Capture Real-World Career Insight & Advice That Will Prep You for The Big Time

The Evolution of Resumes

I'm going to guess that most of you saw the video resume of Aleskey Vayner. You remember the senior from Yale who created the video resume as a unique display of his talents and personal philosophy about success to share with the most respected global financial institutions in the world? Vayner's video was maligned as being fake, egotistical and quite possibly a joke. So, where did he go wrong?

According to a couple of recent posts about PowerPoint and video resumes, they can be created to effectively communicate your skills and expertise without being considered over the top, or a complete waste of time for your potential employer to view.

So what are the rules for venturing into this new realm of resume delivery?

First of all, stay true to the point of a resume. Videos and PowerPoint presentations are, by their nature, distinctive so there is no need to go overboard in demonstrating creativity, innovation or willingness to go the extra mile. The resume format will speak for itself.

Second, resumes are about presenting your skills in a more generalized form, to show that you at least qualify for the position in question. Personal opinions about the road to success and team building are best left for the actual interview.

Another issue to consider is the fact that, although we function in a digital age, technology is not fool-proof. If you do choose to try out these new resume delivery platforms, be sure a hard copy or Word document accompanies your Hi-tech resume.

If all else fails, and you are not sure whether or not PowerPoint, video or any other multi-media outlet is best for your job search, you can always try something really crazy... like paper.   

Getting Your Dream IT Job

Often in the minds of us IT workers, the job of our dreams means working for the "big guys." You know who I'm talking about... Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! to name a few. But as was recently discussed in a post on JobSyntax, finding the technical career of your dreams may not land you at the big company you thought it would.

The post suggests finding a company that you love and not assume a major technical player is where you belong. I couldn't agree more. Working for a big player doesn't guarantee a straight shot to career success, and you may be overlooking important benefits that can be harder to find at larger companies.

The reality is smaller, non-technical companies can often offer you more opportunities to specialize in specific technologies, provide you greater responsibility sooner, and match the lifestyle needs that can significantly influence your job satisfaction. You wouldn't be the first well-qualified, talented worker to choose a smaller company over a big player because you valued the flexibility, informal dress, telecommuting program, or decision-making ability that comes with working for a smaller organization.

So, before you limit your job search to the big players, take these points into consideration. Carefully research companies that you think may fit your idea of the dream job. Talk to current employees of the organization, read their financial statements, annual reports or check out any blogs they may operate - these will all give you an inside look into their corporate culture and help determine if it's the right place for you.