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Here's why one boss thinks everyone should burn their CV

How’s your LinkedIn profile looking?

BY 2020, NEARLY half of the workforce will be comprised of millennials, according to a report released by the Kenan Flagler Business School.

That means new rules and etiquette will surface in the workplace — particularly when it comes to the way we build our personal brand.

In a recent LinkedIn post, CEO of OMD Asia Pacific Steve Blakeman says traditional paper CVs are becoming obsolete — and explains how the transition to more dynamic social media templates, such as LinkedIn, is underway.

“[LinkedIn is] much more three dimensional. Arguably it is also more personal,” writes Blakeman of the professionals networking site that boasts 347 million users in over 200 countries.

A résumé isn’t necessarily the best way to determine whether a potential employee will be a good social fit for the company. It’s too dry and doesn’t provide much opportunity to portray your personality, whereas LinkedIn provides more opportunities to demonstrate a little flair.

In his post, Blakeman included a quote from a CNN interview with Christina Cacioppo, a former associate at Union Square Ventures, which echoes his argument. She told CNN:

A résumé doesn’t provide much depth about a candidate. Love it or hate it, social media is your new résumé. Embrace it happily, accept it begrudgingly, outsource it — whatever it takes to keep from getting left behind.

As the glamorous digital curriculum vitae takes centre stage, it is important not to lose sight of the actual content — your story, experiences, and value — because ultimately, content trumps presentation, warns Chris van Someren, CEO at Ascentador.

Blakeman includes the following quote from van Someren in his LinkedIn post:

For me, the key question is not LinkedIn vs a résumé but rather what and how these media communicate about us. Consistency, focus, a well considered point-of-view and accuracy should be the essentials to sharing our career histories no matter in what forum we are presenting them.

Don’t get left behind, as Cacioppo warns — but don’t expect the glitz and glam of a dynamic profile to do all the talking either.

- Kathleen Elkins

Read: The words we all use on our CVs (and shouldn’t) >

More: Why Google bins 58% of the CVs it receives >

Irish dancing medals: 10 embarrassing things we’ve all put on our CV >

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