- Keep it short and simple. Video resumes should be one to three minutes in length and should not exceed five minutes. It should entice employers to want to interview the candidate without giving too much information. It is important to stay focused and remember sometimes less is more.
- Be professional. It is okay to infuse the video resume with personality and humor, but it is best for the candidate to stay away from outrageous on-camera antics (such as dancing or playing a sport) that would not be applicable characteristics for the position of interest.
- Let your personality shine. Candidates should have an idea of what they would like to say in their video, but they should try to keep it as natural as possible and not sound scripted. Professionals should use the video resume to show off their personality and soft-skills that may not be tangible on a written resume. Remember to maintain eye contact and to smile throughout the video.
- Plan ahead. Think of your video resume as a story. It should have a beginning, middle and end. Job seekers should remember to introduce themselves at the beginning of the video and give employers a reason to continue watching. It is also important to remember to thank the employer for their time and to reinforce interest in the position at the end of the video.
- Dress appropriately. A video resume should be treated like a preliminarily interview, so it is important to dress professionally and be aware of the background before taping a video resume. By dressing in casual attire, it may send the wrong message to potential employers.
- Honesty is the best policy. The same rules apply in a video resume as a written resume. Candidates who lie about skills or past employment history to impress employers will likely experience let downs and job dissatisfaction in the long run. Lying on a resume is also the fastest way to become disqualified for a position once the employer discovers false information.
- Do a practice run. Candidates should film a few practice runs of their video resume to make sure they are comfortable in front of the camera. Once they are confident with their video, they should play it back a few times to make sure the lighting, background & sound are okay. It can also be helpful to get feedback from others to make sure nothing was missed. Practice on a friend!
- Highlight top qualities. It is important for candidates to highlight their top qualities and demonstrate how they would bring value to an organization. Remember to use quantifiable results when possible and highlight any specific accomplishments or special abilities that relate to the open position.
- Watch for wild gestures. It is acceptable for a candidate to use their hands during a video resume, but they should keep it to a minimum and also avoid any other gestures that could distract the employer, including tapping their hands or using slang or filler words repeatedly.
- End with a call to action. The point of the video resume is to land an interview in person, so candidates should end with an invitation for the employer to learn more about them in person. Once the video resume has been created, job seekers should start developing a plan to promote their video to potential employers. The first step is to upload their video resume online and research available sites that offer a video resume feature, FREE Online Career Portfolio. A video resume can also be distributed to networking contacts and should be included when applying for future positions.
Top Ten Video Resume Tips for Candidates
In a competitive job market, it is extremely important for job seekers to stand out from the crowd of qualified applicants, which is why many professionals are turning to video resumes to effectively market themselves to potential employers. Video resumes are especially helpful for candidates who can effectively sell themselves on camera, but don’t necessarily have extensive experience to put on a written resume.
Many times, job seekers only get one chance to make a first impression on an employer. In the past, this impression was in the form of an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper. As video resumes become more mainstream, professionals must re-think how to effectively portray themselves as an attractive job candidate on paper and through a video resume. Below are the top ten tips candidates can use when making a video resume:
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KaZ •Video resumes are the wave of the future and a business who is open to video resumes shows me they are innovative and current. Accepting either forms of a resume proves a company thinks outside the box and can thrive in the increasingly competitive marketplace or risk being left behind or floundering because they won't advance with the times. We all remember when emails did not exist, nor cellphones but business can't be done without them these days. My choice, when given the option, to apply to a business who is current or one who does not feel they should expand their scope professionally would be to apply to the former. Videos can be sent by email directly to the potential employer and viewed at their convenience. As far as discrimination regarding videos, I would trust a potential employer would be professional enough to consider a future employer regardless of how they look. Then again, if I were judged by an employer because they don't like my blonde hair or I remind them too much of their ex-spouse then I don't think I would want to work for them anyway. Personality in business is a very important commodity. If personality shines through in a video that would certainly make me want to bring the person in to get to know them better since your business is only as strong as its weakest link. -
qaiser •Very interesting post.
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Hal C. •I have to side with the HR professional when she said a video resume would leave potential employers open to discrimination lawsuits. Also, the ability to express yourself on paper is still a critical skill. If I were chasing a sales/marketing job, then maybe video.
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My company produces video cover letters for job seekers. They do work. Candidates are able to promote themselves in a very professional, broadcast quality video. If you are in metro Chicago, we can be found at www.guugos.com/BTW, there are no EEOC regulations against offering a video cover letter as part of your submission package. This is 2010 and streaming video is a cost effective medium to enable candidates to connect with potential employers.
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donna •I think a video resume is simply MARVELOUS idea!!! It can save both jobseekers and employers multitudes of time. It could assist both in easing their way into an interview process, and to let both sides to help break the ice to see if both are personable and have qualities that could match the needs of both. How could it be done, and how much cost?
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Steven L. •If I wanted to make a video resume where would I go to make one?
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Gus G. •As a job seeker; it seems like most recruiters dont even read a resume anymore; they just scan it for buzz words. How can they scan a video resume for buzz words, and how can they spend time watching a video since every job posting in this depression gets thousands of applicants? I think I agree with the HR person that commented on here; its not worth it.
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Jorge D. •A video resume? As a security professional i don't see how a hiring manager would take the risk to go to an unknown website to watch a video of a potential employee or even worse, run a dvd/cd/usb on his local pc to watch it. This option is a no no from my point of view.
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good tips!
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Please direct me to instructions on creating a video cover letter or introduction. I do not know how to do this and feel it would be much more effective. Thank you.Nancy McCarty
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Earline Hergruder •WOW, What a great way to intorduce yourself. this is what I call marketing yourself for a job. Hope it works, I will try it.
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Video Resumes!!! The last thing I want to see is a video resume. If the candidate can not put together a short paragraph or two for a cover letter...I am not interested in meeting with him/her. As an HR professional, video resumes seem similar to putting your picture on a resume. Not a good thing. Also...from the employer's point of view - it could lead to potential discrimination litigation. Video resumes....DON'T DO IT!!
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Aafid Rehman •It's good to inform the job seekers to present themselves in more meaningful and innovative way. I am sure that this practice will make a very positive impact on seekers for a job and future.Thanks
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