It is true that finding a full-time job IS a full-time job, especially in today’s job market.

Recruiters, HR and Hiring Managers post jobs and hundreds of people apply. These folks will be the ones who decide whether to ‘reject’ or ‘shortlist’ applications. To stand out from the crowd, we are coming across many job-seekers who are turning to fresh, futuristic ways of presenting their information.

One of the recent trends in job seekers’ presentations to potential employers is a graphic CV. The philosophy behind that is clear – a picture is worth a thousand words. Since the CV is the marketing document that is supposed to present you in the most concise way, there is no better way to display that information than a graphic CV. There have been recent studies that have been shown that recruiters and hiring managers spend on average 30 seconds looking at a CV, therefore it’s crucial that you quickly stand out.

Creative CVs aren't for everyone.
You should always apply in a relevant way to the industry or role you are considering. Are you applying to a creative marketing role, a visual presentation role, a culinary role? Then yes, your audience may appreciate an eye-catching, well-designed CV that showcases your creative talents. Your experience as a controller, a hotel operator, an inventory analyst probably, likely won’t translate well in a graphic format.

The Key(word) to Success
One of the biggest dangers of using a creative CV has to do with something called an Applicant Tracking System or Online Portal.

Most major organization use these programs to screen the first round of CV’s or hunt on potential applicants, and it's not uncommon for flashy, complicated CV’s to be disregarded by the technology. PDF’s can’t be screen in some systems (like ours….)Those tools can’t read PDFs or image files generated by programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop, and those are the formats in which you'll likely save a visual resume. So make sure you still have a trusty old MS Word resume with the same information on it to use when you’re applying online - you still need it to get your foot into the proverbial door.

Get to the Point
If you do decide to submit a creative CV, remember that you should still abide by some basic writing rules such as full name and contact information, dates of your professional timeline and key accomplishments.

Information should be presented in a clear, concise, easy-to-read format.
With millions of job seekers submitting resumes online, it can be hard to make yours stand out. So what if you told your career story in bright colors, charts and pictures instead of just plain old black-and-white words like everybody else? Go for it, but know your audience!