2013 Resume Writing Trends

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A new year has begun and that means new job hunting trends. While the resume has also played an important role, there are also new trends to which we must pay attention. The most important thing to remember in writing your resume is that 2013 is the year of showing, not telling. What are some other resume writing trends for this year?

2013 Resume Writing Trends

If you want to write a resume that will help you stand out, you should pay attention to these tips:

1. Social Resumes

If you are serious about landing a job in 2013, then you’ll have to realize that resumes are no longer static pieces of paper. One of the most important changes in 2013 is the sociability of resumes. Resumes are becoming living entities online. Social Media means that the type of communication between hiring managers and prospective employees has also changed, is more direct and closer.

Prospective employees have the opportunity to interact with, and sometimes befriend, hiring managers before applying for a position. Companies are increasingly likely to use social networks and your social media accounts are now the true first impression.

2. Twitter

The popularity of Twitter is growing astronomically. The good news is that you are probably already on it. Job seekers can harness the power of a tweet by explaining why they are an excellent candidate in 140 characters or less.

Fortunately, you have 160 characters to describe yourself in your Twitter biography. Your Twitter biography section is the online version of your elevator pitch. If you find the task of condensing your qualifications daunting, then you just have to view this as an opportunity.

It is your opportunity to figure out what really makes you different. Brands refer to this as their Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Twitter is your chance to figure out your USP and develop your personal brand. Once you’ve hooked your prospective employee with your amazing biography, then you need to link your website, resume or other professional networking site, i.e. LinkedIn.

3. QR Codes

If you are applying for a technology related position, then QR codes might help you stand out. A QR code is that small, square, barcode-looking image that you’ve probably seen in publications, advertising, and some product packaging. It shows that are aware of technology trends and that you know how to use them too.

It’s not mandatory, of course, but it can be a good way to add some coolness factor to your resume and make it stand out from the crowd.

Some tips for using QR codes on your resume:

• Take into consideration the type of position and the “audience”: QR codes will be more accepted by maketing-oriented employers
• Include your website’s URL in addition to the QR code
• Make sure that the website to which your QR code goes is fully accessible and mobile-friendly

4. Infographics

A picture is worth 1000 words. Infographics are popping up everywhere online and on print. Candidates most likely applying for visual or creative positions can use the popularity of infographics to highlight their qualifications and skills.

Since infographic resumes do not cover in-depth details (they tend to be more simplistic than the standard resume), job seekers can use them to supplement their resume. In some cases, an infographic resume could catch the employer’s attention, but probably they will never replace the traditional text CV.

5. Other Useful Tips

Resumes should always be targeted, specific and quantifiable. Make sure that your resume is not only tailored to the position that you are applying to, but it should also be tailored to the company that you are applying to. Numbers, figures and percentages show what you can do. Quantifying your experience, where possible, also makes you appear more professional.

Hate to break it to you, but the standard “References Available Upon Request” is really outdated. Instead of using that overused phrase, consider showing managers what others have to say about you in 2013. You can pull your strongest third party testimonials and put them at the very top of your resume. The easiest place to find testimonials is from LinkedIn recommendations.

The debate of one or two page resumes continues. If you are making a resume that is tailored to that specific job description and company, then hiring managers can overlook the length. Edit your resume where necessary. Hiring managers are busy and have limited time. An important tip is to make sure that your resume is readable on a computer and another mobile device.

Try reading your resume on a phone or tablet because hiring managers can quite possibly be reviewing your resume on a mobile device. Readability with bullets, bold fonts and short paragraphs matter more than resume length.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

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11 Comments

1. 

   Saurav

   April 29, 2013 at 10:01 AM

   The suggestion was good nd agreeable but some people were nt satisfy with the tips for eg QR Code. i will definetly consider these tips nd lets hope fr better

   Reply
2. 

   TMM

   April 19, 2013 at 8:49 AM

   I have been for over 30 years and here’s my take:

   #1 I would never befriend an applicant or candidate BEFORE they were hired. It’s a bad practice fraught with potential awkwardness – like what do you do if you don’t hire them? So a big ‘No’ to #1. Don’t even send me a request because that just makes you look naive or calculating.

   #2 – agree, you can put a bit more personality into your Twitter bio than on a resume. Be careful what you tweet plus what your picture/icon looks like. You dont’t want to give a bad impression. Consider having 2 Twitter accounts – a personal one where you post all your opinions and a professional one…think about your Facebook profile as well. Either lock it down so I can’t see it or have a personal one and a more professional one.

   QRG codes – forget it, way too techie for most companies.

   For goodness sake, target you resume and cover letter. I often get resumes where the objective is for a totally different industry than I work in. Put that right into the garbage! Who wants to hire someone who doesn’t pay attention to detail and take the time to ensure the resume is correct? (Same with spelling and grammar mistakes).

   Agree with you about references – it goes without saying they are available if I ask you for them. If you can’t provide references, then I’m not interested. I am suspicious of LinkedIn recommendations due to the common practice of mutual recommendations but I will definitely read them and consider them.

   ONe page if you are new to the job force, 2 pages of you have lots of years of experience.

   Yes – please ensure I can read your resume on my tablet or smart phone.

   Company icons on your resume? Reminds me of the guerilla resume method. It’s eye catching so I will pick that resume up to read it so mission accomplished.

   PLEASE no watermarks, fancy paper, coloured background, animation, etc. It looks unprofessional unless you are in a marketing/advertising/entertaiment industry. And even then it screws up some recruitment systems.

   I look for great content, nicely formatted with no mistakes, and a compelling story. Tell me how you made a difference at the company, with clear job titles and dates on 1-2 pages with a professionally worded cover letter targetted to our company.

   You don’t need gimmicks if you’re good. Just remember a resume gets you in the door but your interview makes a world of difference. Even if you have all the necessary qualifiactions for a job opening, you still might not get it if you aren’t a good ‘fit’ for that particular company.

   Reply
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     stephanie

     May 16, 2013 at 5:50 PM

     thank you, this article sounded completley silly to me. thanks for the pointers.

     Reply
3. 

   Nancy S.

   March 26, 2013 at 8:59 PM

   This is an excellent article with a lot of useful/helpful information. I agree with another poster that the QR codes could be problematic, especially when being scanned for “key” words. Otherwise, this was a very useful article. I agree with utilizing Twitter, which I absolutely utilize regularly, and I’m not even in my 20s or 30s, so there.

   Reply
4. 

   Murray Ling

   March 18, 2013 at 6:20 PM

   Nice article, but I’d think twice about QR codes on a resume. QR codes can get your resume rejected by a company’s ATS system….not worth looking trendy to risk missing opportunities. Better use of QR codes would be on the your name badge at a professional conference. :)

   Other advice is very good though. Like the use of twitter.

   Reply
5. 

   Cindy

   March 6, 2013 at 10:01 AM

   What about using some tasteful color in a resume? Maybe a subtle picture as a watermark if you are an athlete or your name, section headings, or page border in a color that is identified with a certain company (ie. red for Target)? What about using company logos similar to how they are used in LinkedIn?

   Reply
6. 

   Leigh Touchton

   February 28, 2013 at 12:52 PM

   Ironic that Chip Rogers first blog foray for Georgia Public Radio is job searching since he didn’t have to search very hard for the position he currently holds. He is making $150,000 a year, a salary paid for by our taxes, and he makes about 3x more than any other producer with his experience at GPB. One producer resigned over his hiring because it is so obviously a political sinecure, aka, cronyism. Shame on Georgia Public Broadcasting for going along with this. I can not donate to a public radio firm that condones this sort of misuse of tax dollars.

   Reply
7. 

   waseem anwar

   February 28, 2013 at 9:15 AM

   i was badely need for such a tips to make my resume better. thanks thanks alot.

   Reply
8. 

   Beth

   February 28, 2013 at 1:11 AM

   Noooooooo on putting your endorsements at the top of your résumé. At first glance, I’m concerned that you meet the minimum qualifications (ie education). I’d rather a bulleted, summary of qualifications tailored to the specific job opening, over personal endorsements. I don’t expect to even see references on a résumé, and recommend not including them for professional positions.

   Reply
9. 

   Jenny Foss (JobJenny)

   February 27, 2013 at 12:40 PM

   Noooooooooooooooo on the QR codes. Oh dear heavens, no. They’ve either very nearly, or completely, jumped the shark. Hilariously, I’ve seen QR codes on resumes that, when scanned? Direct me right to the resume.

   Reply
10. 

    Bronson

    February 26, 2013 at 8:10 AM

    Spot on the money here Jose, I have to agree that no longer is a CV a starchy 2 page document – the world has changed and CV’s along with it.

    Most of my work has come through sites such as LinkedIn, via my profile / resume page. In this day an age your CV needs to have a life online and connect with your other relevent platforms and personas on the web.

    Reply