Should you even have a resume?

After a workshop I did last week for Northwestern University's engineering grad students, Stanley, one of the participants, sent me a link to an entry on Seth Godin's blog entitled, Why Bother Having a Resume?

This is definitely a thought-provoking article because it speaks to exactly the issue I have with resumes--99% of the time, they don't say anything.

In my mind, the question is not so much, "How can I present myself if I'm not using a resume?" but, "When will companies catch up and realize there are better ways to assess potential?"

What are those better ways? It truly depends on who you are, what you've accomplished, and what is most compelling as it relates to the needs and goals of a particular employer. In other words, you really have to think about it. Don't just put yourself on autopilot and blindly send resumes that look exactly like every other resume. It doesn't work. Finding the right job is NOT a numbers game.

Even though resumes aren't going to go away anytime soon, act as if they were. Challenge yourself. Be strategic. Present your credentials in a more convincing, memorable way.

Is this worth the effort?

Absolutely.

Godin summed it up best when he said:

"Great jobs, world class jobs, jobs people kill for... those jobs don't get filled by people emailing in resumes. Ever."