How to Create a Resume Name

Resume Name | How-to, Tips & Examples | Resume.com

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A resume name is a filename for when you send your resume to an employer. The distribution of your resume with a proper filename will communicate that you’re applying for a specific job. In this article, you can refer to the best practices when examining and choosing the best filenames to use for your resume.

What should you name your resume?

Your resume filename tells the employer you’re interested in working for a position at their company. The employer knows to search for your resume if the hiring manager wants to interview you. An effective resume filename can make your resume more notable to an employer and encourage them to remember something they saw about your candidacy. They may have seen valuable experience or a notable keyword that stood out when they scanned your resume.

The filename of your resume can help you if you’re applying to multiple positions. For instance, the resume’s filename might separate you from applying for a marketing or public relations job. It may differentiate the companies you’re applying to and the title of the position. You might use a different filename for a mid-level role if you’re looking to stay in the same industry or use another one for an entry-level position if you’re switching careers.

How to choose a resume name

Here is a list of steps for choosing a name for your resume file.

1. First, write your full name and last name

Your resume name is most noticeable if you include your name. Your name distinguishes who is applying for an open position within the company. A company might organize your resume in alphabetical order, starting with your first or last name. It’s convenient for you to start by listing your first name and last name in the filename.

A company may recognize your name if they’ve met you at a networking event or if you applied to the company before. You may add your middle initial if you want to make the filename more unique. Adding your middle initial helps the employer differentiate between you and another employee with the same name as yours.

2. Second, add the name of the company

The name of the company highlights where you’re applying for a job. The company’s name is an indicator of your interest in employment for a certain role. An employer may look at specific filenames, but the importance of listing the company’s name depends on their preference. Specify the company’s name to increase the value-added to the filename and importance of your resume.  

3. Third, include the title of the position

Adding the title of the position makes it clear which job you’re seeking to fill. This information follows your full name and the company name. This information makes it easier for the human resources department to sort your resume if they’re organizing by the position’s name. They can easily refer back to it, or the hiring manager may notice the naming after they looked at it to keep your candidacy in mind.

4. Fourth, include the word resume

Include the word resume before you submit it to your prospective employer. Using the word resume shows you’re sending your resume to the company you’re applying for. You’ll want to add the name of the additional documents, such as your cover letter and your portfolio. An employer might put your resume in a certain stack if you sent all the required documents as shown in the job description.

Keep in mind that while most job descriptions allow candidates to come up with their own resume names, some have their own specific requirements. If the job description provides specific instructions for how to name your resume, follow those directions and name your resume the way they request.

Tips for what to avoid when naming your resume

Here are some tips for what you should avoid when creating your resume name.

Version numbers

Be sure to exclude the version of the resume you’re submitting if you’ve made multiple rounds of edits. You can still keep older versions on your computer. Make the filename of your resume clear by stating it’s the final copy. Listing the final copy of your resume increases the clarity of the file naming and displays that you’re showcasing your best work to the employer. A filing system is useful if you have multiple drafts of a resume from multiple companies you’ve applied for.

Generic filenames

Specify your resume’s name for the hiring manager instead of solely using the word resume on your filename. A specified filename gives employers more information to look at before they can evaluate your experience.

Tips for naming your resume

Here are some tips that you should consider when creating your resume name.

Insert the name of the job posting website

You might consider how you’re applying for this job. For example, you may apply for the job through a job posting website, the company’s website, or email if you have a connection working with the company. You can include the name of the job posting website to specify where you applied. Add the job posting site you used after you list your first and last name, the name of the company, the position, and the word resume.

Shorten your resume’s filename

Keep the resume’s filename short, so the employer can understand whose resume they’re reviewing. The organization of your resume is critical to showing the whole filename. Computers might view the first 24 characters of the resume you send to them, so test the number of characters it has before you submit it.

Use capital letters when needed

Use capital letters within your resume’s filename when you’re listing the first letter of your first and last name. You can increase the readability and indicate distinctly when you’re stating your name.

Proofread your resume

Proofread the filename of your resume to ensure it’s free of typos. You can proofread it to see if it has all the vital elements that an employer needs to review. Be sure to read it out loud twice before you submit your resume to the employer.

Ways to save your resume

Here are some tips you can follow when saving your resume file:

  • Submit your resume as a PDF or a Word document.
  • Convert your Word document into a PDF file by choosing to save your PDF within your word processing program.

You can look at the job description to get more information on the requirements for file naming. Some companies may specify the file format that they prefer to review your resume in.

Examples of resume file names

Here are several examples of resume file names that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

  • Joseph Collins Kens Banking Marketing Coordinator Resume.pdf
  • Mary Stephens Marcos Aviation Finance Manager Resume.doc
  • Francine Cardi Stated Valued Insurance Administrative Assistant.doc
  • Lydia Talbot Janice Travel Corporation Travel Coordinator Sales Manager.pdf

A detailed and specific filename can be a unique way to give employers more information to look at before they actually open your resume file.

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