The Future of Resumes and Job Boards

The resume is a tool that no one likes–job hunters hate writing them. People who screen them like me dislike them because they say a lot of nothing.

Some have suggested the future of resumes may reside in video. My firm is evaluating a new service that, in addition to doing traditional applicant tracking and functioning as a data base, would allow us to provide targeted videos to clients of questions they deem appropriate for them to assess. It is an interesting idea but I think it will have some problems.

Some suggest LinkedIn can become a new version of a resume (BTW, if we are not connected on LinkedIn, send a connection request to me; BTW, I do not accept them from third party recruiters). LinkedIn already offers resumes in the form of your profile that firms and recruiters can download.

For me, when I think of the future of resumes, I think of how an employer will be able to incorporate what is called “Big Data” to know a lot about you and be able to reach out to you.

So imagine that there are servers that are constantly searching the web for information about people and what they do, have done, written, etc that are able to identify linkages between people and constantly updating this uncategorized data.

Imagine that they are looking for data on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and obscure services, too. They know what you’ve posted about ideas related to work and the Presidential election. They see your jokes and who your friends are, as well as which Zynga games you play online.

Yes, I think big data is coming to job search, sooner rather than later.

Thus, before you post that next photo or hyper-critical remark. THINK whether you wanted your employer or your NEXT employer to read it or not.

© Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter 2012