Careerjournal.com explains how to unblock electronic resumes

PRINCETON, N.J. - As companies have tightened e-mail filters to keep out spam and damaging computer viruses, they also unintentionally block legitimate e-mail from job hunters, including resumes and cover letters, according to CareerJournal.com, The Wall Street Journalís executive career guide.

ìCorporate spam filters can hinder companies that are looking for the right people, and itís hurting job seekers,î says Tony Lee, editor in chief, CareerJournal.com.

Itís difficult to determine how widespread the problem is, since neither companies nor job seekers typically are notified when e-mails are deleted by spam-filtering systems. Yet, since many employers now advise applicants to send resumes via e-mail rather than the post office, the issue is becoming a headache for job seekers and companies.

Resumes, along with other legitimate e-mail, most commonly are blocked when companies set spam and virus filters too high. E-mail filtering systems typically scan for keywords that are common to spam, such as ìfree,î ìexpand,î and ìtrial,î as well as exclamation points or colored backgrounds. Messages containing attached files sent from unknown addresses are often deleted automatically. Companies also block suspected spam senders whose addresses are on ìblacklists,î or deflect mail from an Internet service provider known to be used by spammers.

CareerJournal.com offers these suggestions for submitting electronic resumes and cover letters:

Identify and remove keywords that may cause your resume and cover letter to be viewed as spam.

Run your correspondence through your own spam filter before e-mailing it.

Make sure your Internet service provider is not blocking e-mailed job announcements.

Paste your resume directly into your e-mail, after a cover letter.

Follow up with a phone call to make sure your resume has been received.

For more information on managing your career, visit