Are Resumes Still Important?

The year is 2024 and there is a reason why we are still writing old school resumes. Just as we did a decade ago. And a decade before that. However, the style and to some degree the purpose of the resume have changed and I will dig deeper into this below.

“Yes!”, resumes are definitely still important

Let me start off by saying that “Yes!”, resumes are definitely still important. However, their role has changed somewhat during the last decade or so. I’m saying somewhat because their main purpose is still to get you to the job interview 

But... 

Resumes are now (also) about the right keywords

That’s right. Adding the right words in the right places in your resume is a thing. These words are called keywords and they should match exactly what is listed in the job ad. Why? Because more and more companies out there use Application Tracking Systems. The so-called ATS. Basically, this means that before an actual human being sees your resume it will have been through a piece of software. This software takes apart your entire text and searches for specific keywords.

Infographics, videos, slides etc cannot replace the good ol’ resume

Infographics, videos, slides etc cannot replace the good ol’ resume. The ATS simply can’t read them. And if the ATS can’t read them, chances are they won’t get far in the process and all that hard work you put in will have been a waste.

While the old fashioned resume admittedly does have its faults (for instance there can be inaccuracies and some are even downright misleading) they do remain the one tool to rule them all. At least when it comes to comparing candidates. For the recruiter that’s all that matters.

How your resume plays a role in your online presence

Aside from the whole ATS readability, your resume also plays a part in supporting and giving credibility to your online presence. Because (gasp) the recruiter WILL do a google search on you.

Thus, it is crucial that your resume goes hand in hand with for instance your LinkedIn profile (since this is probably where a recruiter will look first). For this reason it is also important to keep your LinkedIn profile updated. For more reasons why you should definitely create a professional resume, hop over to this article: 7 Reasons Why You Need a Professional Resume.

Key takeaway

This post is drawing to an end but I want to sum up the most important takeaway:

Yes, your resume is still important in your job search

Yes, your resume is still important in your job search. Searchability is the absolute keyword here. You have to make sure that your resume is searchable. That means no infographic, video, or slide can stand alone. Ever.

A good and professional resume is crucial for your job search. We know that a lot of people out there don’t enjoy creating resumes. That’s why we created our resume builder to help just those people. If you want to try and give our tool a go, you can do so right here.