Having a social resume is becoming very necessary in today's job search. It's a great way to promote your personal brand and get an employer's attention.
So, what's a 'social resume' anyway? It's basically an online version of your resume that appears on a social networking site like LinkedIn or on your own personal domain or website.
"The goal is to use [your social resume] in conjunction with social media for maximum exposure," says Kristin Johnson of Professional Direction. "This is a popular option for job seekers who are working to improve their online identity and personal brand."
Here's an example of a social resume platform, Career Cloud:
Cool, huh? But why are social resumes necessary in a job search? Here are four great reasons:
1. It Helps Employers Get To Know You
Having a social resume is important because the people that are hiring want to know what you are like, according to Chris Russell of Career Cloud.
"Your paper resume is what you did, but your social resume is who you are," says Russell. "Employers and recruiters are increasingly scanning candidates social profiles to evaluate them against company culture. They want to know if this person will be a 'good fit'. The things you like on Facebook, your tweets, blog posts, and so on, are all clues for them to make this determination."
2. It Makes You Stand Out
"If you can present a clean, polished look with your knowledge, skills, and abilities online, it could set you apart from the competition," says Amanda Haddaway, author of
Destination Real World: Success After Graduation For New And Soon-To-Be College Graduates. "It's also practical to take a paper copy of your resume with you to an interview. In many interview situations, there won't be a computer available to pull up your social resume, so it's best to have old-fashioned paper."
3. It Keeps You Relevant
According to Kathy Ver Eecke of
Working For Wonka, if you're applying for a job with a startup or small business, it's in your best interest to have a social resume.
"Entrepreneurs are more interested in what you can do for their company tomorrow than what you did for someone else's company yesterday," she says.
She suggests focusing on getting all your information online (wording in a way that specifically speaks to the interests of the startup you're targeting). Then, hitting 'em from all sides - "like" them, tweet them links to your social resume, retweet their stuff, comment on their company blog. So, get social!
4. It Allows You To Show Off
Social resumes also allow you to flaunt more of your accomplishments. With a regular resume, you're only limited to 1-2 pages of tightly focused content.
According to Ben Eubanks of
Upstart HR, you can utilize the space in your
LinkedIn profile to elaborate on key project roles, accomplishments, and other information that wouldn't squeeze into a resume.
"It's not going to make or break your job search," Eubanks says, "but why not take the time to set it up for networking purposes and to entice potential employers down the line?"
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Cool, huh? But why are social resumes necessary in a job search? Here are four great reasons:
