Idea of resume is so passé!

I just read the Chicago Tribune newspaper, paper version not virtual version. I know, I know, I’m so ancient, so “not with it” or whatever the current vernacular would be. If you have been reading my blogs, you may have figured by now I’m not in my 20’s and there’s nothing wrong with being in your 20’s, it’s just not where I’m “at.” Anyway, what has triggered this posting is the “Business Section” of the Trib. Back in the day when I was in my 20’s and 30’s, the Chicago Trib, Sunday edition, was the place to look for a new job. There were pages and pages of job ads. Other than “knowing someone” or inheriting a job from a family business, the ritual was to search the Sunday Trib for leads, mail out resumes, cross your fingers, and hope for a telephone call. Incidentally, there were multiple face-to-face interviews, at least two, the initial “phone” interview did not develop until maybe the mid ‘80s, one drove to the employer’s offices even for the first interview.

What has prompted me to write this piece is the “Careerbuilder” article in this Sunday’s Tribune. Titled “The Other You”, the article gives suggestions on writing a more effective resume. I’m rather surprised that resumes are even still considered a ‘first” line of Offense in applying for a job. The Internet has germinated so many social media websites and interaction sites, a resume almost seems useless. In fact, reflecting upon my history of monetary pursuit, some of the jobs came to me from professional associations or friends. It truly was “who you know” however, the professional association referrals were because of “what I knew!” not just “who I knew.”

The jobs ads area in the “Business Section” of the Chicago Tribune is VERY small these days. In fact, another observation that has triggered my blog today is the fact that the jobs section is so small, the editors decided to devote 1 ½ pages to it. And I do mean 1 ½ pages, the page is literally half a page in size, actually since a news page is actually a piece of newsprint paper that is two printed pages, the piece of newsprint is 1 ½ pages wide, not two.  Obviously, jobs and “opportunities” are advertised elsewhere and by other means today. The issue of jobs and literally where the jobs are and who is filling those jobs and the qualifications of those jobs and the qualifications needed to fill those jobs and the education or skills necessary to qualify for those jobs is so complex…Phew!!! What a long sentence. It would seem that FaceBook, LinkedIn, and even blog sites such as WordPress are the 21^st century’s replacements for 20^th century resumes.

The second Democratic debate was last night, November 14, 2015. The debate was planning to be focused on the U.S. economy. Sadly, the monstrous attacks in Paris, France, instead took center stage. Many innocent people were slaughtered. The candidates, at first, did focus on military and international policy issues as should be expected. Towards the second hour of the debate, the focus did revert to domestic issues, and the ideas of free college education and needed job skills were among the debate issues. I come from a working class family. I worked full-time and went to college at night. It took me eight years to get a 4-year Bachelor’s degree and that was in 2-4 year periods with a hiatus between the 2-4 year periods. I know that “working” for what one wants makes it more “precious.” I feel that the opportunities should be available and attainable if desired, I don’t think giving college education for free solves the skills vacuum problem. Education that trains for a job, an internship, an apprenticeship, and work/school programs make more sense to me. We don’t need any more diploma mills. We do need a trained and educated workforce. And I agree that everyone does NOT need a college degree but jobs and careers “with a future” do need an educated workforce.

Here’s two links to information about the November 14 debate:

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/paris-attacks-cast-shadow-over-democratic-debate

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/15/us/politics/democratic-debate-cbs.html