Video resume

New Trend In Career Search: Video Resume

Guest post by:  Amy Huges

Video Resumes = Trending

Resume trends are always changing. What worked in 2014 might not work in 2016. To make sure that your resume is popular with hiring managers and helps to bag you an interview, you need to keep up with all the latest changes.

One of the top trends of 2016 is the video resume.Yup, that’s right: Recruiters don’t just read resumes anymore: They watch them!

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In 2014, if you keyed “video resume” into YouTube, you would have been met by 1.3 million results. And the number is only growing. This pretty much means that if you don’t make a video resume, you might fall behind those who are making one. Hiring managers are now beginning to desire more video resumes. The video resume can condense all your info into a concise video that is engaging, and perhaps even fun to watch. And it’s a heck of a lot better than reading through tonnes of meandering paragraphs.  See this tutorial “How to Make A Video Resume

Video Resume’s Sell

Video resume’s sell: That’s what they do. They steal the show in a way that words on paper just can’t. The best ones are engaging, well-crafted, exciting, and even fun. And they show the hiring manager who you really are much more than an impersonal written resume does. They show them the kind of person you are; the kind of communicator you are, how genuine you are, how dynamic you are, as well as how you present yourself. In short, they sell you.

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Keep Yours Short

If you keep up with all the latest resume trends, you’ll already know that the shorter the resume, the better. Hiring managers simply don’t have the time to read through pages and pages of text. It’s boring. The same rule applies to a video resume. A hiring manager doesn’t want to be faced with a 20 minute video: They’re not on the lookout for an epic. Instead, they want to see you condense all your key info into a 2-3 minute bite-sized video that answers the fundamental questions.

Be Creative

More and more people are making their own video resumes, which means that you have to be a little creative if you want yours to stand out from the crowd. Also, you should keep in mind the type of company you want to work for. If you’re applying for to work at a video games development company, why not create an animated video that involves a video game character? Ingenuity will go a long way, and you can even add a pinch of humor if the context is right.

Be Careful, Though – You Don’t Want To Look Weird

The problem with the video resume is that, if you aren’t a natural on camera, you could come across looking a bit weird. You could, indeed, ruin your application because of your nerves. See, video resumes are hard to do well. Even if you do perform well on camera, you might be let down by poor video quality. For this reason, you should only make a video if yours is actually good. You need to be confident, articulate, energetic, presentable, and engaging. You need to cut out all waffle, and get to the point. Remember, a hiring manager is going to look at this video and think this is how you will act around the office; so give them a show, and make sure your video quality is of a high standard – and this includes the sound as well as the visuals.

When To Use Video Resumes

Video resumes are most popular for online, media, social and creative professions. Candidates should send out a video resume to have the desired effect, but sometimes it can be requested from hiring managers. Here is a good example of a job posting where a video resume is suggested.

Amy Huges is a Blogger and Resume Consultant at www.ResumeWritingService.biz. She is passionate about HR and personal career development. She keeps track of the latest tendencies in resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and regularly participates in career discussions.

Editor

Carry On Friends Editorial Team.