Maybe it's different for creative types and/or small businesses. But there's no way I'd try to use that professionally. You said it yourself, you have no work experience and want to pad it out. People that have to read and process resumes are going to think that too. If they've taken the time to read and decipher your resume only to find it only deals solely with your personality and not your actual work skills....they're probably going to be a little miffed. Like, my office would probably get a kick out of that resume, because we're a small, off-beat software company that just wants motivated people, and that example definitely says you're motivated. We might even hire you (although our graphic design person would probably have a field day with that.)
But places that are doing serious business and are busy generally don't have time for that level of whimsy. And there is such a thing as coming on too strong.
Your resume gets compared thusly:
Candidate 1: I've got 3 years interning in this industry and two years working professionally with X. I'm competent in XYZ, and have worked a little with A, B and C, and am willing to learn anything else.
Candidate 2: I've got 6 years of experience in this industry, 2 of those as a manager of Z people in Y department. I'm highly qualified in A,B,C and D, and have mild familiarity with E, F, G and H.
Candidate 3 (You): I've got no work experience. But I've got layers.
I remember doing the agonizing over the resume thing in my past too. But my experience (which I admit isn't a shit ton) is that it's usually not your resume that gets you the job. It's you, in the interview. Your resume is there to get you the interview. I've gotten jobs with no work experience because I presented well in the interview, projected confidence that whatever I didn't know I could learn or figure out. And my resume was just like everyone else's, and I always felt like I lacked any hard experience when I applied for anything except kitchen jobs.
So when it comes to resumes, the easiest way to not get that interview is because of your resume. Either because it lacks or it's got waaayyyyy too much put into it. It's the kind of thing people are going to love, or hate. I'll admit, I saw a lot of resumes like this in college prep classes, as examples of what really not to do. Again that's the conventional wisdom, but colleges don't teach it because it doesn't work.
Again, maybe it's different in the entertainment/creative industry. What you should probably do is get familiar with the places you're thinking about applying to. Gauge their level of "free thinkingness" or whether they're more straight-laced. Like, if you're applying to a graphic design firm, people usually expect a portfolio. I suppose you could make your resume your portfolio but.....well, again that kind of looks like padding if you don't have any real work to offer up. It's kind of shocking to go into the real world and see how well some people do their jobs, and makes you realize pluck sometimes just ain't enough.
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Topic: The Visual/Infographic Resume (Read 2336 times)