With the first professional résumé having been written by Leonardo Da Vinci back in the fifteenth century, it comes as no surprise that the humble résumé is overdue for a makeover.
These days job-seekers are able to apply for an array of positions at the tap of a button, and recruiters and hiring managers are able to discover more about candidates through the advent of the digital and social web.
How you present yourself in CV format is more important than ever as the competition to stand out from the pack goes beyond standing out in a pile of printed résumés.
At some point in the hiring process you are likely to still be asked to provide a traditional CV, but it’s getting a head start that online tools are able to create for you.
1. LinkedIn
I would argue that if you care at all about your personal brand, then you should have a completed profile on LinkedIn.
I’m the first person to tell you that being on LinkedIn is far more than just having an online CV, but at its very core, this is still fundamentally what LinkedIn offers.
LinkedIn profiles rank well in search - google my name and the first thing that comes up is my LinkedIn profile – and is amongst the first place recruiters consult when looking for talent. Whether you’re considering new opportunities or not, an up-to-date LinkedIn profile is a must for anyone serious about their career.
2. Visualize.me
Visualize.me turns your traditional résumé into an online inforgraphic that in one-click can visually represent your career and experience to date.
Pulling in data from your LinkedIn profile or other social networks, this tool is quick and easy to use. With a range of different styles and templates, the site allows you to view sample ‘Viz’ résumés, such as Co-Founders Kenneth Lee, Hannah Wei, and Eugene Wu.
With a vision of wanting to be the future of résumés, Visualize.me is definitely a tool to consider adding to your branding arsenal.
3. Pure Resume
Pure Resume are a relatively new Australian start-up whose point of difference is that they offer résumés created by designers, designed to impress. They create beautiful Word résumé templates that will make you stand out from the crowd, with the option to purchase the matching cover letter template. What I really love about Pure Resume is their helpful writing and interview tips throughout the templates, and they are also planning to launch a résumé copywriting service in the near future. Given that many sites still require you to provide a résumé in Word format, this ticks the box and still gives you a stunning résumé that will set you apart from the pack
4. Video résumés
Whilst I personally shudder at the thought of putting together a video résumé as a job application, if the role you’re applying for requires you to demonstrate creativity it can be a clever move.
If you do decide to give a video résumé a go, make sure it’s well-thought out, relevant, and not cringe-worthy. Consider the viral nature of video – you don’t want to be that link that is shared for all the wrong reasons.
One of my all time favourite video résumés is that of Graeme Anthony, which has been around for a few years now but remains impressive none the less.
5. About.me
About.me calls itself a personal web hosting service which offers users a simple platform for which to link multiple online identities such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, and more. About.me believe that you should ‘own your own identity’ which should be both ‘portable and universally accessible’.
About.me allows you to create your personal homepage and also offers analytics that show you who is visiting your page, what they clicked on, and where they came from.
What do you think about using online tools and technologies when it comes to job seeking? Do you still think the traditional CV has its place?