I network with a lot of different people across the nation, and read interesting people. Sometimes, people can say things better than you can.  Kyle Lagunas, is a great information resource in helping job seekers come to understand that things are changing and they must adept at adapting to change. Here is information on making your resume much more vibrant and also tell a story.

In an attempt to circumvent the keyword-laden resume game, job seekers are taking a more creative approach to captivating recruiters. Rather than dropping the resume altogether, the trend seems to be a breakaway from over-automation and a return to the heart of what makes a good hire. In short, elements of multimedia are being used more frequently to breathe life into otherwise flat resumes.

But what’s working and what’s not? There are certain guidelines that you should always follow, regardless of mode of delivery, but are candidates covering up mistakes with aesthetics? Resumes and the mulitmedia techniques being used are essentially marketing tools--and the function they serve isn’t changing. As Barkman states, “The question you have to ask yourself is, ‘Can multimedia enhance that message?’” If the answer is yes, there are four channels a candidate can tap into to accomplish this:

Adding a Face and Voice with Video. By replacing a cover letter with a quick video pitch, job seekers can showcase skills and abilities lost in translation in a traditional resume. As Bruce Hurwitz of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing says, “Video can increase my confidence in a candidate's ability to successfully interview--Is she professional? Is she articulate?--or eliminate a candidate from consideration.” Of course, time is money, and candidates need to give recruiters a reason to keep watching. My advice: personality is great, but don’t get too cute. Balance is key.

Bringing Flat Resumes to Life with Infographics. Breaking out of the traditional resume template isn’t easy without a degree in design. But presenting a recruiter with a more visually stimulating overview of experience and qualifications can go a long way in setting a candidate apart. Thankfully, it doesn’t take an Adobe Illustrator savant to turn a boring old resume into an interesting infographic. Not only are these easy to create, but they’re easy to share across multiple channels.

Providing Insights into Culture Fit via Social Media Profiles. It’s no secret that recruiters investigate candidates’ social media profiles to obtain a more rounded picture of the individual. Job seekers are responding to this shift in recruiting pracitces by beefing up their networks, expanding their professional profiles and adding recommendations on LinkedIn, driving conversations and connecting with thought leaders on Twitter, and cleaning up their Facebook profiles.

Showing Off on Personal Blogs. Blogs are an excellent platform for candidates to showcase their hobbies, writing and communication skills, and general interests. Think they’re just for marketing candidates? Think again. Even a meat cutter at Whole Foods can run a successful butcher blog to establish expertise and share experience with an avid audience. And candidates for and candidates for artistic positions can showcase their portfolio of work.

 Is the Media Resume the Future?

The basic function of a resume isn’t going anywhere. What’s changing is how that function is executed. “We're not leaving behind the resume,” says Steven Savage, a technical project manager at Mobclix and a writer and speaker on geeky jobs, “but we're using it as a trigger point for more.” To that end, many college campuses are taking it upon themselves to give the next wave of workers a competitive advantage in the job market of tomorrow.

****About the Author: Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Austin-based Software Advice—a resource for selecting and comparing recruiting and human resources software. For further reading, you can find this article in full on his HR blog.****