In these technological web-driven times, the importance of setting your mark on the web becomes a top priority. Failure to have your “online presence” may limit you from a vast pool of opportunities available on the World Wide Web.
The rise of Web 2.0 has been noted in social-media, business models and online marketing, but what about people like us? Other than sites like FaceBook and Twitter (which is filled with ads and invaded by others with mostly with garbage) the web does not offer much for a real professional and personal branding means, until now.
We have already seen how majority of employers ask for CV’s through email or to have a photo uploaded along with your CV or to even include a sample of your work. The traditional paper resume is steadily becoming insufficient to secure an interview or to even be notice amongst a sea of other candidates.
Finally here, VisualCV addresses all these issues and more. Through the utilization of Web 2.0 technology, we can now properly and uniquely present ourselves in the highest web savvy way. The VisualCV is more than just your details presented - blogs, projects, previous work, writing samples etc are all inclusive. In effect, it’s a lot like having your own website – the format lets you add in photos, video, and links to your handiwork to your heart’s content, but without having to do a crash course in XML, CSS or any other fancy three-letter technical acronyms first. Even the most IT-illiterate jobseeker can build up an online profile that looks reasonably smart.
A strong feature of the VisualCV includes a “button” which when clicked on takes you to your public VisualCV – which can be used as an email signature or where ever you are able to use HTML writing. The “export to PDF” is another feature worth moving from traditional CV to a VisualCV. With a PDF version of your VisualCV, you are still able to retain the “attach & email” associated with traditional CV’s. Last but not least, VisualCV issues you with a unique URL. This is like having your own professional website. The unique URL links to your “public VisualCV, this is your VisualCV which you share with whomever you choose. This function is perfect for freelancers, entrepreneurs and the likes.
In a South African society exposed to high unemployment rates and (demoralized job seekers from the frustration of this), a VisualCV is clearly capable of distinguishing your potential from the rest. Our economic situation has led us to a “survival of the fittest” era, this means that taking you to the next level should be on everybody’s to do list. In my opinion a VisualCV is just the means in which you take to complete that next level.