Everyone Needs a VisualCV

  Have you seen this before?  Do you have one?  Even if you are employed, have your own business or unemployed, this is a phenomenal tool to use to showcase your message.  It is 1) a portable portfolio and 2) conveys the message that you are somewhat technically savvy.

If you do have one, have you taken the time to really make it sing?  I've seen some that are truly well constructed.  Though this tool has been around for awhile, it is definitely worth referencing again.  To see a collection of examples, click here.

Meg Guiseppi,Executive Resume Branding, and a branding strategist, was one of the first to become "certified" as VisualCV Creator in 2008 (see, this has been around for awhile). She has several posts on her blog about the VisualCV. If you are new to this tool, this post will help you understand the WHYs of having one.  

Chandlee Bryan, Best Fit Forward, wrote a post about "web-based resumes".  There are a couple of ways to do this as she points out.  One of which is VisualCV (with a smashing sample).

Louise Fletcher, Blue Sky Resumes, also wrote about your on-line footprint and the VisualCV is obviously a component of this.

Here are the simple steps to follow to build and use your VisualCV.

1. Get one, if you don't have one already, it is free.  VisualCV
2. Plan your strategy for what your message will be and how you will support that message. 
3. Build it.  Look at what others have done and re-purpose for you.
4. Use it!  If you have a blog or website, post it.  Use it in the signature of your emails (Great work, Tony O.)  Place it on your LinkedIn profile.

Why use this tool? 

• It makes it easy for you to share up-to date, multimedia information about you.
• It is easy for others to forward/circulate. You never know who might need your services, this is a truly portable business card plus portfolio.

Having completed this post, I am now off to update my own VisualCV to make it a stronger representation of what I do!  Remember, it is more than just an electronic resume!

Comments

[Joel LeBlanc]

I agree with you that VisualCV is a great way to present your resume.

[Career Sherpa]

RAM: The visualcv is a nifty tool. I think it helps if you know what you
want to put in it. That's where I am stuck. It is so much more than your
resume....

On Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 3:48 AM, wrote:

[Ram]

great post - i have tried to play around with VisualCV features several months ago, and I am yet to get back to the site and update my profile and resume there. thank you for this post, i was kind of stuck on how to proceed to make my resume stand out. I will probably try out again. I spent some time this evening going over the features on monster site ...