Is The Resume Extinct?

Given how quickly technology and many industries are changing, many job seekers are forgiven for thinking that the old stalwart of job interviews is no longer relevant. But many recruiters and employers say that a resume remains as pertinent to a job application as ever. Your resume remains the best way prospective employers have of comparing and contrasting the qualifications of applicants. That doesn’t mean that we’re saying you should follow the same resume approach that your parents did. In fact, we’re not saying that you should follow the same resume path that you might have a decade ago. Paper resumes have gone the way of the passenger pigeon. There are now so many different kinds of resume writing software packages on the market that picking just one is almost as daunting as applying for the job itself.

A pre-packaged, polished resume that you can quickly email or even post on the Internet seems very attractive. And once mastered by a job seeker, this resume software can save a lot of time. But does it impress recruiters and employers? That depends. While “digital portfolios” were once a novelty, most companies now accept them as a fact of life. Some employers even now require them to be submitted using specific formats and software, to make them easy to enter into company systems and track. But are employers impressed with what they see on the resume themselves? The extra bells and whistles that can be included with a digital resume may not hurt, especially in certain fields. But employers uniformly agree that they want to see certain items on a resume, regardless of how technology driven they become. Keep reading to make sure you haven’t left any of the following off of your digital portfolio.

1. Who Are You?

Are you a mechanical engineer by trade? Do you advertise at professional gatherings as a wildlife biologist? Do your current business cards say “videographer”? Employers want to see how you professionally identify yourself without having to dig through reams of information for clues. This identity should proudly be displayed at the top of a resume.

2. Job Identity Accomplishments

Don’t mistake this for a full job history. This is a quick five or six line summary of why you (or any employer) would be proud to call you a videographer. Here’s where you mention accomplishments and awards. Neither exaggerate nor be modest here. This section also appears at the top, and it’s how an employer often decides if they want to bother to keep reading.

3. Sell Yourself

Employers are aware you want a job. Leave room on this resume to make sure they understand why they want you. This should summarize your experience and accomplishments and tailor it to the needs of your prospective employer.

4. Other Strengths

Employers want to know what you could bring to the job besides the obvious. It’s a given that as a wildlife biologist, you know how to conduct surveys. But are you a great mediator? Have you been employed as an unofficial supervisor in another job? That volunteering to run the annual clothing drive in your last post could be more useful than you know.

5. Contact Information

Yes, people have lost out on fabulous jobs in the past because no one was able to reach them. Include multiple ways to communicate with you.

And personal information has no business being on a professional resume. Your new employers will have plenty of chances to learn all about your little quirks and troublesome relatives after they hire you.