Present Yourself

Chapter 7. Recruiting, Hiring, and Getting Hired

REGARDLESS OF YOUR PROFESSION and industry, the traditional résumé or curriculum vitae is alive and well. But here’s what is new: your résumé versus online presence isn’t an either/or situation. A full professional presence requires both. They complement each other and can be supplemented with a visual résumé and portfolio.

Your Traditional Résumé Belongs on Nontraditional Platforms

A quick way to get a hiring manager’s attention is with data that reflects your success in previous positions. One way to get that attention is to depict your success visually. For example, provide a snapshot of that data with a bar chart or graph inserted as an image in your résumé. Don’t be tempted to clutter it with detail. The goal is to provide an easy-to-read snapshot view of what you have achieved.

Winners of the Career Directors International Résumé Writing Contest demonstrate that a traditional résumé layout, primarily with text copy, is the preferred method for more traditional professional positions. Donald Burns won first place in the 2011 Toast of the Résumé Industry™ (TORI) résumé writing competition for his crafting of Jean-François Laurent’s résumé. This traditionally formatted résumé included a small bar chart that is indicative of a growing trend. Even traditional résumés contain a visual quickie to catch the viewer’s attention. By the way, Burns also won first place for Jean-François Laurent’s LinkedIn profile.

In contrast, Cheryl Simpson, ...