Office team recently surveyed 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees and asked the following question.
“In your opinion, how likely is it that profiles on networking sites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, will replace traditional resumes in the future?” Their responses are below.
I think the survey is interesting, but I wonder if we are asking the wrong question. Is it that online profiles will replace the traditional resume or simply allow them to evolve naturally? I tend to think the later. Social media offers another platform for sharing information and marketing yourself…two things that are critical during a job search. Social media and online platforms facilitate the process of matching candidates with employers. It doesn’t need to be one versus the other. Whether your resume is on paper, online, or somewhere else is not the point. What’s important is that the information that describes you is clear and compelling with quantifiable results and that people know who you are. Having a profile on LinkedIn will be no better than having a resume posted on a job board if the job seeker is doing nothing to facilitate the relationship. Relationship trumps resume and LinkedIn profile. Use LinkedIn but go past building a profile. Build real relationships…with real people. And once you start the relationship, take it offline. People hire people, not resumes or profiles.
| Very likely | 8% |
| Somewhat likely | 28% |
| Not very likely | 42% |
| Not at all likely | 21% |
| Don’t know/no answer | 1% |
100% |