January typically ushers in a wave of career-focused resolutions, with many professionals setting their sights on securing better job opportunities.
In this challenging market, job seekers who leverage emerging tools and visual mediums to craft a compelling professional brand will find themselves at a distinct advantage. By creating interactive résumés and portfolios that demonstrate their skills in action, forward-thinking applicants can capture the attention of hiring managers and stand out from the crowd.
These visually rich and technologically integrated portfolios can highlight creativity and personal branding. Additionally, artificial intelligence can further enable candidates to produce more dynamic and engaging content.
As a result, a recent survey by Canva found that traditional text-based résumés are rapidly being eclipsed by these innovative formats, which not only showcase an applicant’s qualifications but also demonstrate their adaptability to emerging technologies—a trait highly valued in today’s rapidly evolving job market.
The Power Of Social Media
Social media has evolved into a powerful tool for workers to broadcast their skills, experience and personal brand. Eighty-seven percent of users demonstrate their expertise by sharing industry-related content, participating in discussions and displaying thought leadership in their field, going beyond the limitations of a standard résumé, the report revealed.
According to Canva, nearly all hiring managers (94%) consider a candidate’s professional online presence a significant factor in their evaluation, viewing those who strategically develop and maintain career-focused social media profiles more favorably.
Social media platforms give professionals the opportunity to display their work in an engaging format. Graphic designers, photographers and artists can create curated galleries of their best projects, providing potential clients or employers with immediate insight into their style and capabilities.
Additionally, well-designed infographics that share valuable insights, statistics or forecasts can significantly boost your perceived expertise and authority in your field. By consistently producing high-quality, informative content, you build trust with your audience and establish yourself as a go-to source for industry knowledge.
This format is also highly shareable on social media, extending the reach of your thought leadership beyond your immediate network. As your content gets shared, it can expose your ideas to a broader audience, potentially leading to new opportunities and connections.
Social media serves as a live demonstration of a worker’s skills, particularly for those in marketing, communications and content creation roles. This real-time portfolio can be more convincing to potential employers than a static list of accomplishments.
AI As Your Copilot
AI has become a valuable tool in the job search process, offering a wide range of applications to assist candidates.
A majority of job seekers (57%) now rely on AI to craft their résumés, while a significant portion use it to streamline their job search (38%) and add visual elements to their applications (37%). The technology is also proving valuable for interview preparation and company research, with 37% of applicants leveraging AI for these purposes.
The impact of AI on job search success is notable, with 96% of candidates who incorporated AI in their application materials securing interviews with their desired employers.
Lately, there has been an evolving preference for visually appealing and interactive applications taking hold. In fact, 65% of recruiters express a preference for résumés featuring interactive elements, and 72% look favorably upon candidates who present their work through comprehensive portfolios.
“While online application processes can sometimes feel like a black hole, embracing visual mediums and tools like AI presents a new opportunity, allowing people to showcase their skills in non-traditional ways,” stated Lorraine Dooley, talent acquisition lead at Canva. “These tools are increasingly becoming secret weapons that help to elevate your job search, receive more interview callbacks, and make your application stand out.”