I started this website to help me find a new job. As part of this endeavor I have sent out the web address to my colleagues, family and friends. The result has of course been helpful feedback on ways to improve my resume. Most of the suggestions fall into two categories. First, reducing the content to a single printed page and cutting out things like my tutoring and soccer coaching. Second, that my resume seems very general and I need to more specifically talk about what I want to be doing. These are good suggestions, and are certainly something I considered heavily when creating the site.
So why not implement these changes? I struggled with this and I think that part of the reason is that there is little precedent currently available for an online resume. There are your standard job posting sites, but I have the freedom and ability to create a site that does more than just display a list of facts in the shortest form possible. I want a site that allows me to really sell myself. The idea is to create something that an employer can visit and really learn who I am, what I have done and why I am an excellent employee.
Granted the current site is a bit basic with a longish resume, rotating recommendations from colleagues and links to some of the web development work I have done. But I want more. I want to post videos that introduce myself, articles on cool projects I have pursued and project success stories. Part of this drive arose from a set of interviews with an employer at what I thought was a very cool company. I worked through a recruiter and the recruiter implemented the very suggestions I listed above. During my interviews the company was intrigued about why I hadn’t included cool projects I have worked on. The answer is that I have worked on lots of cool projects in my free time and they don’t fit into a standardized resume. How do you fit building a head tracking system with the Wiimote, or a website I created for tracking my business and personal expenses, or a computer that fit into a slimline dvd player chassis and hooked up to my tv, or well you get the point. I will make blog entries for some of these cool projects.
So this is what I think an online resume should include – everything that sells you. You have a unique opportunity to present as much information as you want through an online resume. The visitor has a choice to decide whether or not they want to learn more about you. Make certain that your landing page is clean and uncluttered and provide links to content that expounds upon you as an individual. Sure my website includes the fact that I tutored and coached soccer, but that is important to me. The tutoring shows I have been formally trained in communications. The soccer coaching shows that I was responsible and capable of managing a large group of team members, handling finances, organizing road trips and maintaining the respect of my peers for three years. And certainly I could limit myself to only development jobs in a specific space, but I don’t want to limit myself. I have a lot of talents and I can be successful in any number of jobs. Why should I be limiting myself?
I want to wrap up by saying that I don’t think my online resume is my entry point into a company. I still believe that the best means is to submit a concise resume and cover letter specifically targeted for a position. However, you should feel free to provide a link to your website and allow them to explore you as an individual. If someone happens to come upon my resume through the web, my blog or a reference then everything plus the kitchen sink is here for them to check out.
Really nice posts. I will be checking back here regularly.