Avoid using a fancy resume template that won't scan well in an applicant tracking system. For example, do not put your contact information in the header, and do use a simple one-column format.

Kathy Robinson, the Boston-based founder of TurningPoint, a professional network of independent career coaches, says Google Docs resume templates don't upload well into applicant tracking systems.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) sift through thousands of resumes, filtering out candidates based on keywords, phrases, and other predefined criteria before a human eye ever sees them.