Job searching in a world where technology is constantly evolving has some people wondering if the standard paper resume should become a thing of the past. With social media and remote work becoming increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, is there a better way for younger generations to apply for jobs?
Garett Martin, the founder of a local tech startup called HRing, believes that paper resumes are not the best option for new grads looking to find a fulfilling career. Others agree that newer generations need a change in pace when it comes to job hunting – Martin’s startup won Batch 9 People’s Choice Award at The Accelerator’s 2021 Pitch Party after officially launching in June.
“I think the standard formatting of what we view as a resume, just being on paper, needs to change. There’s nothing forward-facing about it that shows any of your soft skills or gives you the ability to actually demonstrate that,” said Martin.
Soft skills demonstrate a person’s ability to work with others and are typically not something that can be recognized with a paper resume. Through HRing, users can show these skills through video pitches, posts, and interviews.
“Moving beyond the resume, [HRing] focuses more on a cultural fit. Both sides want that. Organizations want to bring in people that are going to mesh well with the staff they currently have, and you want to go to a place where you’re comfortable and happy and can be yourself,” said Martin.
Martin believes that HRing can benefit students, new grads, and anyone looking for entry-level jobs. It can also help eliminate racial and cultural biases surrounding an applicant’s name.
“A resume for a new grad is super limited. There’s lots of resume biases that come from them,” said Martin.
“[…] Instead of your name being passed over a stack of resumes or feeling pressure to change your name to a North American name, which is wrong, get past that and show who you are.”
Companies can use HRing to prospect by searching for specific post-secondary institutions through a Discovery Bucket feature. Students and new grads can keep tabs on which companies they’re interested in working with.
“You should be able to engage with companies you’re interested in and send them a video and say, I really like what you guys are doing here. I’ve looked at your website, I’ve looked at your values, here’s why I’m passionate about your organization and here’s why I can bring value to your organization. Then when it comes time to graduate, boom, job right away,” said Martin.
“Show your soft skills and show that you can articulately and intelligently talk about what you learned at school or show that you’re passionate about school. Passion doesn’t display on a resume. Passion doesn’t display on a cover letter. People want to hear you talk about it, they want to see you smile, they want to see your eyes light up and by putting a pitch out there on HRing, doing video interviews, you can show that.”
NAIT students can check out everything HRing has to offer and get a head start on a portfolio by downloading the mobile app or visiting their website for more information.
