E-mailing resumes on the rise.

• Position: Your Life - Brief Article

Job seekers are putting away their postage stamps and hitting "send" instead. A survey of executives by Accountemps, Menlo Park, Calif., a specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, concludes that 56% of resumes are submitted electronically--a 22% increase from three years ago.

"With a good strategy, job seekers can use e-mail to conduct an ambitious, highly targeted search that vastly increases their odds of finding a position," notes Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Job Hunting for Dummies. "Resumes should be easy-to-read and tailored to the opportunity. The closer a resume matches the qualifications an employer is seeking, the greater the chances of getting an interview."

Messmer offers these tips for applicants to ensure their e-mailed resumes stand out:

Target your resume. Do not broadcast it indiscriminately. Select positions that fit your credentials and customize your resume to the opening.

Make it computer-friendly. Format your resume in plain text so that nearly every computer can read it. Many employers use software programs that can scan...