Gone are the days when choosing card stock was an essential part of the resume process. Sure, you probably print out a couple couples of your CV to bring with you to job interviews, but for the most part, resume distribution takes place electronically. Thanks to social networking, LinkedIn in particular, formal resumes — even electronic versions — are less important than they used to be. Will there ever come a time when we do away with them altogether?
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In short, probably not — or at least, not in any time in the foreseeable future.
“Written resumes are no longer mandatory for most positions, other than management ones, but resumes still can be handy,” Mary Such tells The Great Falls Tribune. Such is the human resources executive for Target in Great Falls, Montana.
On the other hand, executive positions, especially at the higher levels, always require a written CV. For others, career counselors say, writing out achievements and goals is the form of a resume is always good practice. It’s easier to remember why you’re a good candidate when you’ve just seen it printed out in black and white.
For the time being, the world of job searching isn’t so much abandoning the written resume as it is branching out. Depending on your industry, you might need to demonstrate a solid Twitter presence, for example, or the ability to get the hiring manager’s attention through a well-crafted video, rather than relying solely on a list of your skills and certifications.
The goal is to understand the culture and requirements of your occupation and industry, as well as the employer itself.
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Do you think written resumes will outlive their usefulness, or will they always be part of the job-searching process? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
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