Social Media has Become the New Resume

John Krautzel
Posted by in Career Advice


Do you think your resume is just a boring piece of paper? As Oscar the Grouch says, "Ding dong, you're wrong." Gone are the days when your resume is just a list of your education, previous employers, accomplishments and skills. Instead, a resume portfolio includes dynamic aspects of social media that change constantly. Rather than updating your vital document every few months, you can update it instantly thanks to online resources.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is, perhaps, the most helpful social media to use when it comes to your job search. Easily add to your resume portfolio by uploading a document or visual media piece. You can also add links to your connections, share your thoughts through a video or slideshow, and upload presentations that you completed over the course of your career. LinkedIn is a one-stop gathering place for business professionals.

The platform is also a social media outlet to increase your network. Post a blog and create content to add to your profile. Make regular contributions to show you are up to date with issues that concern your industry as it demonstrates your passion for your career. Reach out to people who comment on your content. Start talking to relevant groups in LinkedIn, and find new connections through these discussions.

Pinterest

Pinterest is much more visual, and this social media outlet is a great way to share infographics, visual presentations, screenshots and artwork. If you created a winning advertising campaign, share it on Pinterest and include your contact information at the bottom of the post. Pinterest provides a fast way for people who share the same interests to find each other.

Twitter

Just about every company has a Twitter account. Forward-thinking, larger firms have Twitter accounts for the human resources department. These corporate social media accounts offer an easy way to keep up with current news about a prospective employer. However, it might be more prudent to reach out to individuals at a company. Follow and tag the person responsible for hiring you or a potential supervisor. Once you make these connections, take part in Twitter discussions that affect your chosen field.

YouTube

With YouTube, show off your personality in one of the most popular audio-visual mediums on the internet. A video does more than a piece of paper or a Twitter post simply because your personality comes through on the video. When you talk to your future supervisor on the phone and walk into the interview room, everyone should expect to see the person in the YouTube video. A short video, maybe two to four minutes, represents a fantastic way to expand your resume because you can show your soft skills in ways that a text-based resume cannot.

Social media offers you tons of opportunities to easily update your resume without having to rewrite the entire document. In the ever-changing and highly competitive job market, adding regular posts to Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn might make the difference between landing a great job or being held back.


Photo courtesy of Brantley Davidson at Flickr.com

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