Have you heard of the latest trend in resumes? It’s called an Infographic Resume and until recently I had never heard it. You might be asking, “What the heck is an infographic resume?” Or maybe you already know all about infographic resumes and I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. (Hey! I don’t get out much, ok!) But for the sake of the article let’s pretend I’m telling you something completely new.

An infographic resume is your resume expressed in a visual format using graphs, charts, and pictures. The theory behind infographic resumes is that in general we respond best to a visual image rather than simply reading text. With up to 65% of the population deemed visual learners it would seem that a graphic representation of your resume may be received better than a traditional resume by some.

When I was looking into infographic resumes what I initially found were examples of hard copy resumes that had been done in a format that utilized graphics, charts, and other images. To me it seemed pretty similar to what has been called a visual resume – a creative version of your resume that is usually used by job seeker looking for creative type jobs. However, I discovered that infographic resumes are becoming more of an online resume format than anything else.

There are several websites out there that will help you create an infographic resume. Most jumpstart the process by importing information from your LinkedIn profile (you do have a LinkedIn profile, right?) Wait a minute! Isn’t LinkedIn already an online platform for showcasing your resume, skills, and experience? You are correct, but the biggest difference between LinkedIn and an infographic resume is that LinkedIn is a little bit restricting, and a tiny bit boring. With an infographic resume you have greater creative freedom which allows your personality to come through more than it ever could with a LinkedIn profile or traditional paper resume.

It would be easy to become overwhelmed, as both a job seeker and an employer, by the amount of social media options that would need to be completed (by job seekers) and reviewed (by employers). For job seekers, the key is to make it as easy as possible for potential employers to find and review your information. 1) Put your LinkedIn URL on your resume. 2) Your LinkedIn Profile should have a link to your infographic resume. 3) Some infographic sites also allow you to upload your traditional resume, do it!

If you have the space on your traditional paper resume it wouldn’t hurt to put the URL address to your infographic resume. This gives an employer another view of you as a potential employee. You could even create a section on your resume with information on how to access your various social media profiles.

Below I’ve listed a few of the more common sites where you can create an infographic resume. I’ve been playing around with re.vu and have found that it is pretty simple to navigate and has many options for creating a comprehensive resume.

• vizualize.me
• re.vu
• kinzaa.com
• visualcv.com

If you do create an infographic resume keep in mind that it is more of an all encompassing professional history whereas a traditional paper resume can be customized(and should be) for each particular position you apply to. As a job seeker I wouldn’t rely on an infographic resume to take the place of a traditional resume but would include it as part of the overall package.