The Daily Machete: RESUMES: The Next Great Resume Trend

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The Daily Machete: RESUMES: The Next Great Resume Trend

RESUMES: The Next Great Resume Trend

Posted by Mike Thomas at 4/21/2008 6:59 AM and is filed under RESUMES

Resumes have traditionally been chronological, beginning with the most recent job and going backward. For many years, all resumes had objective statements, too. But then many switched over to functional resumes and summaries in lieu of objectives.

Recently – over the course of the past five years – resumes have also had to become more searchable. Stacking resumes (top loading them with buzz words) is still in vogue. So is using SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Obviously, resumes follow certain trends. So the question is this: what's the net great resume trend? Here are a few possibilities:

Snack culture resumes. Snack culture resumes have all the impact of a full resume but with a fraction of the words. They're designed as a tease – not to tell everything. By giving an employer a little taste – but not a full serving – of the good stuff, many job seekers have obtained more interviews. Since hiring managers don't like to waste a lot time, snack culture resumes may well be the next great resume trend.

Online profiles. Profiles on LinkedIn and FaceBook have served many job seekers well. Online profiles on both sites include where you've worked and where you went to school. The level of detail in some online profiles is staggering. Many smart job seekers have already gotten ahead of the curve and have listed their duties and accomplishments. Online profiles-as-resumes could be the next great resume trend.

Paperless. Many – if not most – resumes are emailed and uploaded to companies' websites and job banks. As a result, some feel paper resumes are on their way out. Combine that with employers' newfound respect – and use – of social networking sites to find prospective hires, and you've got a convincing argument for total absence of paper being the next great resume trend.

So, if there are three contenders to the throne to be the next great resume trend, then which one is going to be the eventual victor? That's a good question. There's enough evidence to make a convincing argument for all three. The best course of action, then? Hedge your bets and implement all three into your work search.

IN THE CARAVAN: The next great resume trend could be snack culture resumes, online profiles, or totally paperless. To hedge your bets, bet on all three.

LATER TODAY: Showing Reserved Pride (Podcast)

NEXT MONDAY: Keeping Your Resume In Front of Employers

Check out last Monday's posts:
RESUMES: Alignment With Postings
RESUMES PODCAST: Three Resume Proofreading Tips

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