Why you DO want an infographic resume (and why you DON'T!)

Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of having an infographic resume:

Why don’t you want one? CONS:

1. They’re not infographic. Infographics are all the buzz since images rank higher than text for bloggers. As a result, everyone is scrapping together pictures and calling them infographics. They’re not. Graphic artists create what they call infographic resumes, but which are really just fancy fonts and cutesy logos. So-called infographic resumes put a title in a box, the box on a timeline, and “ta-daa!” Infographic. Not really. The classic infographic uses data to display something visually. Check out tableau software for some stunning examples. Infographics don't rely on bunnies or comic sans fonts, on colorful faux graphs or forcing words into boxes. An infographic is a visual interpretation of data, not the newest version of the colored paper resume trick.
2. Infographic resumes don’t contain the right information. We take a look at the competition all the time, and time and again, they have stuff like photos, your twitter account, daily activities, and questions like do you want to work for a private or public company. That’s not what employers tell us they want to see – and in fact, those types of questions could disqualify you. Hiring Managers want a) skills and b) achievements. Most infographic resumes only barely touch on these two important aspects of your resume. No wonder they’re ineffective! 
3. Infographic resumes are “new”. To an old-school hiring manager, they could mean that you’re too progressive for consideration. Of course, you may want to appear progressive, but let’s face it, some hiring managers might not like it, just like they might dislike the combination resume, bold typefaces, or any of a dozen other resume ideas they believe are ‘not standard’. 

Why do you want one? PROS:

1. Infographics get you noticed. In today’s economy and with the constant barrage of visual messages we receive every day, two pages of text is absolutely not going to set you apart. A well-conceived, infographic resume can get you noticed in ways you might not even imagine. Just ask Chris Spurlock, who landed a job with Huffington Post after his infographic resume went viral.
2. It says you’re creative and tech-savvy. Something out of the box is an indication to a prospective employer that you are different than the other interviewees they’ve talked to. It sets you apart as someone current and ‘cutting edge.’
3. It’s a great conversation piece. Let’s face it, walking into an interview and handing a prospective employer your resume can be an awkward moment. Handing them a couple pages of dry text is rather, well, ‘blah.’ A visual resume can be a warm conversation starter, and isn’t that what a good interview is – a conversation?

A good infographic resume will say a lot more about you than a good resume. Using visual imagery to convey your experience in pictures is, as they say, worth a thousand words!

Tony Markey is the Founder and President of nuzume, LLC, creator of the ‘nuzume’, a visual, infographic resume created for their clients.