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CV/Resume in Excel?

E

eks

New Member
Hi all,
Not sure where to post this question and please forgive me if this has already been asked but i'm wondering if anyone has or seen any creative CV/Resumes templates in excel? I did find a poll from way back in 2009 ("https://chandoo.org/wp/2009/02/07/professional-resume-or-data-visualization-fail/") that had an example of what I thought to be an interesting exercise in data visualization but ultimately not practical for cv/resume purposes. It's now 2018...any thoughts or ideas? Or should I stick to Word, AI, InDesign, Photoshop, etc.?

Thanks!
 
My take on the subject.

Stick to standard resume. No images, just words with appropriate heading.

From my experience, recruiters tend to not even look at resumes that deviates too far from norm. They have to go through quite a lot of them, and if at glance, it does not convey the information they are looking for... it's immediately thrown into reject pile.

It is far better to have portfolio of past projects, that you can show when asked in an interview.

Just my 2 cents. Others may have different opinion. ;)
 
As I am an engineer by profession, my opinion is you should choose MS Word to build your resume and also some websites are there which can provide attractive resume formats...
 
Use Excel for a CV/Resumes why? Excel is NOT the panacea of all. Use excel to promote yourself in the job market and your CV will probably end up in the bin I know if I was on the scrutiny panel that is where it would end up. Use a straight forward word program
 
Stick to word. Keep it short & sweet. Only the relevant info. Nowadays every CV has a skills section "Teamwork, Leadership, Computer, Organization" etc. Its pretty much useless. Employers care more about your work history & what tasks/project you've handled and what that entailed. so throw that it there when you talk about your work history. Frankly speaking though I think CVs are a thing of the past.
 
Thank you all...good advice indeed. I am currently using Word as many have suggested but I have noticed that many CV/resumes today, at least in the creative fields (architecture, photography, etc.), feature graphs and charts in an attempt to convey experience levels in "x", "y", or "z"; various competency levels for computer platforms, programming languages, software packages, languages spoken, etc. (you get the point). If, when, or as graphics begin to edge out text for competing page space, I can imagine that excel may become a more attractive alternative given how easy it is to make and update simple charts and graphs. Of course, whether or not this trend is effective is an entirely different matter! I agree that CV's and resumes are increasingly becoming less important as many are becoming a teaser for a personal website. Again, at least in my experience in design related fields. I'm sure others will feel differently - just my two cents. Thanks again!
 
In that sense, it's better to have detailed profile and link to your projects in site such as LinkedIn. As many recruiter has shifted focus of their initial screening to such tools.
 
Those who interview applicants for any placements want a concise CV that tells the applicants school/further education/ employment history, they do not have the time to look at pictures or graphs. Waste the scrutineers time and kiss good by the any possibility of a job, now or in the future.
 
I agree but wouldn't necessarily discount graphics, composition, or format either as they tend to help form an impression. While I don't think you were suggesting otherwise, I wouldn't think a generic block of text would get a lot of attention from reviewers either. Often it's not just what you're saying but how you're saying it. If the "graphics" add time to digest the information then they are useless in my opinion. After all, isn't the intent of graphs, charts, diagrams, etc. to graphically represent and convey data/information in a quick, concise, and understandable manner? That is, quicker and more efficiently than a block of text. Completely agree with the LinkedIn comment as well. Thanks again, I really appreciate all the responses!
 
@eks
It's not what visuals can do that's an issue. It's how it's received by intended audience that's key here.

Recruiters when looking at resume. Isn't expecting to see dashboard or analytics. They just want to scan the document quickly and tick off what credentials the applicant has. Remember, it's only initial screening process.

Opportunity to stand out comes after that. Recruiters, often look at and search in social network profiles for the applicant info. Making sure there are no red flags and also to learn more about the applicant. That's where you can show off your skills. Or during interview, where atmosphere and interviewer allows it.

Key is knowing your target audience and their expectations.
 
@Chihiro exactly, if an applicant waste the time of a scrutineer, who's time is money, then they are not going to get past the front door, concise text, no graphs or pictures with the best use of there knowledge they will slow down the scrutineer and that is bad, bad for the applicant. Stay with the industry norm don't try and stand out from the crowded you will get no where.
 
Oh also make sure there are no spelling mistakes on your cv. I know my boss chucks cvs in the bin if there are too many
 
Visuals always have a role to play but there's a place and time for it. Much has been said on it so I won't go into it. But to get the relevant CVs from site generally recruiters use Keyword search. Words still matter!
 
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