So, what's the deal with the resume? It's dead. It's alive. It's dead. It's alive. Do we need one or don't we? The Wall Street Journal reports that New York venture-capital firm Union Square Ventures is encouraging applicants not to send resumes but instead forward a collection of "Web presence" links.

A résumé doesn't provide much depth about a candidate, says Christina Cacioppo, an associate at Union Square Ventures who blogs about the hiring process on the company's website and was herself hired after she compiled a profile comprising her personal blog, Twitter feed, LinkedIn profile, and links to social-media sites Delicious and Dopplr, which showed places where she had traveled. "We are most interested in what people are like, what they are like to work with, how they think," she says.

While it's true that it's hard to get a rich picture of a candidate from just a resume alone, I still like to see what kind of language, formatting, and overall pizzazz skill a candidate has. I get a good sense of this from reviewing the good old fashioned resume. I think that the resume isn't quite dead yet, if for any other reason than "that's how we've always done it," and for that reason, it will continue on in a zombie like state for years to come. Essentially, it's just a really long calling card. For the vast majority of companies, a well written and good looking resume will get you over an important entry hurdle. Is it a complete picture? No. But it is your first impression, so until we have a solid death certificate, I'd keep mine polished and  ready.