As Unique As You Are: A Guide To Non-Traditional Resumes

3 September 2015
 Categories: Business, Blog

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While all job applicants should have a traditional resume in their arsenal, sometimes having an additional resume can offer you flexibility. Here are some of the non-traditional resumes with the most potential to help you stand out as a candidate.

Business Card Resume

Mini resumes are small enough to fit on a business card. The contact information is normally on the front, while a brief summary of skills is on the back. These are ideal for a candidate who is networking in unusual places.

Video Resumes

Some people can describe themselves better in person than on a page. Video resumes allow hiring managers to see the candidate before the interview. These are ideal for individuals who are charismatic. Most video resumes are only a few minutes long, so a traditional resume is needed as well.

Personal Websites

Online resumes are gaining popularity, since they allow candidates to show off more information in a short space. These may have multiple pages describing objectives and skills, and often include a portfolio and traditional resume on the site. Personal websites are ideal for candidates who need to show off their skills, rather than just list them, especially in fields related to web design.

Social Media

For those looking for a job in social media, using related platforms is an excellent way to highlight your proficiency with the programs while listing your skills for future employers.

Infographic

Traditional resumes are graphically boring, something that puts those in a design field at a disadvantage. One of the newest resume trends is using infographics as a format for a resume. Candidates turn their qualifications into pictures or graphs and present the information in an interesting and dynamic way to gain the attention of prospective employers.

Other Really Unique Resume Options

If all of these are still too traditional for you, here are a few other tactics that have landed individuals jobs.

T-Shirt Resume: Instead of handing out resumes, some people have started putting their resume on the back of a T-Shirt in hopes that someone looking for an employee might see it.

Online Product Description: When you're applying for a job, you're trying to convince your employer that you are worth investing in, right? Some people have taken this a bit further by creating product description pages, complete with references as reviews.

Billboards: Not picky about your future employer? Try putting your name, picture and contact information on a billboard. You'll be sure to get someone's attention.

Product Placement: You probably own a pen with a company's name on it, right? Some job hunters are taking the same approach and are putting their names on products and then handing them out to future employers. It's a unique way to make a statement and make sure that the hiring managers think about you.

There are plenty of ways for a candidate to stand out from the crowd. These are just the start of non-traditional resumes; new and innovative ideas are sure to appear in the future. Using one of these tactics alongside a traditional resume is a fun way to make sure you are considered for a dream job. Talk to a recruiting agency, like Employee Relations Associates Inc, to learn more.