Infographics and Personal PR

Infographics, or information graphics, are making a comeback across the Web. Have you thought about using an infographic for your resume? Linda explores this option in this article.

Conclusion

If you look at the three resumes above as well as others on the Cool Graphics site, look at how much information is included on those graphic pages. Do you think you could fit any one of those graphics into one typed sheet? That's what many employers look for – one sheet of information for a resume so the second sheet doesn't get lost and so the resume can be read easily at a glance.

By using graphics for a resume, you are declaring yourself as a designer, you can fit more information about your skills and education on one sheet, and you've grabbed the employer's attention – all GOOD things. The scary part is getting it "right." The only way you can get to that point is to know your craft and the skills involved with infographics.

Back to the original thought that opened this article – credibility. When you create an infographic for your resume, how can you make that information seem credible? Only one answer to that question – by including references. But, this inclusion brings up another interesting question – how do you feel, or how would your references feel, about putting this information on a graphic display? You may want to include this information on the back of the piece or include it in a regular typed resume that you include with the graphic. Use your imagination, but be sure to include it...most employers may not hire a person without credible references, any more than they would want you to marry a daughter through elopement.

Here are a few more sites that may help you gain some insight and knowledge about how to use infographics. Be critical when you look at the images on these sites – apply the elements and principles of design. Did the designer use them? Or did the image look slapped together? Did the designer cite his or her information, or are you left in doubt about the credibility of that information? Was the layout easy on the eyes, or was it confusing? Take notes – repeat what works for you and discard the rest.

• Cool Infographics – This is Randy Krum's site as mentioned previously.

• Francesco Mugnai – this article contains 50 "great examples of infographics."

• Six Revisions – this article contains "40 Useful and Creative Infographics."

• Flowing Data – this entire Web site deals with information architecture.

• The Infographic Showcase – ditto.

• Infographics – ditto.

• Flickr Info Graphics Pool – this is the Flickr group for many designers who have pooled together examples of infographics. My only problem with this site is that many of the examples don't have links and aren't easy to read at a small size.

• Good – this site contains a lot of different visual information 'packets,' including infographics.

• Nixlog – a running collection of links to infographics found on the Web.