In an evolving digital landscape, traditional resumes are becoming relics of the past. Vala Afshar, Chief Digital Evangelist for Salesforce, believes the CV of the future lies in our digital footprints and exhausts — an unfiltered testament to who we are online. Speaking to CNBC-TV18 at Dreamforce 2024, Afshar mentioned how the digital age has reshaped both personal branding and recruitment strategies.

Afshar, a self-proclaimed “digital immigrant,” frequently visits universities to connect with digital natives — young men and women who were born into the world of mobile, social media, and the cloud. Through these interactions, he embraces what he calls “reverse mentoring,” a process where he learns from the tech-savvy generation. “I’m mindful of who I engage with,” Afshar noted, adding that his digital network serves as a valuable personal learning network (PLN).

The rise of digital natives is changing how companies, particularly tech-driven ones, recruit talent. The traditional CV, limited to one or two pages, no longer captures the full potential of an individual. Instead, Afshar argues, personal branding today is defined by “your digital footprint plus your digital exhaust”—a combination of the content you actively create and the traces of your digital activity that you leave behind.

Afshar’s advice for students is simple but impactful: “Google yourself and ask, is this the version of you that you want employers to see?” He believes that if individuals are successful and ethical in life, that authenticity will naturally reflect in their digital presence.

The message is clear — your online presence now carries more weight than ever, and curating that presence is essential. As digital natives enter the workforce, their digital footprint will likely become the new CV, a testament to their real-world skills, experiences, and impact.

“If you’re good off of any digital platform, chances are you’ll do well on it too,” Afshar added. As the digital world continues to influence the professional sphere, this shift marks the dawn of a new era in recruitment, where online presence and real-world achievements merge seamlessly into one.

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