What is the Deal with the Resume?

The all-hailed and all-dreaded resume is the traditionally omnipotent job hunting tool – a piece of paper where, in one page or less, you must prove that you are more qualified for a job than anyone else.

In recent years, some people have predicted that the resume as we know it will fade out of existence. As technology pervades more areas of more people’s lives and takes progressive steps every day, college students are wondering if the resume has become unnecessary and useless. Has it?

You might think, with the existence of YouTube, Google, Facebook, Linkedin and Myspace, that the resume would have died a quiet death in the corner. However, this is not the case – nor is it even close to the truth. Even though technology has changed drastically in the past 30 years, the resume still holds a key place in the world of hiring. Companies may be taking resumes in different mediums than before, such as electronic submission, but this does not mean the resume is gone.

Hiring pros need something they can quickly scan to help them determine if you are a good fit for the company. This is why you still need to make sure your resume is up to snuff. The truth of the matter is that the resume has actually grown in value despite what some people may think. With today’s increasingly competitive job market, you need a killer resume more than ever to speak for your skill, intelligence, and experience.

A resume is the quickest way to get an overall picture of an applicant, and that is what busy employers who are looking to make a good hire are looking for. Searching for you in Google, follow-up interviews and reference checking have their place, but you’ll never reach those steps if your original value is not proven through your resume.

http://blog.brand-yourself.com/2008/the-resume/