Resumes of the Future

Although the purpose of a resume remains the same year after year, you need to keep up with resume trends that change the way hiring managers want to see the document formatted or delivered. If you are looking for a job, follow these resume tips to make your application materials shine.

One of the biggest resume trends of 2015 shifts away from lengthy resumes that share a lot of detail about each previous position. Unless you are applying for government jobs or faculty positions at colleges and universities, your resume should not exceed two pages. Better yet, try to keep your resume to one page by including only the most relevant information necessary.

Hiring managers now use social media to check out potential employees, so don't send out paper resumes and assume you don't need to do anything else. Davitt Corporate Partners analyzed several studies on the creation, distribution and consumption of resumes. The company found that one of the biggest resume trends of the year is the use of social media to streamline the hiring process. LinkedIn is one of the best places to create a profile, but you should also be using Twitter and Facebook if you want to connect with potential employers.

The use of infographic resumes is a trend that tends to stir up a lot of controversy. An infographic is a graphic representation of data, so this resume format is ideal for candidates who have a lot of concrete achievements to share with hiring managers. Infographic resumes are not a good idea if you are applying for jobs in a very conservative industry or if you need to explain your achievements in words instead of numbers and pictures.

Of all the resume trends currently affecting the job market, video resumes are probably the biggest departure from the traditional resume format. Davitt's analysis found that 89 percent of hiring managers are willing to watch video resumes. Watching a video is a great way to determine if a candidate is outgoing enough for a sales job or has the presentation skills necessary to excel in a corporate communications position. After you record your video, upload it to YouTube, and link to it in your cover letter.

Finally, nearly 80 percent of hiring managers admit to eliminating an applicant from consideration due to the use of an unprofessional email address. If you use a free email service, set up an account that uses your first and last name, or your first initial and last name, as part of your address. Don't send resumes from SexyLexy42@gmail.com or Partygirl1@yahoo.com.

If you want a hiring manager to take you seriously, you need to be aware of current resume trends and know how to use them to your advantage. Follow these resume tips to ensure hiring managers focus on your skills and achievements.

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