A traditional resume is so limiting. It doesn’t allow you to really tell your story. So why not supplement your resume with a visual resume or “presume.”
Here are some more reasons to consider supplementing your work portfolio with one.
- You build online content, which is search-able and find-able on the web.
- You demonstrate your creativity and communication skills.
- You differentiate yourself.
It is a noisy world, filled with distractions and short-attention spans. I am not suggesting that everyone who sees your presume will click through every slide, but…just maybe, it will catch the attention of the right person!
Plan Your Story
You don’t need technical skills to create a stunning presentation. Basic PowerPoint familiarity is all you need. What you do need is a plan. In my new book, The Infographic Resume (McGraw Hill Education, 2014), I include how tips for creating a memorable presentation and include a couple of different storytelling formulas.
Before you start throwing words on a slide, create a storyboard or outline of how you want your presentation to flow.
Remember, the story you tell isn’t about YOU. It is geared towards your future employer. So think about what their problems are and how you’ve solved similar problems. What makes you special or different from the thousands of other people with your qualifications?
Create Your Presentation
You are going to put this presentation up on SlideShare. Here are the types of files/programs SlideShare accepts.
Finding great visuals is also important. You will find 3 great resources for photos here.
Next, pick 2-3 fonts that aren’t boring.
And finally, make sure you include a link to your LinkedIn profile and other profiles you want to feature.
Naming and Keywords
Now you need to name your presentation appropriately. Obviously, your name should be included. Job title would be nice too. You could also include presume or resume, but that isn’t vital information. Here is what the settings will look like.
Naming is Critical
Selecting the right category ensures it hits the right audience. I would recommend Business over career.
Your Description has to be compelling and keyword rich. You have 3000 characters. Use them well.
Use Tags reinforce keywords, search terms you want to be found for. You can use up to 20 tags.
As a free user, your SlideShare upload will have to be Public.
Sharing
Embed your presentation in your LinkedIn summary! And share across every social network you belong to! Make your status update interesting, don’t just say, “Here’s my presume” or “check out my new resume.” Instead, ask for feedback from your network or ask them to share it if they like it!
3 Visual Resume Examples That Rock
There are many examples of these presumes on SlideShare. So feel free to search for more, but these three grabbed my attention.
Example 1
What I liked about this presume was the simple impact of the graphics and the questions asked up front. He’s done a very nice job showing his impact in previous jobs. The bonus is his video at the end. Video can be tricky. Though he sounds a little stiff, you still get a sense of his professionalism. Obviously, this presentation and video took a lot of work, which shows his dedication.
Example 2
His presentation is fun and conveys personality. It is loaded with photos of himself, which is Ok. He includes the types of problems he solves and overall, his slides kept me clicking along! By the way, he missed the opportunity to describe his presentation. I think this would help.
Example 3
At last count, this she had over 3,519 views. This could be because SlideShare chose the presentation resume as “featured.” (A possibility for any presentation shared here)
Shared on Facebook 20 times, LinkedIn 27 times and Twitter 2 times.
Did I Say These Were Share-Able?
Who cares about you most? Your network. Instead of asking them to circulate a boring resume, ask them to share your presume instead!
Re-Cap
- Tell a great story with great visuals.
- Focus on your target audience (needs/wants/desires)
- Use the right keywords in the title, description, and tags.
- Embed it into your LinkedIn profile and share, share, share!