Resume Found: Keys to Successful Search Engine Registration

Resume Found: Keys to Successful Search Engine Registration

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by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Career experts suggest that job-seekers who are conducting a thorough job search consider creating and publishing a Web resume. (Read Maximize Your Internet Job Search.) Beyond the advantage of having your resume available 24/7, developing a Web-based resume also gives you the opportunity to build an online portfolio to showcase your best work (which you can then link to your online resume).

But there is a lot more involved than just slapping your current resume onto a Web page -- and you do not need to be a Web guru to do everything you need to do to create a successful Web resume. So how do you go about the process of creating a Web-resume? We'll highlight the critical things you need to do to successfully publish your resume on the Web -- and then promote it via key search engines and directories.

First, you'll need to find some Web space (if you don't already have it) and then develop your Web resume. Go to this article to get more information: Create and publish your own Web page containing your resume.

Second, you'll need to learn a bit about three critical HTML commands (called meta tags) that can greatly enhance your resume's positioning on search engines.

The "title" command... where you have up to 60 characters to provide a title to your document. Consider using your name and resume in the title. In my case, "Randall S. Hansen's Resume."
The "description" command... where you have up to 150 characters to provide a description of your document. Make sure you use words that highlight your experience and skills.
The "keywords" command... where you have limited space to enter critical keywords. Be sure to use keywords that you think employers and recruiters might use in searching for the position you are seeking -- and make sure those keywords are also listed at least once (perhaps in a "key accomplishments" section) in your resume.

Third, create your Web resume... either from scratch by saving your Word document as an HTML file (see this section of Quintessential Careers for help in this area: Web Resources Page for Job-Seeker Web-based Resumes) or by borrowing one of the templates we have already created in our Sample Web Resumes section of Quintessential Careers. (You may also want to review some of the key resume-writing tools we have in our Resume Resources section.)

Fourth, after proofreading the entire document, publish it and check it to make sure it is search-engine ready. My favorite check is a free meta tag checker from Meta Tag Analyzer. Make any adjustments to your page, as necessary.

Fifth, it's finally time to submit your resume page(s) to the key search engines and directories. You have a couple options here. You can either submit your resume to each search engine and directory individually or you can use a free or fee-based resume submission service.

Go to our Web Directories and Search Engines for links to the key Internet search engines if you want to submit your resume to each search engine directly.
Go to ineedhits.com or Add Me if you want to use a service to submit your resume to the search engines.

Regardless of which method you use to submit your resume, you'll want to keep track of your search-engine registrations. Here are some tips:

Keep a log of when, where, and how you submit your Web resume.
If you haven't already, develop a list of keywords for your Web resume.
Create a file that has the title of your Web site, the URL, the set of keywords, and a short (about 20 words ) and long (under 50 words) description of your Web site. When it comes time to enter this information, simply cut and paste from the one application to the other.
Proofread your entire submission carefully. Check for misspelling and typos. Be sure to confirm the URL address and title and your email address.
Be prepared to spend more time than you might expect. While it is faster to a multiple submission service, the process can -- at times -- be tediously slow.
Follow-up! Keep a log of where you have registered your Web resume...and then go back some time later (within a month) and make sure your site is included in the databases of all the places you have registered.

You can find other tips and resources in Dr. Randall S. Hansen's EnhanceMyMarketing.

One final thought. Remember that you can publish multiple versions of your resume on your personal Website -- a Web-based (HTML) resume, a text-based (ASCII) resume, a PDF (Portable Document Format) resume, and a Word resume...

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

QuintCareers.com Founder Dr. Randall Hansen

Dr. Randall S. Hansen is founder of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of Quintessential Careers Press, including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter, QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his personal Website or reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.

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