The Digital Resume
Traditional resumes are always going to be necessary. Even if your resume is immediately scanned onto the computer, it is good to have a physical copy. You will want to have a copy of your resume to refer to during an interview. It is also a good idea to offer a clean copy of your resume to anyone who is interviewing you. The chances are that by the time the interviewer received your information, the scanned copy of the resume could be of poor quality and difficult to read. If they do have a physical copy, it has probably passed through many hands. Your resume might have been folded, written on and even damaged. Giving a fresh copy of your resume to the interviewer is an excellent way to start your talk. It shows you are prepared and ready to talk about your history and experiences.
Getting to the interview room can be a long road, and one of the biggest challenges for job seekers is how to stand out. When your only tool was your resume, you were able to buy a high-quality stock paper. You should still do that. Some people would even print their resume on different colors to physically stand out in a pile of otherwise similar resumes.
Keeping Up With New Technology
Technology and the internet have changed the game. Besides your physical resume, the trend is now to have a digital resume. Some people even go as far as putting up an entire website. The benefit of a website comes into play if you are applying for creative jobs. You can have your entire portfolio online to point to potential employers and recruiters quickly.
Using Social Media
Digital resumes can come in several forms. The most obvious being the business-centric social media platform, LinkedIn. With LinkedIn, you can outline your entire work history. You can include other details such as projects you have worked on, causes you are involved with, and volunteer experience. You can also document your entire educational background.
Most employers want to see more than a LinkedIn profile. In terms of a digital resume, they may only be looking for a digital version of your physical resume. A digital version of your resume can even take different forms. Many people will write their resume and create a PDF version of it. Saving as a PDF can be done directly from Microsoft Word, or whichever application you are using. Most apps now allow you to save your files as a PDF. If you do this, check out the final version to make sure that all of the information is still legible after the application does the conversion. If you have a website, place your PDF on your website and make it downloadable for anyone who wants to review it and consider you for an open position.
Your Own Personal Website
On your website, if you are savvier with programming or using a website template, you can create a version of your resume directly on to your site. When you do this, you can hyperlink parts of your resume to other parts of your website that have your portfolio or other examples of your work. Remember that even with a digital resume, you only have a limited amount of time to get the interest of someone. Refrain from making your website too wordy, unless, of course, you are a writer and words are your stock in trade. You have to use your own best judgment. Even if you program an HTML version of your resume, it is a good idea also to have the PDF version ready for download.
Other forms of digital resumes include other job-related sites like Indeed or CareerBuilder. These sites have similar options for uploading resumes as LinkedIn does. Some of these sites will even allow you to upload your resume, and the website will import your education and experience into their interface. Be very careful with these sites to ensure that the data transferred over correctly. Correct any mistakes that you find.
Other websites allow you to create a personal page to highlight who you are, such as about.me. Specially designed for freelance workers and business owners to spotlight their work and for lead generation, a digital resume has a very similar function. Sites like about.me allow you to highlight yourself, providing a brief history a place to link to your website, Indeed or CareerBuilder profile, or LinkedIn.
What About Me?
Speaking of "about me"… on your site, your resume is only one aspect of your website. If you are in a creative field, you will also have your portfolio on your site. Another essential part of your digital presence is the "About Me" page. Right along with your resume, your "about me" page will give you a place to shine. However, remember, looking for a job isn't only about you. It is about what you can offer to a company and your employer. You don't want to spend so much time talking about your hobbies and other things that can be seen as irrelevant to potential employers. Explain, briefly, what you offer your readers.
When writing your "about me" section, don't be shy. Don't be afraid to take credit for accomplishments that belong to you. Explain what you are currently working on and what you are most passionate. Talk about your biggest successes, what skills you bring to the table, and where you see yourself in the short and long term. Most importantly, discuss what you are looking for in your next position. Remember also to write your page in the third person. Use your name. If someone is interested in you, they may copy the text or send your webpage to another person. If you write in the first person and cause someone to search for your name, they may lose interest quickly.
Additional Digital Tips
A couple of more tips about a digital resume: proofread and have someone else proofread your work. Typos happen, but they can be seen as careless. After you write your bio, read it aloud to make sure it sounds as good as it reads. Keep your website up-to-date and add new experiences or new projects to your portfolio. Also, be humble and honest. If you upload a headshot, make sure it is a professional or at least professional-looking picture. That picture from the beach or at the bar with friends is not an appropriate picture to use. Don't just grab a random image from your phone. Plan to have good photos taken and use those.
