When we look around at the changes that have occurred in communication within the past decade, the focus appears to be upon brevity and accessibility of information. More specifically, when communicating with others, we often avoid traditional methods for such options as email, social media, and texting to convey information. Recent studies reveal the following about the two most widely used electronic communication venues:
- A.C. Nielsen study in 2013 reveals that approximately 423 billion texts messages are exchanged monthly, with nearly 50% of those sent by individuals under the age of 35.
- The Radicati Group (California based) conducted a comprehensive study regarding electronic communications in which they revealed that there are greater than 89 billion business emails sent and received daily.
Since there has been a definitive shift in how we connect with one another, this is certainly a factor to consider for professionals in career transition or considering change in the near future. Since the resume has been viewed as the “cornerstone” of the professional marketing agenda in the past and modern communication has changed dramatically in recent years, the question may be asked about the usefulness of a standard or traditional resume.
“The more things change, the more they stay the same” is a phrase that comes to mind, one that can be traced in origin to a similar saying "nothing changes too much”, a translated proverb used by the French novelist Alphonse Karr (1808-90). I share Karr’s premise which is that amidst change within any area of our very existence the most essential elements will remain as a constant. This is can be applied to the resume as well, the calling card for professionals no matter where they may be along their career path. Make no mistake: your career is very much like a path in which you can see where you have been, where you are at present, and a vision of where you wish to go.
Ultimately, your resume should be a statement that defines your worth in the marketplace. Regardless of how much things have changed in the world of general communication, having a resume that is customized to fit your “personal brand” is not a concept that is extinct. Instead it is essential. Within a business marketplace that is highly competitive, you must make certain that you possess a resume that depicts your experience, your skills, and what you can offer. In order to ensure that you have that essential building block (resume), the services of a career professional can provide the foundation and direction necessary to move your campaign forward.
As a professional career consultant who has observed both change and a greater need for preparedness now more than ever, I can state with confidence that each professional must possess specific tools to launch into marketplace. Therefore, since the concepts of professional individualization and branding are far from extinct and critically important amidst a world of perpetual change, so remains the need and importance of the resume!
