Graphic designers, musicians for hire, artists, freelancers, and creative-types of all sorts are creating visually appealing nontraditional résumés that make great impressions on list sites and magazine articles, but how well do they perform as tools for landing a great job? Some of these graphic designers need a creative résumé just to get noticed, but some of the other types of nontraditional résumés out there might be too cute for their own good.

Employers may take a look at a nontraditional  résumé and deem the applicant creative, but not ideal for the job. Some employers may even think that the applicant may expect a higher wage than they want to pay.

There has to be an acceptable situation for submitting an artistic and creative résumé. For example, an applicant who wants to use a custom-made nontraditional résumé may find a better audience at a convention or conference where they might meet employers in person before submitting their résumés as opposed to more conventional submission such as mail or electronic submission.

I found this interesting résumé which fits in a pants pocket, is comprised of multiple, visually appealing pages. Its a creative fascicle résumé of sorts.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/masterfully-creative-resumes?utm_term=1hjmhin&sub=2074355_968064

This individual could pass out this résumé at a conference or convention and enjoy the advantage of an informal meeting as well as seeing a potential employer’s immediate interest upon flipping through this résumé/mini portfolio.

A highly creative, nontraditional résumé might not work so successfully if employers perceive the document as self-important. Employers may be looking for a good team member instead of an all-star and if a highly talented individual crosses the line between professionalism and showing off, his or her résumé could prove  a disadvantage.

I found this interesting ‘prezume’ which uses Prezi’s storytelling qualities to communicate this woman’s value, experience, skills, interests, and goals without appearing self-praising. She uses terse and concise language to articulate her value but also uses a video, photographs, and slides dedicated to showcasing her accomplishments. Her Prezi communicates that she is accomplished, well educated, professional, and creative.

http://prezi.com/n9_rf88c7ozd/kelly-hook-prezume/

Resumes have seen some dramatic changes in the past few years. Especially with all the technology available to us today, job seekers are constantly finding new and different ways to set themselves apart from the rest. One way this is done is through creative resumes.

Rather than the standard one-page list of skills and experiences that is the format traditional for a resume, people are starting to use different mediums and taking more visually appealing approaches than ever before. Someone looking to go into graphic design, for example, might benefit greatly from having a visually appealing resume filled with designs they created. Similarly, someone in video production might benefit from a video resume.

But because fields like writing, English, literature, linguistics, and even journalism are largely about text and content, these eye-catching resumes may be irrelevant to aspiring professionals seeking employment in one of these fields because they don’t communicate linguistic skill.

So, what do you do if you are seeking to appeal to the linguistic mode of your potential employers rather than the visual?

One way to incorporate writing skill into resume materials is through the personal biography. Because this element is mostly text and can be brief or detailed, it is a great opportunity to show writing prowess. For example, a poet looking for work might write,

“I went to Stanford U,
Where I learned to write haikus.
I graduated in 2002,
And now I want to work for you!”

Meanwhile, a creative writer might submit something like this:

“I stood triumphantly with my diploma in one hand, waving to the crowd with the other. My journey was finally complete, or so I thought. But really it was just beginning.”

Another way to optimize your professional presence for writing is through social media. This applies especially to blogs, which can be a great place to showcase your writing skills. So long as your posts are well-articulated, seamlessly edited, and non-controversial, blogs can be an easy and widely-accessible way to show your writing chops.

Of course, even in writing-based professions there are still some visual elements to be considered. Playing with text and layouts can get you noticed while still showing off relevant skills. Use of attention-grabbing colors, unique fonts, eye-catching text effects, and appealing spacial designs can be beneficial in making your resume stand out at first glance. Examples of resumes using text-centered approaches are below.

Although I am not sure that a creative resume would be the most advantageous, given my career plans, I like the distinctive folded paper and infographic options for alternative resume styles. As I become an actuary and enter the risk field, my professional presence is mostly influenced through networking and the information contained within my resume ( Resume Guidelines: Actuarial Science). Of this information, the most crucial part is what actuarial exams I have passed or plan to sit for, the skills and knowledge I have gained through internships or previous jobs, and leadership roles in relevant activities. I think an infographic or origami resume could highlight this information quickly while being creative, easy to read, and concise.

I think a creative resume would certainly set me apart from the competition, but only to make me more memorable not necessarily give me a leg-up on the competition; I will have a better chance of securing the job by passing more exams. However, an infographic could easily draw the employer’s eye to this score and other important information by giving the information its own box and emphasizing it with color and pictograms. Infographics seem to be the closest to a simple black and white, word processed resume, as would be more appropriate in a serious, data and information oriented environment than a word cloud or movie poster. The infographic shown below is, in my opinion, a good example because it is colorful but has a unifying theme (of pink) and is easy on the eyes. The sheet is not crowed and it is easy to identify the different sections such as skills or contact information.

A creatively folded resume is also acceptable because it can simply be your regular word processed resume folded in a clever way

or your resume can be sectioned off and folded so that the shape highlights different important aspects of your credentials.

The first origami resume, which is folded like an envelope, would be the best option because, like a business card, it can be carried around and given to an interested party without being cumbersome the way a piece of paper or exceptionally 3-D folded resume would be.

Penn State Smeal College of Business. Resume Guidelines: Actuarial Science. Retrieve September 14, 2014. http://ugstudents.smeal.psu.edu/careers/documents/resume-rm-actuarial