
résumés
•• The résumé objective and career summary
•• Active verbs and parallel construction
•• “Electronic” and “scannable” résumés
Since 1981 (the starting point of my study), one practice has
remained consistent
over time: employers continue to prefer traditionally structured
résumés. Other prac-
tices have changed considerably. Personal computing, fax
machines, and the Internet

have changed the way résumés are delivered and received.
Applicants no longer worry
about typing a “perfect” original résumé or pay expensive
lithography fees to prepare
excellent copies, but instead must worry about what a résumé
looks like when pasted
into an online textbox. Our résumé-writing practices need to be
updated based on cur-
rent technologies and the way résumés are submitted and shared
within organizations.
The four most common practices and topics of instruction are
reviewed below.
Current Practice: Use a Chronological or Functional Résumé
Structure
Research shows that employers prefer conventional résumé
structures and do not like
“creative” résumés, which include almost any résumé that
differs from a conventional
structure: one with color, photos, images, graphs/charts, or with
pictographic displays.
This preference suggests that any updates to current practices
must support conven-
tional structures.
Conventional structures include chronological and functional
résumés.
Chronological résumés present education and employment in
reverse chronological
order, and in the 1980s, résumés were ordered as follows: name
and address; career
objectives; educational background; work experience; personal
activities, interests,
awards, and special skills; and references (Lannon, 1982). Now,
personal activities,

interests, and references are not included on a résumé. People
with a “solid” work his-
tory might put their work history before their education. A
functional résumé, some-
times called a “skills-based” résumé, “focuses on a candidate’s
skills rather than on
past employment” and “groups skills and accomplishments in
special categories . . .”
(Guffey & Loewy, 2011, p. 504). Employers continue to prefer
conventionally struc-
tured résumés over “creatively” formatted résumés.
Arnulf, Tegner, and Larssen (2010) confirmed employers’
preferences for conven-
tionally structured résumés. Arnulf et al. evaluated which layout
of a résumé influ-
enced an applicant’s chance to be shortlisted for an interview.
During this study,
résumés were presented in “creative” and “formal” formats.
Formal formats followed
a traditional ordering of information, based on a template from
Microsoft Word. In
“creative” formats, “the contents of the résumé such as
education, work experience,
etc. were written into a graphical pattern of circles and squares
that conveyed a more
dynamic, but less orderly, shaped presentation” of a person’s
credentials (p. 225). The
study found that “[t]he same candidate was nearly twice as
likely to be shortlisted
when [the résumé was] presented in a formal as opposed to a

‘creative’ layout” (p. 227).
Textbooks consistently advise students to use chronological or
functional résumés,
and any changes to current practices should occur with this
preference in place.
Current Practice: Consider Using an Objective, Qualifications
Statement,
or Summary
Almost every résumé writer asks: Do I need an objective or a
summary statement? A
1983 survey of personnel administrators of 500 top-ranked
organizations in the United
States confirmed that 90% expected to see an objective
(Hutchinson, 1984). The cur-
rent consensus among textbook authors is that the objective and
career summary are
optional, but none of the sources examined explain how to
decide when to use an
objective or summary statement.
Some current textbooks examined maintain that the objective is
necessary, but do
not support their assertions well. Gerson and Gerson (2012)
recommend using both an
objective and a summary of qualifications, advising applicants
to list their top three to
seven most marketable credentials. Flatley, Rentz, and Lentz
(2012) and Locker and
Kaczmarek (2011) promote using an objective, and out of the
books reviewed, provide
the most specific instructions for composing the objective, but
still do not provide
instructions for deciding when to use an objective. Flatley et al.
provide the best infor-

mation for composing an objective, recommending that the
applicant use the “exact
job title” or “[use] words to convey a long-term interest in the
targeted company” or
“[word] the objective to point out your major strengths” (p.
312). Locker and
Kaczmarek suggest using an objective that reads like the
advertised job description
and contend that the objective is optional, but hold that every
résumé should have a
statement of qualifications. Anderson (2011) also holds that
résumés need an objec-
tive, and cites a 2003 publication, but this source is not listed in
his reference list. A
Google search leads to a post on a job-search website. Have we
accepted résumé prac-
tices as so commonplace that we do not question the source of
such advice or whether
the advice is complete, as the following examples show?
Other textbooks wander around the subject of objectives, but
never explain when to
use an objective, as this discussion illustrates:
A career objective identifies either a specific job you want to
land or a general career track you
would like to pursue. Some experts advise against including a
career objective because it can
categorize you so narrowly that you miss out on interesting
opportunities, and it is essentially
about fulfilling your desires, not about meeting the employer’s
needs. In the past, most résumés
included a career objective, but in recent years more job seekers
are using a qualifications
summary or career summary. However, if you have little or no
work experience in your target

profession, a career objective might be your best option. If you
do opt for an objective, word it
in a way that relates your qualifications to employer needs. . . .
Avoid such self-absorbed (but
all too common) statements as “A fulfilling position that
provides ample opportunity for career
growth and personal satisfaction.” (Bovée & Thill, 2010, pp.
537-538)
Diaz 431
This description, like others, assumes the student already knows
which criteria to use
when deciding whether to use an objective, qualifications
statement, or career summary.
Also sharing this assumption are Alred, Brusaw, and Oliu
(2011), who write, “A
job objective introduces the material in a résumé and helps the
reader quickly under-
stand your goal. If you decide [emphasis added] to include an
objective, use a heading
such as ‘Objective’ . . .” (p. 243). In this description, the
underlying assumption is that
students already know that the objective is optional and that
they know how to decide
whether or not to use one.
Similarly to textbooks, trade press publications agree that the
objective is optional,
but they do not explain how to decide when to use one. Doyle
(2011) holds that the
objective “is optional, but taking time to write a customized
objective that matches the

job you are applying for will definitely help you stand out from
the other candidates”
(loc. 843). Without clear guidance about when to include an
objective or summary, the
current best practice is vague and not useful. An updated best
practice needs to explain
how to decide when to include an objective, qualifications
statement, or career
summary.
Current Practice: Use Active Verbs and Parallel Construction
As conflicted as experts are about the use of an objective or
summary, experts agree
that the job descriptions listed in the work history/employment
section of a résumé
should be formed using active verbs and parallel construction.
But where did this
advice originate? For what purpose? Is using active verbs and
parallel construction
still important today?
In the mid-1970s, résumé writers were advised to use phrases
instead of sentences
to describe work history. The Advanced Management Journal
(“Writing your first,”
1975) explains that “the writing style . . . should be short,
telegraphic phrases. You
should think of the résumé as a telegram; every word is costing
the reader time and
energy, so all unnecessary verbiage should be eliminated” (p.
53). This article included
this sample job description from a résumé’s work history:
Assistant Director of Marketing. For international iron smelting
company, 200 employees,

$75 million annual sales. Major responsibilities include
assisting marketing director in
spurring new-product research, developing strategy for new
marketing areas, and
coordinating advertising and promotion campaigns. Also have
responsibility for
implementing marketing department directives and keeping
financial records for department.
Supervise personal staff of five. (“Writing your first,” 1975, p.
57)
Eventually, all textbooks began advising résumé writers to use
sentence fragments
with active verbs and parallel construction to enhance the
readability of paper résu-
més, and this advice remains in place today.
Textbook authors Tebeaux and Dragga (2012) explain that “[t]o
save space and to
avoid the repetition of I throughout the résumé, use phrases
rather than complete sen-
tences. . . . Use nouns and active verbs in your descriptions” (p.
308). Guffey and
Loewy (2011) point out that the use of active verbs ensures the
parallel construction of
job descriptions, advising that “[s]tatements describing your
work experience can be
made forceful and persuasive by using action verbs. . . .
Starting each of your bullet
points with an action verb will help ensure that your bulleted
lists are parallel” (p. 507).

Using active verbs and parallel construction to make résumés
more forceful worked
well in the 1980s and 1990s when résumés were composed on
typewriters, and later,
word processors that offered few options for enhancing the
readability of a résumé.
However, with today’s technology, résumé writers can
emphasize specific informa-
tion by changing typefaces and font sizes. In addition, very
slowly, textbook authors
are beginning to advise résumé writers to use specific nouns—
or keywords—to
describe job duties. But this advice is always related to creating
“scannable” résumés
and not related to writing clear and specific work histories. We
need to determine
whether either practice is effective, and if so, when each should
be used.
Current Practice: Achieve Visual Appeal Through a Balanced
Layout
Current practices related to visual appeal have changed the most
since the 1980s. Early
practices related to visual appeal focus on the quality of paper
and reproduction. In
1982, Lannon recommended that “[w]hen fully satisfied with
your résumé, have your
model printed by a lithographer or printer. For about forty
dollars, you can obtain a
better-looking copy than you could produce on a typewriter” (p.
379). Current advice
focuses on how to achieve a visually appealing résumé as it is
laid out on paper.

Pfeiffer and Adkins (2013) advise students to “arrange
information so that it is
pleasing to the eye and easy to scan” (p. 606). To make the
résumé easy to read,
Tebeaux and Dragga (2012) recommend that writers “leave
generous margins and
white space. Use distinctive headings and subheadings. The use
of a two-column
spread is common, as is the use of boldface in headings” (p.
316). The underlying
assumption about guidelines for balanced and well-designed
résumés is that résumés
need to be designed as paper documents. In reality, today’s
résumés are often elec-
tronic texts first, emailed to potential employers, and read on
screen as electronic texts.
Balderrama (2010) urges job seekers to consider how résumés
look when they are
received and displayed on a screen:
Make sure the formatting looks good on your computer screen.
Before hitting the “send”
button, check hyperlinks, turn off the spell checker so that
proper nouns don’t have red
squiggles underlining them, and pick a font that’s easy to read.
(para. 7)
The way a résumé looks on screen after it has been sent
electronically is important to
updating résumé writing practices.
Current Practice: “Scannable” and “Electronic” Résumés Need
to Be
Prepared Differently

Many textbooks and trade books advise applicants to prepare a
second, “scannable”
résumé. A “scannable” résumé is scanned by a corporation into
a database using OCR
Diaz 433
software. One major difference between a scannable résumé and
a regular résumé is
that authors recommend including a list of keywords at the top
of the scannable
résumé. Gerson and Gerson (2012) describe the technology used
to do this work:
The company’s computer program scans résumés as raster (or
bitmap) images. Next, the
software uses artificial intelligence to read the text, scanning
for keywords. If your résumé
contains a sufficient number of these keywords, the résumé will
be given to someone in the
human resources department for follow up. (p. 246)
Kolin (2012) explains that “the more matches, or hits,
[employers] find between
appropriate keywords on your résumé and those on their list, the
better your chances
are of being interviewed” (p. 177). What few texts ever explain
is how an applicant
could possibly know which type of résumé to submit—a regular
résumé or a scannable
one. Only one text of those reviewed advises calling the
company to find out whether
it uses scanning software (Guffey & Loewy, 2011).

But, more interesting is that approximately half of private-
sector nonfarm workers
are employed by small businesses, which account for 99.7% of
all employers, accord-
ing to the U.S. Department of Commerce (U.S. Small Business
Administration, 2012).
These employers are unlikely to have software that reads
résumés. Of the companies
that do have such software, Schullery, Ickes, and Schullery
(2009) found that only 3%
of U.S. and multinational company survey respondents preferred
résumés that could
be read by an optical reader. Most knowledge about how the
optical readers work is
speculative because companies tend to keep these types of
processes proprietary, but
Schullery et al. found that companies using an optical system
often find them unreli-
able and maintain redundant systems or input data manually. In
other words, the résu-
més are read by human eyes and data from each résumé is
gleaned by a person.
The idea of the “scannable” résumé with a string of keywords
listed across the top
is outdated, but the idea that résumés are manipulated in
multiple ways by employers
needs more attention. Markel (2012) acknowledges that OCR
scanning of résumés is
“less common,” but Markel still differentiates between a résumé
read by a person and
one that is searched: “However, if you submit a printed résumé
to a company, you
should consider how well the document will scan electronically”
(p. 421). Zambruski
(2008), writing for RésuméEdge.com, suggests using keywords

throughout the
résumé, which eliminates the need for a list across the top.
Anderson (2011) advises
“[putting] your keywords in nouns, even if your scannable
résumé becomes wordy as
a result” (p. 47). Although this instruction is not clarified
further, the emerging idea is
that keywords need to be included throughout the résumé.
Flatley et al. (2012) instruct applicants preparing scannable
résumés to change
generic terms to specific keywords. For example, “[i]nstead of
listing a course in com-
parative programming, you would list the precise languages
compared, such as PHP,
C++, and Java” (p. 328). Today, this advice should apply to
every résumé, and updated
best practices need to focus on writing one résumé without
knowing precisely how the
employer, or even a specific résumé reviewer, will approach the
résumé.
Any change to résumé practices needs to be made with the
assumption that once an
applicant submits a résumé, the applicant loses control over
what happens to it: A
paper résumé may become an electronic document read by a
computer search engine,
and an electronic résumé may become a paper résumé read by a
ballerina doing temp
work between productions.

Updating Résumé-Writing Best Practices Based on How
People Approach On-Screen Texts
Eye-tracking research provides the most scientific evidence for
guiding how we should
write and format résumés that work as paper and electronic
documents. Nielsen (2006)
found that people read web pages in an “F-shaped” pattern.
Shrestha and Lenz (2007)
confirm Nielsen’s finding, further explaining that this reading
pattern suggests that
“pages should be structured so that the important content falls
in the ‘F’ pattern” (para.
14). Both studies rely on heat maps to measure how the eye
travels around a website
that has few or no pictures, and this “F-pattern” approach to
online texts provides
insight regarding how résumés might be examined on screen.
F-Pattern Reading
According to Nielsen (2006), the “F” stands for “fast,” but also
represents the way
readers approach online texts. Nielsen describes this F-pattern
reading style as
follows:
•• Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the
upper part of the
content area. This initial element forms the F’s top bar.
•• Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in
a second horizon-
tal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the
previous movement.

This additional element forms the F’s lower bar.
•• Finally, users scan the content’s left side in a vertical
movement. Sometimes
this is a fairly slow and systematic scan that appears as a solid
stripe on an
eyetracking heatmap. Other times users move faster, creating a
spottier heat-
map. This last element forms the F’s stem.
The “F” pattern is a phenomenon that applies specifically to
text-based web pages
or web pages with few images or photos. Shrestha and Lenz
(2007) conclude that “the
‘F’ pattern style of viewing does not seem to hold true while
browsing or searching a
picture-based webpage” (para. 13). Nielsen and Pernice (2010)
explain that “users
look at more words at the beginning of a line than at the end,
and more words toward
the top of the text section than the middle or bottom” (p. 422).
This reading practice
does not hold every time for every website as Nielsen (2006)
points out.
Nielsen (2006) explains that a reader sometimes extends the F-
pattern reading into
an “E” or “L” pattern, scanning across the screen at the top and
lower down on the
screen. When a screen has two columns, Shrestha, Owens, and
Chapparo (2008) con-
firm that the right column does not receive as much attention as
the left, but the top
right side of a two-column page receives more attention than the
bottom of a single-
column page. When designing résumés, we can infer two

principles from these
Diaz 435
studies: First, résumé text receives the most attention when
located across the top and
down the left side of a page. Second, using a two-column design
for a bulleted list of
relevant courses, technical skills, or certifications might work
well at the top or at the
bottom of a résumé.
The F-pattern provides a distinct formatting guideline for
preparing a résumé that
might be read on screen. A résumé’s most important information
should appear in the
space where the F-pattern reading occurs, or what could be
called a résumé’s “F-zone.”
Figure 1 shows how Nielsen’s (2006) F-pattern of screen
reading might apply to a
paper document, such as a résumé, when examined on a screen.
The “F-zone” in
Figure 1 is based on the reading patterns found by Nielsen and
confirmed by others
(Shrestha & Lenz, 2007; Shrestha et al., 2008).
The résumé in Figure 2 shows how a résumé designed with the
F-zone in mind
might be scanned by a human eye. A typical reader’s eyes might
scan across the top of
the page in the gray area and then down the page in the gray
area. The most important
information should appear in this area.

Second, we might infer that if two columns are used, the
columns should be used at
the top of the “F” or at the bottom of the “L” or “E” pattern. We
would not want to
include information on the right side of the page in an area that
is least “scanned” by a
person reading on screen. Aligning less important information
to the right, such as job
locations and dates of employment may pull the eye in that
direction, distracting from
the more content-rich areas of the résumé (see Figure 2).
When a reader is pulled away from the main text to the right
side, the reader
employs a “hot-potato” reading strategy (Nielsen & Pernice,
2010, p. 422), jumping
around the page and simply may miss information in the
content-rich area of the
résumé. Résumé writers need to place the most important
information in the locations
on-screen readers tend to browse first—across the top and down
the left side, taking
care to remember that the bottom left side typically receives the
least attention by on-
screen viewers (Shrestha et al., 2008).
Maximizing the F-Zone with Keywords
Nielsen (2009) holds that when looking at online content,
people tend to use the first
11 characters of a line to make decisions about whether or not
to continue reading
website headlines. Nielsen calls these words “a signal for the
scanning eye” (Nielsen,
2009). So, for example, people tend to consider the first two to
three words of a head-

line when deciding whether to click a link. This tendency
suggests that the first two
words of a line on a résumé are of the utmost importance.
Nielsen (2006) advises using
“information-carrying words that users will notice when
scanning down the left side
of the content,” and points out that users “will read the third
word of a line much less
often than the first two words” (Nielsen, 2009, para. 8). In
résumé-speak, these
information-carrying words are the keywords that relate to a
specific job or industry.
Using specific keywords down the left side of the résumé
increases the likelihood
that a potential employer will see them. A bonus to focusing on
the F-zone and using
keywords toward the beginning of each line is that these
strategies are effective for
paper résumés as well as résumés read on screen. This means
résumé writers can
Figure 1. The “F”-pattern reading area for resume design is
based on eye-tracking research
(Nielsen 2006; see also Shrestha & Lenz, 2007; Shrestha et al.,
2008).
Note. The most important information should appear within or
near the gray areas that compose a
resume’s “F-zone.”
Bold Name
356 Cyprus Avenue, AnyCity, AC 03200 999-888-7777

[email protected]
The most important information that potential
employers should remember about you should go
in the F-zone—the gray areas of this page.
prepare one résumé and not worry about whether it will be read
on a screen or on
paper, diminishing the need for a separate “scannable” résumé.
The following updated
best practices rely on this research as well as research about
employers’ preferred
résumé structures, as described earlier.
Diaz 437
Figure 2. A paper-based resume designed to be read on-screen
or on paper.
Note. Johnson uses the F-zone to highlight her professional
writing education, courses, and internship.
JENNIFER JACOBSON
123 Main Street, Old Town, ME 04468
(999) 123-4567 [email protected]
EDUCATION
University of Maine Orono, ME
Major: English Graduation: May 2012
Concentration: Professional and GPA: 3.4

Technical Writing
EXPERIENCE
Oregg, Ltd., Lowell, MA
Intern for Information Development June 2012-present
• Write, edit, and update information files for software
programs using DITA and text-editing
programs
•• Prepare documents for different audiences, including users,
administrators, and
developers
•• Design and provide programming examples, graphics,
developer-intro talks (Java, Eclipse,
PowerPoint)
Repair.com Virtual
Writer August-December 2011
•• Designed and wrote a repair manual for small electronic
device
•• Used small tools to replace battery, screen, and keypad
•• Worked collaboratively with team of writers and designers
Freelance Graphic Designer Orono, ME
“How to be One Cool Kid” Spring 2011
•• Designed and created an instructional infographic using
Adobe InDesign and Photoshop
•• Inspired children’s audience through colorful comic-book
style instructions
Records Technician Orono, ME
University Admissions Office Fall 2011-Spring 2012
•• Adapt to change and manage projects on a daily basis
•• Use extensive knowledge of University databases to help

potential
students on phone and through email
•• Answered telephone and responded to email messages from
parents
and potential students
Student Assistant Orono, ME
University Admissions Office Fall 2010-Spring 2011
•• Answered telephone and routed phone calls appropriately
•• Made changes to documents using InDesign and PowerPoint
SKILLS
Microsoft Word and Excel Adobe InDesign
Adobe Acrobat Editing tools Adobe Photoshop
RELEVANT COURSEWORK
Technical Editing Business & Technical Writing
Proposals and Reports Persuasive Writing
Grants Preparation Document Design
Updated Best Practice: Construct Purpose and Movement With a
Résumé’s Structure
Using the F- or E/L-pattern approaches to on-screen documents
as a guide, résumé
writers should choose a conventional structure that allows
placement of the most
important information in the F-zone. For example, when
choosing a chronological
résumé, a student might place education first, whereas a

seasoned professional might
place work history first. Other choices should support the way a
human eye might
approach an on-screen text:
•• Choose a conventional structure (Arnulf et al., 2010) that
places the most
important information in the area that Nielsen identifies as the
top of the
“F”-Pattern, or F-zone (Nielsen, 2006).
•• Use a regular, readable font, like Times New Roman or
Tahoma.
•• Make the first 11 characters count by beginning with
keywords whenever pos-
sible (Nielsen, 2009).
•• Align elements to the left to honor on-screen reading
practices (Nielsen, 2006).
•• Use bold or italics to emphasize important keywords or
details (Nielsen, 1997).
•• Use only one column, except at the bottom of a résumé (to
create an E- or
L-pattern of reading; Nielsen, 2006, 2009; Shrestha et al.,
2008).
•• Do not use tabs or tables because résumés loaded into a
database could become
distorted.
If the résumé is scanned and searched electronically, the
keywords will still garner
“hits,” eliminating worry about whether a company uses such
software. If the résumé
is pasted into an online box or into the body of an email

message; however, the special
codes used by some word processing software do not translate
well, causing bullets to
disappear, spacing to change, and unintended characters to
appear. Instead of creating
an entirely different résumé, writers can simply change the way
emphasis is created by
using these strategies:
•• Replace bolded text with all caps.
•• Replace bullets with asterisks.
•• Replace “rules” (the line that can be inserted above or below
text) with a line
created by using hyphens.
The résumé in Figure 3 is ready for pasting into an online form
or into the body of
an email. This résumé is a revised version of the Jacobson
résumé shown in Figure 2.
Critical information has been placed in the F-zone, and the
information aligns on
the left.
Deciding which information should appear in the résumé’s F-
zone is crucial, and
one way to begin making this decision is to determine whether
the résumé needs an
objective or summary statement.
Diaz 439
JENNIFER JACOBSON

[email protected] * (999) 123-4567
EDUCATION
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
University of Maine, Orono, ME, May 2012
B.A, English, May 2012 (GPA: 3.4)
Concentration: Professional and Technical Writing
RELEVANT COURSEWORK
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
* Technical Editing
* Proposals and Reports
* Grants Preparation
* Business & Technical Writing
* Persuasive Writing
* Document Design
PROFESSIONAL WRITING PROJECTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
INFORMATION DEVELOPMENT INTERN
Oregg, Ltd., Lowell, MA, June 2012-present
* DITA and text-editing programs used to write, edit, and
update information files for software
programs
* Audience analysis: Structure documents for users,
administrators, and developers
* Java, Eclipse, and PowerPoint used to prepare programming
examples, graphics, and

developer talks
WRITER: INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Repair.com, Virtual Project, Aug.-Dec. 2011
* Repair manual design, writing, and editing for small
electronic device
* Used small tools to replace battery, screen, and keypad
* Collaborated virtually with technical writers and designers
FREELANCE GRAPhIC DESIGNER
“how to be One Cool Kid,” Orono, ME, Spring 2011
* Adobe InDesign and Photoshop used to create instructional
infographic geared for children
* Combine graphics and instructional text to inspire children
through 1-page comic-book style
design
WORK EXPERIENCE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
RECORDS TEChNICIAN
University Admissions Office, Orono, ME, Fall 2011-Spring
2012
* Flexibly collaborate with busy student-recruiting staff
* Access university databases to help potential students on
phone and by email
STUDENT ASSISTANT
University Admissions Office, Orono, ME, Fall 2010-Spring
2011
* Answered telephone and routed phone calls appropriately
* Used InDesign and PowerPoint to edit documents
COMPUTER AND TEChNICAL SKILLS

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
EDITING: One-on-one feedback; close editing for grammar,
spelling, punctuation, & style;
Office & Acrobat editing tools
DESIGN: Adobe InDesign and Photoshop
TOOLS: Small tools to disassemble/reassemble small
electronic devices
Figure 3. Jacobson’s resume is ready to be pasted into an online
box or into the body of an email.
Note. This resume uses all caps, asterisks, and hyphens to
replace bolded text, bullets, and “rules.”
Updated Best Practice: Use an Objective or Summary Statement
When
Persuasive
An objective or summary should be included only if it can be
used persuasively to
show how an applicant might fit with a company. If, on the
other hand, an applicant
is trying to make a vague connection between chemistry courses
and a laboratory
research position, this is a waste of valuable “F-zone” space.
The space would be
better served by listing courses or laboratory experience,
showing a diligence
toward being a good chemistry student rather that attempting to
already be a lab
researcher.

The following questions and examples can be used to help
students decide whether
to include an objective, a summary of qualifications, or a career
summary.
Can you use a definitive, memorable descriptor? A descriptor is
akin to a career
summary and serves as a memorable, repeatable description of
the applicant, which
are also elements of a good “pitch” statement:
Lindsey A. Becker, ACP
1234 South Street, Forest City, IA 50436
(641) 585-1313
[email protected]
Advanced Certified Paralegal: Discovery and Trial Practice
In this example, Lindsey holds a specific credential and is
seeking work as a litigation
paralegal, a position for which this credential has value. A bold,
headline-style descrip-
tor provides an immediate snapshot of the résumé writer. While
this descriptor does
not include the traditional language seeking paralegal position,
these words are under-
stood to be true. This credential would be persuasive enough for
a trial department to
examine the résumé further.
Do you hold a required prerequisite or qualification for the
position? Immediate
disclosure of required qualifications is akin to providing a
hybrid objective-qualifi-
cations statement. Some positions have specific requirements or

qualifications. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), for example, requires
applicants for the
position of soil scientist to meet certain educational criteria. In
the following exam-
ple, Lindsey communicates that she has researched the position
and states that she is
qualified:
Lindsey A. Becker, M.S.
(641) 585-1313
[email protected]
Glacial geologist seeking soil scientist position.
Education and experience exceed USDA’s Qualification
Standards
for Professional and Scientific Positions.
Diaz 441
While this information can be confirmed or found by examining
her transcripts, she
helps the USDA find a reason to review her résumé further
without first stopping to
check her minimum requirements.
Are you seasoned in a specific profession? Or do you have
experience that would
benefit the company? If so, the descriptor is akin to a career
summary. This time,
Lindsey summarizes her qualifications and possibly addresses
qualifications requested

in the advertisement, such as experience in mediation or
arbitration:
Lindsey A. Becker, CP
(641) 585-1313
[email protected]
Certified Paralegal offering:
● 12 years of experience providing estate planning and estate
administration services to
attorneys
● Advanced Paralegal Certification in Alternative Dispute
Resolution
● Notary Public
This statement provides the employer a snapshot of the potential
employee.
If an applicant cannot answer yes to any of these questions, then
the F-zone might
be better used in other ways: listing coursework, technical
skills, and training that
show an applicant’s field-specific abilities. As the most
valuable space on a résumé,
the F-zone leaves little room for including an objective or
summary statement that
does not contribute to the persuasiveness of the résumé.
Updated Best Practice: Lead Work History Descriptions With
Keywords
The way that people approach on-screen texts suggests that
résumé writers need to con-
sider violating the current active verb/parallel construction

practice by placing keywords
at the beginning of lines. (When these ideas were presented to
career consultants at the
University of Maine Career Center and to Eastern Maine
Development Center, this rec-
ommendation was the most difficult to consider. The active
verb/parallel construction
rule has been followed for 30 years, and it is one rule on which
everyone seems to agree.)
The best way to violate this rule is to try to work keywords into
the first two or three
words of a description so that the first 11 or so characters of the
line matter, similarly to
the way Nielsen (2009) holds that the first 11 characters matter
when reading online.
For example, the Jacobson résumé shown in Figure 2 follows
the current best prac-
tice of using active verbs and parallel construction. Some
readers may find their eyes
drifting to the right side, where the city, state, and dates of
employment are because
that area has more white space and is less cluttered. Moving
away from the content-
rich area means a reader is using a hot-potato reading strategy
and may not go back to
the content-rich area of the résumé.
The résumé in Figure 4 is a revised version of Jacobson’s
résumé that places key-
words at the beginning of lines whenever possible.

Figure 4. A paper-based resume designed to be read on-screen
or on paper.
Note. Jacobson uses the F-zone to highlight her education,
courses, and internship.
JENNIFER JACOBSON
(999) 123-4567 [email protected]
EDUCATION
University of Maine, Orono, ME
B.A, English, May 2012 (GPA: 3.4)
Concentration: Professional and Technical Writing
RELEVANT COURSEWORK
•• Technical Editing •• Business & Technical Writing
•• Proposals and Reports •• Persuasive Writing
•• Grants Preparation •• Document Design
PROFESSIONAL WRITING PROJECTS
Information Development Intern
Oregg, Ltd., Lowell, MA, June 2011-present
•• •DITA and text-editing programs used to write, edit, and
update information files for
software programs
•• Audience analysis: Structure documents for users,
administrators, and developers
•• •Java, Eclipse, and PowerPoint used to prepare programming
examples, graphics, and
developer talks
Writer: Instruction Manual
Repair.com, Virtual Project, Aug.-Dec. 2011
•• Repair manual design, writing, and editing for small

electronic device
•• Used small tools to replace battery, screen, and keypad
•• Collaborated virtually with technical writers and designers
Freelance Graphic Designer
“how to be One Cool Kid,” Orono, ME, Spring 2011
•• •Adobe InDesign and Photoshop used to create instructional
infographic geared for
children
•• •Combine graphics and instructional text to inspire children
through 1-page comic-book
style design
WORK EXPERIENCE
University Admissions Office, Orono, ME
Records Technician, Fall 2011-Spring 2012
•• Flexibly collaborate with busy student-recruiting staff
•• Access university databases to help potential students on
phone and by email
University Admissions Office, Orono, ME
Student Assistant, Fall 2010-Spring 2011
•• Answered telephone and routed phone calls appropriately
•• Used InDesign and PowerPoint to edit documents
COMPUTER AND TECHNICAL SKILLS
EDITING: One-on-one feedback; close editing for grammar,
spelling, punctuation, style; MS
Office & Adobe Acrobat editing tools
DESIGN: Adobe InDesign and Photoshop
TOOLS: Small tools to disassemble/reassemble small electronic
devices

Diaz 443
In the revised example, a reader’s eyes should travel down the
left side of the
résumé and pick up keywords and phrases without much effort.
Notice, too, that the
dates of employment have been aligned to the left to keep our
eyes from wandering
over to the right and away from key information. Some readers
may not “see” or pause
to read this information, but on the first pass of a résumé, this
information is the least
important. Overall, the recommended changes to best practices
are subtle and reflect
that employers continue to prefer conventionally structured
chronological and func-
tional résumés.
Conclusion
The way that people engage with online texts provides an
emerging set of best prac-
tices for résumés that are read on paper or on screen. To
summarize, these new best
practices should encourage writers to use a single résumé for
paper or electronic deliv-
ery; to use the F-zone to make decisions about structure; to
determine whether to
include an objective or summary; and to let go of using active
verbs and parallel con-
struction in favor of using keywords throughout the résumé,
especially at the begin-
ning of lines. While résumés still must be written using a frame
of 8.5-by-11-inch
paper, designing for reading on screen is now equally or more

important than design-
ing for the printed page, and best practices need to reflect this
change.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their
valuable comments and sugges-
tions. I would also like to thank Pat Burnes for her numerous
readings of this article and the
University of Maine Career Center for allowing me to present
these ideas and receive their
feedback about them.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with
respect to the research, authorship,
and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research,
authorship, and/or publication of
this article.
References
Alred, G. J., Brusaw, C. T., & Oliu, W. E. (2011). The business
writer’s companion (6th ed.).
Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Anderson, P. V. (2011). Technical communication: A reader-
centered approach (7th ed.).
Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

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