CAREER GUIDANCE

Video Resume

A video resume is a short video made by a job candidate and uploaded to the internet
(or emailed to a hiring manager) for review by prospective employers. In the video,
the candidates share detailed information about their skills and experience.

A video resume is a tool you can use to help you get your dream job.

And, above all, make sure you answer one simple question: Why should an employer hire you?

Tips for creating a video resume

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Write a script

First things first: Do not wing it. To make sure your video covers everything you need to cover, write a script first. This will give you time to perfect what you want to say and phrase it all the best possible way. If you are going to use a camera, then it is best to memorise the script. You do not want to read from it during filming, as this may be unprofessional and reduce how you want to portray yourself to prospective employers.

Do not read directly from your script or resume, as that leads to a boring video. Think of that video as a reason why a particular company should hire you. Therefore, your main objective is to state what benefits you will provide to the company, as well as your goals, skills, and accomplishments.

    Make it relevant

    Just like a paper resume, your video resume should be specific to the role you are applying for. A generic video is unlikely to impress prospective employers, but personalisation will show them how important the role is to you and make the application more memorable! 

    Show, do not tell:

    Use visuals to illustrate what you are saying in the video script, which shows your talents and skills. For example, if you are applying for a job where presentation plays an important role, you can film B-roll of yourself assembling a PowerPoint. If any of your presentations are recorded, use that recording in your video resume.

      Keep it short

      Recruiters are busy people. They have a lot of resumes to go through, and they want to do it as quickly as possible. If you send in a biopic video about your life, it is safe to say that they would not watch the whole thing.

      According to a study by Wistia, the ideal video length for maximum viewer engagement is 1-2 minutes, with 90 seconds being the sweet spot.

      Know your audience

      As you plan your script and filming location, consider who will watch the video and calibrate accordingly. For instance, a video prepared for a position at a bank may be different from a video created for a start-up.

      Get Creative

      Unfortunately, a video alone is not going to make you stand out. Tons of people are making video resumes now, so you need to make yours worth watching.

      Think outside the box and be creative when it comes to filming your video. We will be looking at 3 excellent video resumes, so be sure to watch the videos for inspiration!

      Make it Professional

      This may seem like an obvious statement, but your video must be of professional quality. Thankfully, most smartphones today are capable of shooting in HD. You can shoot it (or animate it) yourself, but make sure that the lighting, framing and editing are similar to a video made by a professional. Also, make sure your voice can be heard clearly – whether you are talking directly into the camera or recording a voiceover.

      Share with friends and family

      Getting feedback from others is an important step. Ask a few people to watch your video, and make edits and changes based on their comments.