Historically, resumes have been a critical part of the hiring process for employers and candidates. They have allowed candidates to highlight who they are and what they have done, and allowed companies to review a candidate’s qualifications and experience to narrow the interview pool.
Some companies, especially those in tech or marketing, are skipping the resume today and asking candidates to send links to their “web presence,” such as a Twitter account, LinkedIn profile, blog, or even a short video that demonstrates the person’s interest in the job. While standard fare is still to request a resume, this trend may be a prelude to future hiring.
Why might this practice grow?
Some in HR and staffing management say resumes can be flat, meaning they hide the person’s personality and lack depth. Others say the cookie-cutter approach to resumes hides diamonds in the rough. Instead, say firms using the web presence request, they can learn much more about a person using this technique, see if they are a social fit for the company, or even use the links as an opportunity for the person to demonstrate their command of this environment, especially if it pertains to the open position.
A PR and marketing company we work with in Boulder recently posted a web design position. No need for a resume, they said, just send us a link to your online portfolio. In their opinion, if a person does not have an online presence, it would indicate they are not serious about the position they seek to fill.
Additionally, while some firms still solicit resumes, they may not be viewing them in the traditional top-down approach. In fact, we recently read that Google, which hired 7,000 last year, has a fleet of recruiters who sift through the thousands of resumes, and one practice was to read the resume from the bottom up. Google, it seems, is interested in what hobbies, nonprofit activities, and quirky details a candidate possesses to estimate whether the person would fit into the company’s culture well.
For job candidates, it is important to consider whether the position you seek may ask for these links now, so you can adapt and build out your portfolio in a different way, or to consider rethinking your resume so you do not bury important information at the bottom.
Do you think resumes are relevant? Why?
To read an interesting Wall Street Journal article on this issue, click here.
Since 2004, Experience Factor has been placing the best employees in the best jobs in Colorado. We offer many recruitment solutions, including temporary staff, direct hires, and contract-to-hire staffing.