When applying for a specific telecommuting position, you should treat your resume as first impression. Because HR and hiring managers receive dozens - and sometimes hundreds - of resumes each day when trying to fill virtual positions, they scan through them very quickly. Resumes that are formatted incorrectly, contain spelling or grammatical errors, or are sent past the requested due date are often discarded during the first round of readings. In fact, many human resources department in the virtual office world actually use software to scan for important keywords and skills - so tweaking your resume is a very good idea before you send it off to the virtual employer.

Formatting Your Resume

Since many companies require that resumes be sent electronically, you need to learn how to send them correctly so incorrect formatting doesn't end up costing you a job. If the company doesn't want you to send your resume as an attachment, but rather in the body of an email, keep things simple. Don't worry about centering your name and address or highlighting headings and other information.

While you can cut and paste your resume into the email, go through it to make sure bullets are in the right place and sentences are not crowding each other. Many times, it's best to simply type the information from your resume into the body of the email. Instead of bullets, break the information into sections and title them accordingly (objective, educational experience, work experience, interests, references, etc.). This will create a clean document that hiring managers will appreciate.

If you're allowed to send your resume as an attachment, send it in Word, .pdf, or in the file type requested by the company.

Spelling and Grammar

When creating a resume, never rely on your computer's spell check program. Many times, the program will only recognize words that are misspelled, not words that are spelled correctly, but used incorrectly. Always read your resume a few times after completing it. Not only will you catch any spelling and grammar mistakes, you may think of additional information to add.

Contents of a Great Resume

What you choose to include in your resume will be determined by what the company asks for and what you feel is best in order to get the job. These skills should be adapted to your potential employer. Specific experience that relates to the virtual position is essential. Make sure you look up information on the company and what it does, as well as their customers and clients. As a rule, you should include the following components for your resume:

• Objective statement – This statement should summarize your goals and reasons why you want to work for the company. You can include a sentence or two about prior work experiences, skills you have, or interest in working for a particular company.
  
  
• Work Experience – You should list your last three jobs or more as requested by the company. Include the name, location, position held, and years of service. You can also mention skills you learned as well.
  
  
• Educational Experience – You should list college degrees, special training programs, and other educational training you received that have helped in past and present jobs.
  
  
• Special Skills and Interests – You should list any skills or interests you feel would help hiring managers make their decision about whether to hire you.
  
  
• References – Include names, company name, location, job titles or positions, and work contact numbers.

The main objective of the virtual resume is to convey the message that you have the skills needed to perform the job without supervision. When seeking virtual employment, you to have strong problem solving skills, the ability to motivate yourself, and the ability to represent the company in a professional manner.

During your virtual job search, you should take the time to learn more about a company before applying for a job. Read their mission statement, learn how they approach business and customer service, and find out the ways they give back to the community. Pay special attention to their clients to glean knowledge of the types of companies and industries the virtual position will deal with. During your research, you may find that you are not the best fit for the job or the company may not be the best fit for you. If this is true, don't be disheartened. There really are legitimate opportunities out there for virtual employees - so if you're not a right fit, keep hunting! There's probably a perfect virtual employer for your experience and skills.

About the Author :

Melissa Brewer is the author of The Little White eBook of Homeshoring Jobs.
Want to learn more about virtual opportunities?   The Little White eBook of Homeshoring Jobs profiles 180+ companies that regularly hire home-based workers for inbound and outbound callers, customer care, and tech support - complete with salary information, typical schedules, and the tools you'll need to get the virtual job you want. All of our readers get free updates for life.