Should we abandon the traditional resume?

As our world becomes increasingly more digital by the second, we may begin to question whether or not the traditional, paper resume is going to cut it in our professional lives. Spoiler alert: The traditional resume still has a place in our society (see automated tracking systems and online applications). However, in order to get ahead consider creating strong personal websites to act as your dynamic resume.

Resume or personal websites are extremely easy to build these days. Look at any of the major website builder companies (Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Wordpress). They all have free options for those of us who want to create a simple page or two that showcase our projects, skills, and work experience. The biggest benefit to the personal website is networking just got easier and a lot more effective. If you hand someone a business card that has a link to your personal website, they can have immediate access to your resume and multimedia examples of your work and skills via this online portfolio. It’s easy to pass along and they’ll likely keep you in mind when openings come along.

Additionally, it’s a powerful marketing tool. Contacts and employers can get a sense of your professionalism and personality from your web page. You’re putting your best face forward with a sleek, detailed web page.

The traditional paper or one-page text resume definitely has a place in your professional career. You’ll need it when it comes time to submit a formal online application. However, the dynamic, digital resume in the form of a personal website or e-portfolio is going to get you much further when networking.