In a world where technology seems to be dominating over traditional elements of our lives, such as the way we get our news and how we read our favorite books, it seems as though paper resumes will eventually disappear too. With the individual’s digital footprint on sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook, and all types of online portfolios, many question the sustained validity of the paper resume. That being said, many IT companies are trying new approaches to recruiting the best and brightest.
Consider for a moment the purpose of a resume. Companies want to get a snapshot of a potential employee’s abilities. While the trends for new types of resumes are always in flux, many industries accept new, creative visual ways to showcase talents. The trend for a narrative has taken shape in recent years. Take for example the IT company KeepSake, decided to experiment with their existing hiring practices. The concern was interested talent could not get through the filters or compete with the educational backgrounds of many of the applicants they were seeing. Instead of traditional resumes or CVs, they asked for a narrative that highlighted the individual’s best project.
Out of more than 400 applicants, the company had a massive amount of work to do by reading through not just a characteristically easy to read dossier on a person’s career but a story. Certainly the variety of writing ability and style were tremendous, but what really happened is a closer, keener eye was put on the candidate. The company embraced this new model and still enforces this strategy for new talent because they were happy with the end result.
The knowledge and preparation of a staffing company with attention to client needs and high levels of service cannot be replaced. Their methods are always being tested and assessed. After all, the determining factor for hiring quality people with a solid fit for the company’s culture and values remains the expert, human element. This means that being open to the many varieties and techniques job seekers are using to rise above the crowd is becoming more crucial. Whether it is an infographic resume that appeals to the data and visually based audience, or YouTube videos or Slideshare presentations, there is no shortage of new ways for candidate’s to showcase their accomplishments and credentials.
At Software Resources Inc., we understand and welcome the evolving staffing landscape and we pride ourselves on connecting talent with technology to deliver results.
