Chicago Startup: EcoResume Offers Job Hunters An Easy & Green Way To Hand Out Resumes INTERVIEW

Whether you’re actively searching for a job or you’re just passively looking, chances are you’ve been to a conference, networking event or other meetup and needed your resume close by. Now without bringing a briefcase or worse, a book bag, to every professional outing you take, carrying your resume with you can be cumbersome, often times resulting in a crinkled up, less professional looking representation of yourself.

Well a startup in Chicago, called EcoResume has a solution for you that solves this particular problem and makes things a little greener.

With EcoResume you upload your credentials and resume information to their website. From there the folks at EcoResume create a virtual business card for you, complete with the bullet points from your resume and links to your supporting documents. You can easily send this eco friendly card with resume highlights to anyone that you come across at a meeting, or professional event from your smartphone or when you get back to the office.

Sure there are other ways of doing this, including getting your own blog site, or custom url but EcoResume has it all figured out in a nice looking site that’s both easy to navigate and easy to find.

We got a chance to interview the founder of EcoResume Efrem McGruder. Check out the interview below.



What is EcoResume?
Ecoresume is an on-line platform that provides an economical solution to job hunters with difficulties producing a readily available resume. Our services help you increase productivity, progress self-marketing skills and produce eco-friendil actions by implementing our beneficial and cost-effective way of networking. Our services will leave a lasting impression, save you time & money. We call it job hunting the green way.
 Who are the founders and what are their backgrounds
Efrem McGruder – my background is in Information Technology.
 Where are you based?
We are based out of Chicago, IL
 What is the start-up culture like where you are based?
The start-up culture here in Chicago is fantastic. We have a couple incubators (Buit In Chicago, 1871, Excelerate Labs) and many others. We also have Technori Pitch, which is a monthly showcase of the city’s most innovative companies pitching their latest technologies.
 What problem does your start-up solve?
We solve the problem of job hunters/networkers not being prepared?
What do you do in situations where passing out a handful of resumes is not feasible? Imagine a scenario where you are out and meet someone looking to hire someone with your skill set. If you don’t have a personal business card or resume, you may have lost out on a golden opportunity. If you’re serious about finding a job, then you already know the importance of networking and marketing yourself. The savvy job hunter/networker knows that the next hot lead can come from anywhere at any time and that’s where we come in
Ecoresume allows you the ability to take your skills with you wherever you go – to networking events, career and job fairs, professional meetings, parties, social gatherings and anywhere else you may run into potential contacts.
 What is one challenge that you’ve overcome in the start-up process?
Doing a gut check and seeing the project through. Sacrificing all of the things you like to do (shop, time with family, go to events/outings,etc) just so you can bootstrap your dream. And once that’s done and complete, you realize that was the easy part. The hard part just started with marketing your company and getting your message out to the masses. It is truly a journey.
 Who are your mentors and role models?
I have no mentor and my motivation is my family. My role models vary. I like reading Seth Godin blogs as they are very insightful. He really makes you think outside of the box with marking and reaching your audience. I like the guys over at 37signals. Their book “Rework” is great! They teach you how to just go for it and don’t pay attention to the naysayers. Basically the book cuts through all of the bs and  motivates you to just do it.. They talk about how you don’t need a board of directors, outside money, big office, etc. Forget all of that nonsense and spend a couple hrs each day working on your start-up.
 Whats one thing the world doesn’t know about you or your start-up?
That we exist. The world doesn’t know we offer a unique way of marketing yourself that gives you a competitive edge. We offer a powerful, results-oriented tool that allows you the convenience of networking to effectively advance your job search strategy. Be prepared wherever you go.
 What’s next for EcoResume?
Create different card designs and add card holders to the site
Here are some links worth clicking:
Check out EcoResume here, try it out for yourself
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