Infographics and Resumes
Kent R.
Infographics are becoming very popular. They quickly communicate a wealth of information in an engaging and creative manner. Personally, I think they are fantastic. So... Why not use an infographic as a resume, right? Well, hold on for a second before you decide.
Last week, I was on a recruiting panel call with a number of other people. One person on the call wanted to share the resume of a highly qualified candidate. It happened to be in the form of an infographic. Here's where things get really interest. All but one person on the call thought the resume was great – clever, engaging and dynamic. Conversely, everyone on the call agreed that there was no way the resume would hold up through the recruiting process.
There are really two issues:
- Resume screening software: Most of these programs can't effectively parse infographics and would likely disregard them (meaning it might never get seen).
- The employment landscape: The current job search environment (and many individuals hiring within it) simply aren't ready to see this type of resume.
As I said in a post I wrote about including hobbies on a resume, you have to consider your audience. I can tell you that – although the job search landscape is changing – the typical corporate recruiting environment is still in a place that would view this approach as gimmicky. For now, you should stick to a resume that incorporates powerful content but sticks to largely accepted resume standards. Here's what you can do:
- More and more, progressive companies are asking for creativity on your resume. In that case, go for it!
- If you are in Design or a creative field, consider bringing an infographic resume to the interview as a "leave behind" - something that allows the interviewer to see your work in action.
As I say over and over throughout this website, your ideas and your creativity will matter more and more as HR and the hiring landscape continue to evolve.