It can sometimes make sense to make a resume online. But it's crucial to know how and when to use a resume builder for your online resume.
First off, we need to define what it means to make an online resume. Is an online resume the same thing as a web resume?
Can an online resume builder be used to produce a regular, printed resume or is it just used to make resume that looks like a web page?
The answer to the question is, "All of the above." You see, online resumes are becoming an increasingly popular trend, and the term is used in many different ways. Let's look at them now...
There's always more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak. That's true for developing resumes too.
There are a number of services or websites that enable you to make a resume online, using their tools and templates. (I review a few of these services here.) Then, depending on the platform, they may offer one or more of the following ways to use that online resume:
I think of this way to make a resume online sort of like, "I'll go to you..." One of the best of breed of this type of "make a resume online" services is PongoResume.com (Read about it here)
Another option is to build a resume that is designed to stay online, as a web page in some format. There are a number of ways you can do that, including the methods discussed in the previous section.
I like to think of this approach to making a resume online the "You come to me" approach. Basically, you create the resume and wait for employers to find your page.
Why consider either of the approaches above to make an online resume? Well... To get the most bang for your buck–so to speak–in your job hunt campaign, you really need to have 3 different types of resumes:
A web-based – or web-ready – resume is one that is coded in a web language called HTML. HTML stands for hypertext markup language. It's a way of formatting a document to display in a web browser. Click here for a free resume sample of a web resume. But don't let the talk of a coding language scare you. There are lots of ways to convert your resume (using our free resume sample as a guide) to a web-ready format without learning HTML.
There are several ways in which an online resume can benefit your job search:
Of course, once you convert your print-format resume to a web format, you still need somewhere to display it on the web. That means you need to have space on a web host. There are a number of options on how you might accomplish this...
If you're not really a "do it yourselfer", then you might start looking around for some help in doing your online resume. You'll see tons of ads on the Web for this resume maker or that, but how do you know what they do or how well they work? Let's look at the various options:
I've also learned about a great new website, called Resumizer.com, that enables you to make a resume online, as well as a cover letter and references... and the good news is, it's totally free. Not a free trial or a partial resume like most of its competitors. You can create a pretty unique resume with their many styles and options to choose from. When it's done, you can post it on the site, but you can also print it out to submit for jobs you want to apply for. I highly recommend Resumizer.com.
The decision about whether or not one of these resume maker services is right for you to make a resume online is basically personal preference. If you know how to use MS Word, you can probably do just fine when you make an online resume – and have a lot more flexibility – with one of our customizable templates.
But if you want to just fill in the blanks and have the service or software do the rest of the work, then perhaps a resume builder or service is a good choice to help you make a resume online. Starting with a free one to try out the concept is a low-risk way to go. But the results may not be comparable to the more sophisticated programs you pay for.