<< Back to article listing
Multimedia Resumes Done Right
By Patrick Robbins
In today's digital age, older conventional wisdom about job searching is no longer
relevant. A resume is just a paper document; in most cases it cannot accurately
represent you, your talents or credentials.
A multimedia resume can be an extremely powerful job search tool, especially in
professions where qualifications may hinge on one's presentation of outside materials,
such as functioning web sites or published articles. Supporting documentation for
a multimedia resume may include charts and graphs that show the candidate's history
of success in granular detail, detailed references from clients, colleagues and
employers and examples of presentations or other relevant sales documents that demonstrate
important skills.
Incorporating a multimedia element into a resume can be a challenging task, both
from a creative and from a technical viewpoint-especially if it is being built from
scratch. While there may be some merit in building a multimedia resume if one is
applying for a job as a multimedia developer, in most cases, it would simply not
come off professionally. There is a way to achieve balance however, between "canned"
resumes that cannot completely represent your skills and multimedia resume/profiles
that could come off as inappropriate or unprofessional.
Multimedia resumes need not be flashy; in fact, the most effective multimedia resume
focuses more on functionality and content while avoiding unnecessary use of animations,
background music and video. Unless one's chosen profession is actor or model, the
need for a video presentation of oneself is quite minimal. Some of the most desirable
and effective tools to incorporate into a multimedia resume include:
- PowerPoint presentations, including audio and video when relevant
- Sales files such as proposals, ROI analysis, brochures, pictures, videos, or published
content
- An e-mail link to allow hiring managers to make easy contact and ask relevant questions
- Links to articles, essays or other "tagged" materials for easy online reference
For sales professionals, the interactive, multimedia components of SalesBook.com
provide an excellent opportunity to create a multimedia resume with the existing
framework and tools already built into the site. , while still retaining flexibility
in design and presentation. Members of SalesBook can easily attach multimedia elements
and files from many sources without having any programming knowledge-and also gain
access to other valuable job search tools and the ability to connect with specialized
groups and forums that are relevant to one's field. The mobile element of SalesBook.com
gives the job candidate even more options with the ability to connect to the SalesBook
site from a mobile device.
Download this article
<< Back to article listing