By now you've probably had it up to here with predictions and what-to-expect articles for the new year. But I hope you can stomach just one more, because a colleague (thanks, Jen!) recently alerted me to this article on resume trends by career expert Louise Kursmark. She offers some interesting insights about the future of resumes and the factors contributing to their evolution.
Pay close attention, because the resume rules we live by now are bound to change over the next few years! Here are a few trends we're likely to see:
Resumes Will Get Shorter and Tighter
Long, detailed resumes won't hold a reader's attention when most other written communications are bite-size text messages or 140-character tweets. The miniaturization of messaging is already in high gear, so keep those resumes focused and relevant.
Online Profiles Will Supplement Resumes
Resumes and cover letters aren't going anywhere, but a good LinkedIn profile will become more and more important as a complementary resource. Recruiters are already using online profiles to vet job candidates, so make sure your searchable information is employer-friendly.
TIP: Type in your name at snitch.name to find out what information is available about you online.
Contact Information Will Be Limited
Full name, street address, home phone, cell phone, email. Is it still necessary to put all that personal information out there on your resume? For now, yes, that's still the standard (though you'll want to hide some of it if you're posting the resume on a public job board.) But don't be surprised if, down the road, resume standards shift to just the essentials: name, cell phone, and maybe city and state.
You'll find the full article on the Career Thought Leaders web site. Meanwhile, we'll continue to follow the trends in resumes and careers, and keep you apprised of the latest developments.
Do you have any resume or cover letter predictions of your own? Do you agree with these predictions? Share your thoughts in a comment below.
RELATED LINKS
10 Old-School Resume Rules That Don't Apply Today