A video resume, to accompany your traditional CV, is one of those trends that if done right, can assist you well in marketing yourself to prospective employers. Done poorly, it will hinder your chances of ever getting an interview at all.
The job market is highly competitive, but the right video resume will definitely make you stand out from the crowd.
If you are involved in online business, you must definitely use promotional content in the form of video to support your business. But making video content for promotional purpose is pretty tough for those of you who are beginners. Instead of merely promoting your business, nowadays people are also using video to promote themselves.
So lately if you want to look for a job, you don’t need to write an application letter anymore. The only thing you must do is making a video resume about yourself that you can send together with a traditional CV.
What is a video resume?
You simply make a video of yourself talking about your skills and why you would be an asset to the company. I know this is not an easy one, to make your own video resume, especially for those of you who are not really familiar with video production tools and processes. So in this article I will share some tips and ways about how to make a video resume.
Making a video resume should become quite easy when following the sequence of tips that I will share with you below but there are several things to consider before you start to make a video resume.
How to make a video resume?
Use a digital HD video camera that you can connect to your computer through USB. This will further accelerate the process in the creation and editing of the video resume. Use good video editing software.
I personally suggest you to use Adobe Premiere, but if you are not familiar with that software, or if you are not prepared to spend some money, you can try using Windows Movie Maker or iMovie.
If video editing is not your cup of tea at all, outsource the whole process rather than spending hours making a mess.
It is important to use a tripod for you camera or place it somewhere on a solid underground. Don’t let somebody else hold the camera for this will result in shaky, unprofessional looking footage.
Maximize the sound in your video. Many video resumes fail due to trivial things; the sound can be too low for instance. Therefore make sure that your video resume audience will hear every sentence that you said.
If you have any creative ideas, be sure to use them. You don’t want to go crazy in your video resume but you sure want to grab the attention right? Stay classy, but don’t be afraid to use some humor or some spectacular video editing.
You can emulate the style of another professional when making video resume. You’ll find other professional video resumes on the internet. Usually you can find a lot of them on most of the outsourcing sites.
Watch the videos closely and find some inspiration on how you can make a video resume in a professional but original way.
To keep in mind!
Create an output format that is easily recognizable in most video players, like QuickTime files (.mov, .mp4). Even better is it when you can embed the video on a webpage so you only have to send the link to your prospect employer. 
There is also the possibility of uploading your video in YouTube or Vimeo, but keep in mind that anybody can see those videos. But then again, the main aim here is to be a 100% sure that your video will open on somebody else’s computer, so If I was making a video resume, I would upload it on YouTube for sure!
Don’t underestimate this step because if it happens that people cannot open your video or video file, they won’t spend much time trying and your CV will and up in the paper bin.
You need to complete your video with your personal contact information so if the employers want to hire you or want to ask you for an interview, they can easily contact you. You can put your telephone number, mobile phone number, email address, or any other contact media such as instant messenger and so on at the end of the video.
You are the professional
Remember that you are a professional and you want people to see you as a professional.
Make your appearance impeccable, dress as you would on the work floor and be well groomed. You only get a few seconds to make a good impression and in video, naturally, the visual aspect is not to be underestimated.
Focus on your skills, passions and experience relevant for this position and do keep the video short, maximum 2 minutes.
Don’t just read your resume in front of the camera or merely give a summary of the facts. A video resume gives you the opportunity to let people get to know you in a more personal way. So don’t be afraid in front of the camera, just relax and tell the story. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as long as it is genuine and you can do it in 20 takes if you need to.
Below I you can enjoy some video resumes that I find particularly well done.
Well, that’s all you need to make a good video resume. Let me know if you got the job 😉
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on 26 Jun 2012