A company that specializes in helping virtual teams work effectively recently reported on the latest employment trends, including an increase in freelancing and part-time work, multigenerational workplaces and work across borders and time zones. What effect do these trends have on your resume?



First, freelancing and part-time work—or multiple consulting jobs—are no longer seen as panicky attempts to fill an employment gap. They are valid alternative career paths. So if you do find yourself unemployed, give freelancing, consulting or part-time jobs a chance. They may develop into a full-time job or create opportunities for networking; they may keep you up to date in your field and may add to the range of skills and accomplishments you can showcase in your resume.



Second, multigenerational workplaces mean that your future boss and co-workers may be 20 years younger than you are, the same age or considerably older. The multigenerational workplace at its best takes advantage of everyone’s perspectives and talents, whether they grew up with computers or with typewriters, with cell phones or with party lines. A resume that shows your ability to work effectively with a wide range of people will increase your appeal to recruiters and hiring managers.



Third, your resume should include information about languages you speak (in addition to English) and travels you have taken on behalf of work. Your experience with telecommuting is also important as companies develop more geographically dispersed workforces.



A fourth trend that did not appear in the report is in hiring practices. These days you have to assume that companies are looking for and checking up on candidates on online social and professional sites. Therefore, you must pay attention to the character you are broadcasting online, especially at personal and social sites like Facebook. Moreover, the professional information you post should match the information in your resume. Your online participation shows that you are technologically savvy; I hope you are savvy enough to make sure your participation aids rather than hinders your job search.