Are resumes becoming obsolete? Well, not yet anyway. But for those of us that have agonized with both the creation and interpretation of these documents, there is good news. We now have options. A major trend in recruiting aims to replace the resume and streamline the hiring process. Ultimately, creating fewer headaches for everyone involved. I brought this subject up at dinner with a recruiting friend of mine from Deloitte.  Her response was simple…”Sign me up!”

The resume or CV is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters when viewing a candidate.  Job seekers unemployed for the first time in 10…20…30 years feel paralyzed and desperate when drafting their resumes.  As a result, they bloviate and often exaggerate their background (some reports indicate that 25% of candidates lie on their resumes). Recruiters and hiring managers are inundated with more resumes for less positions and no common language to decipher the necessary skills for each job opening.  Enough said…the system is broken. 

Fortunately, as the talent acquisition landscape continues to re-invent itself with innovative solutions, recruiters and job seekers no longer need to rely on archaic methods of expressing their education, skills and experiences. Even the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced a new approach by taking the burden off of applicants for Senior Executive Service positions.  In a pilot program announced earlier this year, thirty-four vacancies used a streamlined, online application process to target core competencies and the remaining positions required a much shorter resume.  As a result, departments such as Homeland Security experienced a 50% increase in the number of applicants.

If moving away from the resume is something that interests you, you might want to consider the following:

• Innovative solutions. I visited My Perfect Gig in Lexington, MA last week and was very impressed with their alternative approach to resumes and expensive contingency search firms. My Perfect Gig offers a self-service platform that addresses both sides of the equation: a deep understanding of the skill sets an employer is looking to fill and the right job match for the candidate. The result is reduced costs, a positive candidate experience, and detailed reports to bring back to your hiring managers. Currently targeting engineering companies such as Raytheon and Emerson and partnering with MIT and other universities, they plan to expand to other verticals in 2009.  Jobfox and VisualCV are two other examples of solution providers that have gained momentum over the past year with viable solutions to replace the resume.

• Leverage Your Existing ATS.  On a call with myStaffingPro yesterday, they demonstrated their “App Builder” which allows recruiters to create forms and templates instead of uploading a resume. Although many of their users also attach resumes, the option to move away from the resume is available.

• Video, video, video. We can’t seem to hear enough about this topic. While many candidates, especially Generation Y, are creating video resumes, I advise both candidates and employers to tread lightly when thinking about video resumes. You can read more on this topic here: http://www.bersin.com/Lib/Rs/Details.aspx?Docid=10338514

• A resume blog? The debate around blogging as a form of resumes started a few years ago and continues to grow. Dave Atkins, recently laid off from a startup in Boston, MA, has turned to blogging as a way to expand his reach and explain his skills and background in a more personal style. (http://www.davewrites.com/)

Although we may not be ready to completely abandon traditional resumes, both job seekers and employers are looking at new tools and new methods to either enhance or replace their existing resume. I imagine this trend will continue to grow in 2009 and would love to hear your thoughts…