I believe that while traditional resumes are still very important, more companies are starting to consider more nontraditional forms as well, especially those such as social media.  However, the issue I find most prevalent in nontraditional forms of resumes is that people tend to forget that even though the method may not be similar to that of their fellow applicants, there is no need to deprofessionalize it (if that’s really a word).

Keep your social media and any other pages that might be open to the public free of photos you would have hesitations about employers viewing, and monitor your friends’ posts on your wall carefully. The worst thing that you could do is to give mixed signals to your employers by providing a clean and polished resume and appearance at the interview, but having photos posted on your social media pages of you partying with alcohol and something that you can’t quite pass off as a cigarette.

Furthermore, if you plan on creating something such as a video resume or a graphic, make sure that it remains classy and business-like.  Don’t get carried away with neon colors or a cluttered layout. Graphic resumes can be a fantastic way of helping you stand out in the crowd but keep them sleek and clean.

For example, an infographic that uses a visual timeline of your employment history instead of merely a list of dates might better illustrate your experience in relation to how long you have been in the work field.

Use your LinkedIn profile- this is the place to expand your resume into something a little more robust or add on projects and accomplishments your resume may not have room for.  The projects portion of LinkedIn allows you to link certain websites or files that provide samples of your skills for future employers to view when glancing over profiles; this gives them an idea of what to expect, and sets you apart from other applicant who have not used this function.

Video resumes are very nifty, but apart from ensuring it remains professional, also keep in mind that because it is very short, it will most likely be supplemented by some form of traditional resume.  Be careful not to overload video resumes with extraneous details, a basic timeline with your contact information and goals should be sufficient. Your linked-in or paper resume will fill in the details for the major points.

Works Cited

“The Anti-Resume: Is Non-traditional the New Answer?” |Vault Blogs|Vault.com. Web. 13 Sept. 2014.

“Does a Non-Traditional Resume Limit Your Odds? [INFOGRAPHIC].” Mashable. Web. 13 Sept. 2014.

“Examples of the Different Types of Nontraditional Resumes.” About. Careers. Web. 13 Sept. 2014.

For me the issue of lying on a resume causes mixed feelings. I am studying HR administration for Hospitality, so I know that as an HR manager, I would hate to see someone lying on their resume, but as an employee, I feel that sometimes carefully worded phrases that show you in the best light should be acceptable. As Carol Goman claims in her article, small white lies are forgivable and sometimes even expected of applicants, however major lies are more often than not caught and you will have to face the consequences.

I think there is a certain extent to which it’s okay to stretch the truth, if and only if you are confident that you can exceed expectations for the job. Small lies can usually swing two ways- either people feel empowered by their lies and keep lying, or they work even harder to make sure that they are the best they could possibly be.

For example, if I exaggerated, let’s say on an application for a field in journalism and I claimed to have managed a team of writers for the news beat while also doing production design, when I have no production design experience, and the job I was applying for asked for someone with production design, then I would seriously be in hot water. They would find me out, and likely fire me, with a mark on my record saying I was fired for dishonesty.

Even stretching the truth to some extent has its risks. You have to ask yourself- ‘If these new employers call my former boss, will she back up what I have put on my resume?’. This can be anything from your salary to your duties. It’s all a matter of calculating the risk and wording your resume accordingly.

While I’m sure most of us have experience with stretching our resumes, you need to make sure that what you’re writing sounds reasonable, and instead of creating skills you don’t have, enhances the skills you do. Please, do not be like the football coach from Notre Dame who claimed he held a Master’s degree when he did not. Such lies are blatant and will likely result in termination.

Personally, I believe that if you even stretch the truth on your resume, when you get that job, you should work as hard as you can to prove yourself good enough, and better than any of the other candidates who may have been considered for the position. Again, stretching the truth a little bit is one thing, and is acceptable in minor circumstances, but big lies are never a good idea, and should definitely not appear anywhere in the workplace.

Vass, Lisa. “Lying on Your Resume: How Far to Stretch the Truth.” Lying on Your Resume: How Far to Stretch the Truth. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Sept. 2014.

Gorman, Carol. “The 10 Most Common Workplace Lies.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

Bucholz, Chris. “The 6 Most Effective Ways to Lie on Your Resume.” Cracked.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014