Question

What "extras" can you include in a nontraditional resume that would not be included in a traditional résumé?

Answer 1

Nontraditional résumés let you show work, process and personality instead of just listing jobs and dates. Useful “extras” you can include that typically wouldn’t appear on a traditional résumé:

Multimedia & interactive elements
- Links to a personal website or an interactive résumé page (live demos, animated timeline).
- Portfolio samples with thumbnails and direct links (design comps, case studies, published articles).
- Video résumé or a short intro video (30–90s) embedding a pitch or walkthrough of a project.
- Slide decks, PDFs, or clickable prototypes (Figma, InVision links).
- QR code that links to a portfolio or project demo.

Work & project evidence
- Case studies that describe problem → approach → results (metrics and visuals).
- GitHub repo links, code samples, or live applications (with README that explains your role).
- Open-source contributions and links to pull requests or issues you resolved.
- Client list or selected project highlights with measurable outcomes.

Social proof & credibility
- Testimonials or short quotes from clients, managers, or collaborators.
- Press mentions, podcasts, interviews, awards, patents.
- Professional endorsements or short extracts of LinkedIn recommendations.

Public-facing activity
- Blog posts, Medium articles, or newsletters you write (especially if relevant to the role).
- Speaking engagements or conference talks (links to recordings or slides).
- Community involvement: meetups run, workshops taught, mentoring.

Social & technical signals
- LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Dribbble, Behance, Stack Overflow, Kaggle, or YouTube channel links—where they showcase relevant work.
- Stack/score badges, contributor stats, hackathon placings.

Personal branding & personality
- Personal logo, tagline, or short mission/values statement.
- “How I work” section: favorite tools, communication style, team role preferences.
- Short “About me” narrative or your career philosophy.
- Hobbies or side projects that demonstrate desirable traits (e.g., team captain, open‑mic comedian).

Practical/engagement extras
- A “call to action” (e.g., “View my portfolio” or “Schedule a 15‑minute call” with Calendly link).
- Availability, expected start date, and willingness to relocate or work remotely.
- Languages with links to spoken samples or proof, when relevant.

Creative/formatting extras
- Infographic elements or visual timeline of career highlights.
- Icons, color coding or typography that match your personal brand.
- Downloadable leave-behind (one-page summary or business-card PDF).

What to watch for (best practices)
- Tailor: include extras that support the role — designers show portfolios, engineers show repos, marketers show campaigns and metrics.
- Keep it professional: avoid irrelevant personal content or anything that could be polarizing.
- Accessibility: ensure links work, PDFs are readable on mobile, and essential info (contact, role) is easy to find.
- Privacy: don’t publish confidential client data or personal info you don’t want public.
- Keep it concise and scannable — extras should support, not replace, the core résumé facts.
- Consider the hiring context: conservative industries may prefer a simpler format; startups and creative roles welcome more flair.

If you tell me your field (design, dev, marketing, finance, etc.), I can suggest a short set of targeted extras to add.