Hello Everyone!
As you might imagine, I spend a lot of time perusing what is hot, new and happening as far as job search trends, and what the new school “thought leaders” are putting out there.
One thing I keep seeing is how print resumes and CV’s are going (or should go) the way of the dinosaur. The folks pushing this want everyone to rely on video presentations and/or social media presence and branding.
I don’t doubt that these things can and do work but, in my view, social media and videos have some major drawbacks:
1) Hurting your chances and exposing a company to EEOC violations because protected characteristics are now exposed, and can factor in a company’s decision to interview you or not. The last thing you want is non–germane things influencing the hiring process. HINT: For this reason I advocate not sharing your social media accounts with prospective employers.
2) If you are the introverted type, doing a video is going to be difficult, and may not put you in the best light.
3) Some of you have very complex backgrounds, and the first person seeing your video is likely to be someone with an HR background, not a scientific one. If you make their eyes glaze over, your chances of being called in for an interview diminish greatly.
For these reasons, the written word is still the most effective way to communicate your value. You still need to do a good job with it, but in my view, the resume will never go away because:
1) Writing things down forces you to be concise and specific.
2) A ten second glance at the top half of the first page of the resume can say more about you than a three minute video (If yours doesn’t, you need to call me).
3) Even after all of the effort you might expend on video and social media, the hiring authority will STILL ask you for the resume. They will do this for two reasons: one, to have a written summary about you they can refer to; and two, to see what you’ll commit to on paper. The written word is considered to have more “weight” than anything said in conversation.
As always, the way I advocate is much more labor intensive, but is also highly effective.
Until next time, I wish you all the best.
Coach Tom
Thomas Patrick Chuna is a certified Five O’Clock Club job search coach, teaching their proven methodology to private clients in all fields and disciplines. I will teach you to apply the methodology to YOUR specific situation. Find me at linkedin.com/in/patrickinternational
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