On the My Virtual Power Forum Yahoo Group someone posted asking advice about resumes. He said something like “I’ve been reading a lot about the power of a resume….”
That really struck me. It’s funny, I’ve been in job seeker / career management mode for almost three years now. In that time I’ve heard a lot of talk about the resume dying. Is the resume going to die, with all of these new technologies pushing their coolness into the job search process?
The LinkedIn Profile has gained a lot of ground, since many hiring managers and recruiters use LinkedIn. Did you know you could (you really SHOULD) export your LinkedIn Profile as a pdf document? Then, you can email it, print it out, etc. Kind of like what you would do with a resume, right?
What about sites like emurse.com, which allow you to post your traditional resume(s) online? And once you do that, you can point people to your own link, like JasonAlba.emurse.com, where they can see your resume and download it in a variety of formats (if HR wants it as a pdf, fine. If they want it as an html, fine, or doc, etc.).
What about sites like VisualCV, which has heavyweights like Guy Kawasaki evangelizing their goodness? VisualCV allows you to have a very rich online portfolio, including video, images, etc. Think of the LinkedIn Profile, but fun and flashy. Is this going to be a resume killer?
What about something I’m a HUGE advocate of, which is a personal PROFESSIONAL blog? Why should I have to give you my one or two page resume if I can just point you to my blog, where you can see it all, and then some? Will that be a resume killer?
I think all of these are cool, and can be fun. For many people, they can round-out your overall online presence, and help you control what people see if they google your name. They can put you in a different light than what you get on your resume, since you can put rich media, colors, personality, etc.
But I just don’t see these “killing” the resume. Why? Because in the end, HR still wants that traditional resume. They need that round peg that fits into the round hole. The resume is the format that companies are familiar with… it won’t break their system.
I remember when I got my first real job. I was fortunate enough to write my own job description and name my salary. After a few days of negotiation (I got the original salary I named), they finally made the decision to bring me on as the company’s first-ever IT manager. And then they said something that really surprised me:
“Could you please fill out the employment application?”
What??? I thought we went through everything, the decision was made, they had my resume… why in the world would they need me to fill out the employment application (which I didn’t realize people at higher levels do)?
Because it was part of their system.
While you may whoo decision makers, hiring managers and recruiters with all the flashy online stuff, I bet you you’ll still need a resume. If you are looking for a resume review, or ready to get your resume prepared for your next gig, you’ve come to the right place: Career Resumes.
