An infographic uses images, color and text to present information, and there has been an emerging trend to use this format when putting together a resume.

Infographic resumes are mostly used by creative types, particularly graphic designers and layout artists for obvious reasons. Generally speaking, you’ll want to stick to the traditional text resume to present your key skills, work history, education and so on.

If you think an infographic resume is for you, consider the following pros and cons, as well as tips on how to use one effectively to land a job.

Pros of an infographic resume

First and foremost, an infographic resume gives you a chance to stand out from the crowd. Competition for jobs can be pretty fierce and differentiating yourself from the competitors can be the key to landing the job you want.

An infographic also provides greater visual appeal. Graphics are more striking than basic text documents. Colors and graphics can clearly showcase your key details, as infographics are intended to organize, layout and showcase information.

Infographics can also readily be shared online. Infographics tend to “pop” on social media sites, particularly on LinkedIn and Facebook. An infographic resume also looks great in an online portfolio. With one link you can point to your expertise in a visually persuasive manner.

Cons of an infographic resume

Not all employers are open to infographic resumes. Many employers reject anything but traditional resumes, often because their applicant tracking system is designed to scan a text document for keywords for desired skills and experiences.

Also, most jobs don’t lend themselves to infographic resumes. With design jobs, an infographic resume makes perfect sense; not so much with accounting or warehouse jobs. Furthermore, traditions die hard and people dislike change they don’t understand. Infographic resumes may be seen as unnecessary and excessive by traditionalists.

When should I use an infographic resume?

Because they’re still not seen as legitimate by every employer, you ought to use a traditional resume in most situations. However, because hiring managers will perform a web search on you, an infographic posted to your personal website or social media can be a good way to show off your creativity and dedication to your career.

If you are going to use an infographic resume and you are not a design professional, have it made professionally. There are also services, such as Vizify, that can help you create an infographic from your social media content. An infographic resume should cover all the important aspects found on any resume, such as education, key skills and job history. An infographic resume ought to be easy to read and comprehend, with all of your important data organized into bite-size snippets.

Finally, your infographic resume should feature a professional photo of you and your contact information.

At Action Group Staffing, we connect job seekers with the best-fit opportunities for their background and career goals. Please contact us today to find out how we can help your career.