It has been speculated recently that perhaps the traditional resume is becoming obsolete given the onset of social media sites such as LinkedIn. Do a search for the words: “Is the resume dead?” and you’ll get a plethora of results. Job seekers may wonder: All of my information is on my profile, why do I need to have a paper copy? Plus, some jobs now allow you to apply directly with your LinkedIn profile. So where does the fine art of resume writing fit in 2015?Let’s get one thing straight: the resume is not dead. It’s going through a bit of a transformation, it’s safe to say, given that the way people apply for jobs today is very different than the way they applied 10 years ago. You might not be handing out a lot of paper copies of it anymore (although it’s still a fairly common practice to bring a paper copy of your resume to interviews and career fairs) but you still need that file on your computer to upload to online applications.Should you have a LinkedIn profile? Yes, without a doubt. It’s become the modern way of networking and promoting yourself and it’s expected by most hiring managers. It has shown to be particularly beneficial for sales and marketing positions, where networking is key. But you should have a resume too. Here’s why:Nearly every applicant tracking system (ATS) out there today still uses resume parsing to automate the storage and analysis of the information on your resume. This is still the most common way that employers gather, analyze and store your data, essentially creating a profile for you in their system. Some companies are adding the option of providing your LinkedIn URL, but only occasionally do they accept that completely in lieu of a resume.Next, what is a LinkedIn profile really, except your resume in an online format? Again, the resume is transforming itself, but not dying. At this point, social media sites like LinkedIN are not so much replacing the resume, as they are giving you a tool to promote your resume (i.e. yourself) to a wider audience.
