What Is An Infographic Résumé?

As infographic résumés have gained popularity over the years, many questions have been raised by job seekers. The biggest question is, “What exactly is an infographic résumé?” The follow up question to that is, “Should I be using one?”

In simple terms, an infographic résumé (sometimes referred to as a visual résumé) is a visual representation of your history and skills.

Rather than writing out your entire background in text, these types of résumés use images such as graphs, charts, and icons to tell your story. Here are some basic examples of what an infographic résumé might look like (click image to scroll):

Orange Blue Simple Infographic Resume.png

Orange and Gray Bordered Infographic Resume.png

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Infographic résumés are visually appealing to viewers.

Because many applicants are submitting résumés, on LinkedIn, with lengthy blocks of text and no images, an infographic résumé can be a visual relief to the hiring manager. Instead of trying to skim through a large paragraph, infographics allow the reader to quickly see what is most important about you as an applicant and set you apart.

Who exactly should use an infographic résumé?

Anyone can use a visual résumé, but that doesn’t mean you should. Typically you will see these types of résumés in creative fields such as graphic design, marketing, or PR. Doing so not only helps you stand out as an applicant, but it also can be a great way to showcase your artistic abilities and design skills.

While infographic or visual résumés may be tempting to use, most job seekers should stick to the traditional résumé.

Many employers now use online software to screen applicants in the early stages. If the computer cannot pull the proper information from your résumé, it may end up in the virtual rejection pile. Using infographics may actually end up hurting your chances at employment if not used correctly.

However, that does not mean you cannot use graphics in your résumé. If using a visual résumé is important to you, consider keeping two résumés: a traditional document you can upload online for employers using screening software, and a visual document you can attach separately to your application or take with you to interviews.

If you’re worried your traditional resume isn’t going to cut it, think again.

Even in creative fields, a traditional résumé can stand out. Trust us - we’re experts! If you’re ready to get your résumé revamped so it can stand out from the masses, schedule a consultation with us today.