What's Up With Resumes?

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In this episode...

What's Up With Resumes?

https://faithfulontheclock.com/whats-up-with-resumes

In the past, paper resumes were standard fare. Today? People don’t even know whether to submit one, let alone what to put on them. Episode 58 of Faithful on the Clock clarifies what’s happening in the resume space so you can put your confusion to rest.

Timestamps:

[00:05] - Intro

[00:29] - People still are using resumes, but they’re becoming a digital search tool. This means you don’t have to worry so much about traditional elements and should focus more on including relevant keywords and key phrases for the job you want.

[02:20] - One of the biggest resume-related trends is to have candidates do AI-based testing during the interview process. These tests set out to discover the skills and ways of thinking you have that are relevant to the company and fit their operations/team. They can open additional job opportunities if properly used.

[03:47] - Candidates are using three big resume alternatives. These include LinkedIn profiles, video resumes, and professional websites.

[06:24] - Personalization still matters. If you can submit directly, make sure you’re customizing your resume or alternative to the company. It’s good to have both a generic and customized version of your material.

[07:17] - It’s critical to be truthful on your resume, not only because God values truth, but because it can be risky for your career and legal standing to commit resume fraud and lie. Don’t envy or be upset with people who lie, because it ultimately will bite them in the end. 

[11:03] - Some people recommend sending gifts with a resume, but I personally don’t like that advice. It can come across as too much like a bribe, and it prevents people who might not have good financial footing from competing fairly. If you must use this method, don’t be exorbitant and try to make the gift relevant and clever.

[12:02] - In general, just follow the rule that you should adjust your materials based on your sense of the business before you apply.

[12:18] - Prayer

[13:03] - Outro/What’s coming up next

Key takeaways:

• People are still using resumes, but more as a way to be found rather than assessed. Because they’re more like filters now, it’s not quite as important as it used to be that you have a specific formatting or aesthetic. Keywords and keyphrases are what counts.
• Companies are leaning heavily into AI, not just to find the traditional resumes, but also to assess applicants in the work setting. The AI testing allows the companies to see how the applicants compare to existing employees and whether they have the right capabilities for the position, rather than using past experience to assume a match. Ultimately, this might open more opportunities and be fairer to workers.
• In addition to AI, companies are looking at resume alternatives such as LinkedIn profiles, video resumes, and professional websites. These each have their pros and cons, but broadly, think about how you can take all of your alternatives and create better backlinking for improved online ranking.
• Personalization is still important if you are applying directly, regardless of your format. I try to recommend that people create a generic version to post to job sites and then more personalized versions based off the initial resume.
• Resume fraud is extremely common and can tempt you to lie when you apply. Despite how many people go this route, make truth your foundation. This doesn’t just protect you legally and professionally. It ensures that you are acting in the spirit of God, Who finds lying abominable.

• The risk of a little white lie on your résumé
• Resume inflation | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
• 5 alternatives to the same old resume - Workable
• 5 Online Alternatives to a Boring Resume
• Are Resumes Still Relevant? - TurningPointExecSearch.com
• The Resume Is Dead. Here's What Innovative Companies (Including Tesla) Are Using to Hire Instead

CTAs:

• Update your resume. 
• Create at least one resume alternative to use.
• Take some time to research new companies and create customized resumes for them, just for practice. If it makes sense for your circumstances, go ahead and submit what you build!

What’s coming up next:

Monitoring employees can protect businesses from legal issues and help companies find ways to improve results. But what exactly can companies monitor, and how can employees and employers come to an agreement about what will be tracked? That’s in Episode 59 of Faithful on the Clock.

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