FINE
LINE: CVs get shorter; include video capsules and embedded web links, but too
much jargon doesn't work Mohit Saini, an IT professional in a leading
multinational bank, is in the last stages of salary negotiations with a
potential employer. He made the cut in the interview and credits it to his
60-second 'video resume'.
All
he did in the video was highlighting his skills and make a case for why he was
fit for the job. “During my MBA I learnt how to prepare an elevator pitch and
this was similar.
Times
are changing and there's a paradigm shift in what employers are seeking,” says
Saini. In
times of an upswing in the job market and social media blitzkrieg, the
traditional curriculum vitae or CV is undergoing a radical shift. In a bid to
stand out, CVs are getting more digital, shorter and crisper, with interactive
video capsules, embedded web links in the word document, high-profile names as
references, and an emphasis on soft skills. Some are even ditching the
traditional word document format for power point presentations.
“The
concept of interactive video CVs, prevalent in the West, is picking up in
India.
Candidates
are assessed and their profiles are shortlisted basis the synopsis presented
through such mediums,” says Ashok Ramchandran, director HR at Vodafone India. Saini
built his video resume through Jobma, a multimedia job search site for
executives and employers, which invite candidates to build a video, resume telling
their story and being in control of their first impression. Job seekers can
create a 60-second video for free, and there is also an option to upgrade to a
premium membership for $5 per month, which allows them to build three videos.
Jobma
also has a career advice blog, with posts on auditioning for a video resume,
and why video CVs are essential. “Employers aren't just reading resumes
anymore,” says Mandeep Sodhi, founder and CEO, Jobma, which has around 20,000
registered members.
The
resume is also getting shorter. “The talent market is very aggressive again,”
says Preethi Madappa, director of HR, Intel South Asia. On account of
competition, a resume has evolved from being a three to four page document to a
single page document highlighting what a candidate is good at.
“Job
seekers increasingly provide a succinct career summary, rather than an
objective or mission statement,” says Sarabpreet Singh, head, recruitment, for
learning and talent at Citi. Personal details, such as marital status and
addresses are also absent from most resumes,“ he adds.
“With
candidates becoming more creative, we have also started seeing powerpoint
versions of resumes,” says Madappa, which is attested by Dinu Nanjappa, head of
early talent and University hiring at SAP for the Asia Pacific region and
Japan.
“Candidates
now attempt to showcase well known and high profile names as references,” adds Nanjappa.
Highlighting
interpersonal soft skills is also gaining greater importance. “Soft skills have
always been important for a global organisation like ours. But, we have
observed that prospective employees also understand the importance of this
skill set now,” says Samik Basu, chief human resources officer, Pepsico India. Ramachandran has been getting CVs emphasising emotional quotient, conflict management
skills, coaching and mentoring
“Job
seekers increasingly provide a succinct career summary , rather than an
objective or mission statement,“ says Sarabpreet Singh, head, recruitment, for
learning and talent at Citi. Personal details, such as marital status and ad
dresses are also absent from s most resumes,“ he adds.
“With
candidates becoming more creative, we have also started seeing powerpoint versions of resumes,“ says Madappa, which is attested by Dinu Nanjappa, head of
early talent and University hiring at SAP for the Asia Pacific region and
Japan.
“Candidates
now attempt to showcase well known and high profile names as references,“ adds Nanjappa.
Highlighting
interpersonal soft skills is also gaining greater importance. “Soft skills have
always been important for a global organisation like ours. But, we have
observed that prospective employees also understand the importance of this
skill set now,“ says Samik Basu, chief human resources officer, Pepsico India. Ramachandran has been getting CVs emphasising emotional quotient, conflict
management skills, coaching and mentoring abilities, and influencing and
decision-making skills.
Embedding
web links of other social media platforms or blog posts where their work has
been highlighted is also happening increasingly.
“The
look and feel is more digital. Whatever candidates put on portals like LinkedIn
is also being put here,” says Krish Shankar, head of human resources for South
Asia at Philips.
All
these add-ons can make a positive impression in the minds of employers. “As an
employer, gaining visibility of the person's interests and professional
conversations is a highly effective way of determining his or her fit within
the organization,” says Ravi Shankar, chief people officer, Mindtree. A person’s
thought-posts, links to work portfolios, direct client testimonials and
references such as those on LinkedIn add credibility provide a more authentic
and deeper understanding of the person, he adds.
At
new age companies and startups like Taxiforsure and Jabong, job seekers are highlighting flexibility, result orientation and influencing skills.
“Candidates
are getting more creative in their approach to drafting resumes. They are also
attaching additional details like whitepapers,” says Ashu Malhotra senior VP,
HR at Jabong. If
all this works in favour of a candidate, here’s what does not: excessive
repetition of achievements and overuse of certain words.
At
Philips, recruiters look out for overused words like ‘strategy’ to ensure
candidates are not just seeking attention.
Still,
there can't be a one-size-fits-all approach, says Kunal Sen, senior VP at
TeamLease. “We do a get a few creatively rich CVs, but recruiting systems
haven't evolved that much yet, and they can't easily pass through an
application tracking system,” he adds.
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