An interactive resume is a great tool for students who are looking for a job. The interactive resume provides an opportunity for you to showcase your abilities to use technology and to stand out from the crowd. Many students have LinkedIn profiles (if you don't already, you need to get one), but not many have a website. Also, many people on LinkedIn don't take the time to fill out their profiles like they should. Even if you don't fill out your LinkedIn completely, there is an option to add a website to your page, where you can add your interactive resume.
When you are creating an interactive resume, keep in mind that it is not a blog. It is a professional representation of you for prospective employers. A photo may be appropriate, or even a video introduction on the home page, but keep it as professional as possible. When you're deciding on a color scheme, keep it simple. An interactive resume should be clean and easily navigated. Also, double triple check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Just as you wouldn't have any on your resume, your online presence should be just as carefully monitored.
Unlike a traditional paper copy resume, an interactive resume can contain so much more information. I recommend uploading a PDF version of your paper copy resume so that it can be printed out. After all, it is a resume. You can also add links to the website's of former or current employers, so that prospective employers can learn a little bit about where you've gained experience. Perhaps the most useful tool an interactive resume provides is the ability to upload samples of your work. You can create a portfolio page on your interactive resume where you can upload samples of work you have relating to your job search. You can even upload recommendation letters that are applicable.
So, what if your school doesn't offer an interactive resume service? You can still create one on your own. FSU uses a custom WordPress interface for interactive resumes. It's incredibly easy to use and very user-friendly. To make an interactive resume, simply create a new blog in WordPress. In an interactive resume, you won't make new posts, but rather create static pages.
In my interactive resume I have one post, which is the landing page welcoming visitors to the site. It doesn't ever change, although I do update it when necessary. All of my information, like my contact info, resume link, work samples, etc. are held on their own static page.
While I don't recommend an interactive resume to be used in place of a paper copy, I think there are a lot of ways to use it as a supplement. Since an interactive resume is online, you can create a QR code linking to it and place it on the back of your business card. When you're networking with professionals, it's not usually possible to hand out your resume, and oftentimes people won't have anywhere to put it. If you give them a business or networking card with a QR code linked to your interactive resume, they'll have a chance to see so much more and will still have access to your paper copy (since you uploaded it as a PDF).
My last suggestion: when you create your interactive resume, be sure to disable all comments. Spam is common, and it will look incredibly unprofessional if you have it all over your interactive resume. If someone wants to contact you after seeing your interactive resume, they'll do so by the phone number or email address you've posted to your site.
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