Career portfolios for jobseekers

Back in the pre-internet Dark Age, resumes had to be one-page, one side. No exceptions. Social networking websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn are helping to break that mold, and recently launched VisualCV hopes to do the same. Anyone shopping for a job can sign on with VisualCV and create a page that resembles an online magazine article. Besides the traditional resume detailing a user’s career, members can upload a video describing themselves. There’s also room for uploading files that list references or examples of creative work, as well as space to highlight specific accomplishments. If a member made sales explode at their last job, for instance, they can display a chart to illustrate growth. Taken together, VisualCV’s features result in a document that’s more professional looking than what’s possible on most social networking sites, and incorporates features that help employers better assess a jobseeker’s skills and experience. Mouse over the name of a company where a candidate recently worked, for instance, and a pop-up will display a few details about it. The site is currently in beta, but once it fully launches this spring, VisualCV hopes to make money by providing premium features for employers, such as folders that let hiring committees at companies route and comment on leading candidates. Companies can also pay for prominently placed listings. Also, larger companies or recruiters will eventually be able to license white-label versions of the website. Plenty of variations on VisualCV’s business model are possible. As with another employment site we wrote about earlier this month (YouTube meets Monster), localizing the service or focusing on industries such as healthcare could help build traffic faster than would be the case with a generalized employment site. Likewise, customizing features to suit different professions should increase chances of success. Jobseekers could choose from an array of industry-specific templates, for example. And video-conferencing features such as those found on dating websites would let employers more efficiently screen candidates. Bottom line: employment sites have long proven themselves to be a viable web business model, but the door remains wide open for new ideas. Spotted by: Michael O’Brien