Let the Joyous News Be Spread: The Wicked Old Resume Is Dead

The Shift from Resumes to Profiles

The phrase is often used metaphorically to celebrate the end of something oppressive or unpleasant. And so it is with our old friend, the Resume. For those of you who have stopped scrolling to read, yes, this is a reference to the bit where the Wicked Witch of the East is killed in The Wizard of Oz.

More often than not, the Resume, or CV, is seen as a work of fiction by business owners, HR teams, and recruiters alike. We hate them. It has long been recognized as a document that is twisted, pretzel-like, to tell a story. Whatever story you want it to tell. In a few cases, a whopping great big fairy story.

The move from resumes to profiles has quietly been gathering pace over the last few years. I believe that shortly we'll see the death of the Resume, with Profile (360 to her friends) standing over the lifeless body with the smoking gun in her hand.

Who You Are Matters More

Where you worked is becoming less important; who you are is now paramount. Key skills, qualifications, and experience have always been essential. Still, your approach to life, learning, communication style, ethics, and a whole raft of what is termed "soft skills" have never been more critical in a world that's becoming less human and more litigious by the day.

But how do you really know who you're considering for your role? With over 5,000 coffees, interviews, and general conversations with Finance Professionals completed over the years, I've seen both ends of the scale and everything in between.

The Master Interviewee vs. The Shy Candidate

Let me tell you about the master interviewee. This person shapeshifts during interviews so well that you can never quite grasp who you're talking to. On the flip side, there's the shy, lacklustre candidate. They cling to a resume that works heavily against them, yet they turn out to be a superb fit for the job and team.

What a 360 Profile Offers

A 360 Profile does several things:

• Balanced View: It gives you a balanced view. We've all employed technical stars that no one can work with, and someone so lovely and warm-hearted, but who couldn't do the job. It's a heartbreaking exit interview to carry out in both cases.

  
  

• A Deeper Story: It builds more of a story about who someone is. Today, we employ the whole of someone. Yes, we only see them in the 9th time slot, but the truth is, what's happening in people's lives comes to work with them. We owe it to our employees to support them. Knowing who they are means we are better equipped to do that.

  
  

• Informed Decisions: It allows you to make a more informed decision. Resumes are subjective. Most are heavily narrated to the role being applied for. The truth is, this masks fit. Profiles are more data-driven, and this, together with the human touch that must be at the heart of every hire, is what you need. It allows you to work out which traits matter to you most and have these front and centre when the decision is made.

  
  

Trust and Morality in Hiring

Do I really care whether the barista at my local coffee shop is trustworthy or has a robust moral framework? As long as the coffee's great, I don't care if he lied to his priest on his way into work.

But do I need my Finance Manager to have a moral compass I can trust and be taken at his word? You bet.

The Future of Hiring

The future is bright, my friends. The Resume is done. Close the door on the way out. The Profile is here to stay, and it's about time we embraced this change.

Let the joyous news be spread that the wicked old witch at last is dead.

Written by me (a human) with some help from AI.