Is the Resume Dead?

John Krautzel
Posted by in Career Advice •


Several industry disruptors have declared the resume dead over the course of the past 20 years. When Monster.com came onto the scene in 1999, it said that resumes were no longer needed because no one would have to mail a paper resume to employers. In 2003, LinkedIn claimed its profiles made resumes obsolete. Discover why your resume still matters and why you should compose a great one.

Supplementing Current Technology

Employers have several tools at their disposal for gaining insights into your credentials, skills and experience. They can look at LinkedIn and contact previous employers or see your recommendations. They can see your social media connections and LinkedIn favorites to review what skills you possess and where you worked in the past. Background checks also show where you lived and worked. Your resume summarizes all of this modern technology and gives employers the context they need to see your data come together.

Verifying Skills

Your resume allows employers to see the truthfulness and validity of your skill set. According to your LinkedIn profile, you have skills in programming JavaScript and the certification to back it up. A resume should include that top-level skill if you're applying for a tech job where computer coding is an important asset. An employer can dig into your social media for the ways you demonstrate your skills with JavaScript.

Length of Time

Your resume creates a certain time element when it comes to skills and experience. In a career summary section, you can show that you have 12 years of experience with JavaScript, while your social media posts may not demonstrate that skill as effectively. It's important to put into context the fact that you have several years of experience versus only just starting your work with a particular skill. Did your experience come from 12 years of full-time work or 12 years of doing things two hours per week on a volunteer basis? A resume demonstrates this information with your career summary section and a timeline of relevant previous employers.

Achievements

Achievements on your resume, using verifiable hard numbers, happen with particular employers and in specific roles. Your document gives an employer a chance to see how your skill set comes into play over the course of your career and your most recent and relevant positions. Achievements are great, but when did you accomplish them and how? This context is important for hiring managers.

Why Resumes Matter to Employers

Social media, artificial intelligence software and LinkedIn profiles offer great tools to see your relevant skills, but a resume summarizes everything into a neat little package. An employer must be able to see what skills you have, the timing of those skills, and what you accomplished with your skills in a particular environment to know if you're the perfect fit for the position. That's why companies use resumes as an effective evaluation tool to determine a person's viability for a position.

Your resume may not look like it did 10 years ago thanks to modern technology. However, formatting a relevant document is still important even though employers can find out plenty of information through Facebook, applicant trackers, online applications and LinkedIn profiles.


Photo courtesy of Photo Your Space at Flickr.com
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Cynthea W. thanks for your comment. It is true that every resume writing service offers different advice and to revamp your resume. Bottom line is that your resume got you into your former position. So all you need to do is update your resume with your last work experience and update any skills or education you may have since your last resume was done. Sure everyone would love to skip the resume. Unfortunately, however, the only way to get into a position, unless you know someone who knows someone, is to submit a resume and wait for a response. The world is so different today - even from just two short years ago. The majority of companies are now using ATS. If your resume does not make it through the company's applicant tracking software, you are not going to get called in for an interview. Companies won't even allow you to drop by and leave a paper resume. They will tell you to submit it online so that it will go through the ATS. If your resume does not fit the job qualifications, it will either be discarded or moved to a resume bank within the company. And you more than likely won't get the standard "thanks for your resume but another applicant had the qualifications we were seeking" or something along those lines. So, the resume is the most important weapon you have to get in for an interview. Then you can tell them your history in person.

  • Cynthea W.
    Cynthea W. •

    After I was laid off in 2016, I was told to revamp my resume. Just recently being laid off this summer, I was again told to revamp my resume. Problem is, every resume writing service offers different advise on how-to, format & context. Total 180 from two years ago. I would rather skip the resume altogether. In-person Interviews are the new wave. I find it easier to "tell my history" in-person than to try define on a single piece of paper.

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