Visual Resume – what and why?

By Ruan Almeida

Do you know that only 2% of applicants for a job position get the interview? Researches show that recruiters spend less than 6 seconds deciding whether your resume or CV is worth a second look. So, it’s crucial to present something that will catch the potential employer’s attention to the point that they will actually look through your resume.

Today, a rising concept like that of a Visual Resume can be key to reach the goal to stand out from other candidates in front of prospective employers. A Visual Resume is a document that contains graphic representations of your key highlights and skills to make better impact. The idea is to replace text by images, so recruiters can know about the main aspects you want them to know about you with a quick look.

The two most important aspects you have to consider when building your Visual Resume are:

• Appearance: Visual Resumes come in many forms – from a document using graphics and icons, to an elaborate video, passing through a power point slideshow. This is your opportunity to tell your story and go beyond the traditional resume. Maps of your career and accomplishments in a timeline or infographic? Sure! Pictures of you? Go for it! This is your prime chance to really showcase the “whole” you. Today’s business culture has already combined work with personal. It’s time to showcase both sides of your story. And since we are on the topic of look and feel, make sure you pursue consistency with everything. This includes your data, choice of colors and even typography. The goal is that this visual resume will spare you from a request for basic information, a phone call or an answered email, leading you to eventually presenting other materials in a formal interview. With that said, take the appropriate steps to ensure consistency across all of your materials, and it starts with the visual resume.
• Content: What are the essentials? Remember, the first piece of you that is assessed by a prospective employer is your resume. It should not seem complicated to the recipient. In fact, it has to be clear and direct! Everything comes down to the first page. And preferably has to be in ONE PAGE. Make the follow exercise: pull out your resume (the standard one) and bold the points in it that you think it's important to highlight. Only the bold text should go to your Visual Resume. Try it, and don't forget to include a link to your Linked-In profile (or personal website where your standard resume can be found) in it. A visual resume is obviously not any replacement for traditional resumes yet but it can certainly help you accentuate your achievements better. Meaning, your Visual Resume can be a way for you to direct someone to go ahead and look at your traditional (and detailed) resume. Therefore they should be a complement, not a substitute.

And here´s the link to my Visual Resume