In light of my recent focus on job searching topics, today I would like to discuss the new resume site Re.vu.
The Basics
Re.vu (short for Resume View) is “the cure for the common resume” – an infographic-inspired representation of your work history, skills and accomplishments designed to sell you to potential employers more effectively than a traditional resume. The site is free and partners with LinkedIn, so if you already have a profile there it’s easy to transfer your information and get started.
The site is somewhat locked down for nonmembers, so here’s what you’re getting when you sign up:
- Personalized URL and design
- Infographics – vital stats, job duties, skill evolution, proficiencies, quotes, percentages, pastime, interests over time, languages
- Timeline of your work history
- Headline, biography, education, and personal links section
- Portfolio, work examples and traditional resume downloadables
- Profile statistics to see who’s looking/downloading
The Pros
- Professional, edgy, current designs create a nice website to send prospective employers, especially if you don’t have time/skill/inclination to make your own site.
- Infographics make it easy to quantify your achievements – something employers always like to see.
- Examples are provided at each step to help you fill out your profile.
- It’s free – can’t argue with that!
- You’ll be in good company – the President has a page.
The Cons
- The LinkedIn data transfer option is nice, but there’s still a lot of legwork involved, and the site is graphic-heavy, making it cumbersome and slow to load. (Note: I’ve only see this problem on the back end – your personalized page should load fine!)
- The timeline can work against you – it’s very easy to see gaps in relevant employment when it’s charted on a graph.
- There is limited control over the design/layout – access to the HTML would be great, but I won’t be too picky since it’s a free site.
- A lot of the infographics are subjective – you pick your own proficiency rating, for example, which may make your skill level look impressive but is ultimately fabricated data.
- Re.vu makes the argument that each page is a unique representation of the individual, but there aren’t enough page options to make a unique site – you can change your background and you can organize your data, but you’ll still have the same infographics as everyone else (much like a traditional resume).
The Bottom Line
Re.vu has only been out for a short time and I’m sure some of my complaints (lag and usability) are temporary issues, so overall it seems like a worthwhile endeavor. If you’ve got an hour to spend inputting information and tweaking your page then you may as well take advantage of the free service, but keep in mind that the success and effectiveness Re.vu boasts over traditional resumes is entirely dependent on the work you do to promote yourself. Set up a Re.vu page and send the link to 50 people or spend time writing an eye-catching inquiry letter and send your resume to 50 people, the result will likely be the same.
