Emerging Trends in Résumé Design
The course mentions URLs in the header of a résumé, QR Codes, and "Search Me" buttons as emerging trends in résumé design. What emerging trends have you observed other than these?
I have noticed some but not many students using info-graphics on their resume.
I have also seen an increase in adding a LinkedIn and/or Indeed accounts to a resume
Hi Viola,
Do you find that these privacy concerns are of higher concern due to age of your typical student or some other unique demographic variable? Also, do you find that students who are interested in entrepreneurship also have privacy concerns or are they more inclined to promote themselves and/or their business in order to get business?
Robert Starks Jr.
Most of the resumes that I'm seeing are not yet using URLs or anything mentioned.
One of the big issues for our students is that they don't trust having their information out in public so they are reluctant to set up sites like LinkedIn. They seem to have a more privacy concerns than I have encountered in other markets.
Other than websites,URLs I've seen someone have a link to their blog.
Hi Madison,
Do you students communicate particular reasons why they prefer not to have an online presence indicated on their resume? I'm curious of the logic they explain given the importance of online presence and the advantages it can offer in terms of bolstering one's professional image/brand.
Robert Starks Jr.
Some of our students shy away from using URL's unless they are going into business for themselves.
Hi Vanessa,
That's what I suspected!
Robert Starks Jr.
Okay, you've got a point. :-)
And, actually, I should have thought of the online presence as a trend since I actually created a workshop for our students about how important having a good online reputation is because employers are looking at that as part of the screening process.
Hi Vanessa,
Certainly, some trends are more prevalent in specific industries but I think it is a bit more accurate that online presence is a trend more so than to characterize a trend of the use of "LinkedIn." When you think about the impact of online presence alone, we really see multiple trends including social media background checks, new ways to research companies to tailor resumes and prepare for interviews, new ways to network, new ways to learn from experts, new ways to contribute and/or show expertise in a given field, etc. All of these trends stem from online presence and new social tools alone have had a huge impact on career marketing. I'm thinking that you have probably seen more trends than you realize when you think about it :)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Vanessa!
Robert Starks Jr.
To be honest, I haven't really seen any emerging trends in my office (other than, as someone else pointed out, LinkedIn), but I really like the idea of URLs in the header of the resume. Especially if the resume is an electronic one.
I'm not sure how effective QR codes will be in resumes, at least right now, simply because most people don't really know what they are. I know that there are websites that are free to use to create a QR code and free cell phone apps to read them, but I think a URL would work better in a resume, even a hard copy one.
I do think QR codes can be a great idea for business cards. The reason being is this, most of the time, if you're someplace where a business card is your primary source of information, it would be fairly easy for someone to scan the QR code and be taken to your professional profile. I think this would work especially well at job fairs, career fairs, etc. Hopefully, there would be tech savvy people there who would know what a QR code was.
I really don't know much about Search Me buttons at all.
This is all new to me and very exciting - can't wait to learn more and share with our students
Honestly, I have not noticed any emerging trends. My primary position is that of instructor and externship coordinator so I do not typically see many resumes come to me other than what the students complete.
