We live in a world where competition is tough and the recruitment process has changed. With the COVID-19 outbreak, the number of unemployed people in the US alone rose by more than 20 million and is set to increase in the coming months. With millions of candidates applying for jobs and so many repetitive papers resumes to sift through, it’s not uncommon for a quality candidate to get lost in the mix.
So how do you stand out from the pool of resumes?
Studies have shown that visuals are processed 60,000x faster than text. Unfortunately, most of our resumes are still text-based and fighting for recruiters’ attention. So here’s the secret to standing out from the crowd of written documents – Video resumes! A video is a perfect way to get your message across and to pique the interest of the recruiter who has been filtering through paper resumes all day. And what’s more? 89% of hiring managers said they would watch a video resume if submitted to them.
Source: Atriumstaff
With video resumes, candidates can personalize their message for companies/roles they’re applying to, to help the recruiters understand them better. For instance, if you are applying for a client-facing role and have cited superior communication skills on your paper resume, it will be hard for recruiters to verify. However, in a video, recruiters can see your charming personality and good communication skills on display. In short, a video resume helps you be REAL, as you are being YOU and not hidden behind a templated resume.
Click here to know about 4 easy steps to create a killer video resume
How to make a video resume: 4 top tips
If you’ve never made a video resume before, fret not. Here are 4 top tips to help you along the way.
1.Finalize a Video Resume Script
First things first – draft a script on the pointers you want to communicate with the recruiter. This will give you time to perfect what you want to say and phrase everything in the best way. Write an outline detailing the following:
- A short and persuasive opening statement – your elevator pitch. Introduce yourself and talk about your recent work experience and similarities in applied role vs the previous role. Eg: ‘Hi, My name is Mary Andrews and I’m looking for a full-time Territory sales manager position. With 5 years of experience under my belt, my expertise lies in identifying key market trends and customer preferences’.
- Your key achievements – Make sure you’re not repeating what’s written in your resume.
- A little bit of personality and tactful humor, if appropriate.
Tip: Make sure your script has a natural and conversational flow to it and at all costs, avoid reading from a paper script or memorized script.
2. Fix Video Resume Length & Format
Recruiters are busy people and they have a lot of resumes to get through. Instead of sending them a feature-length biopic about your life so far, get to the point quickly and convey your message in a clear and concise manner.
Keep videos shorter than 2 minutes to achieve the most viewer engagement. – Wyzowl
The effectiveness of your content relies on the length of the video, and after a certain length, every second count. So stick to a 2-minute time frame.
3. Video Resume for various platforms
A video resume can be shared on various platforms like LinkedIn and through email as video emails grab more attention comparatively. But while doing so, it is important to make separate video resumes for both the platforms. Here are some key pointers to bear in mind:
- Video Resume for LinkedIn – With LinkedIn being a rapidly growing platform for professionals and job seekers, it is beneficial for you to post your video resume on your LinkedIn profile to capture the attention of hiring managers. A one-minute video where you talk about yourself and your job-specific accomplishments will make you stand out from the rest.
- Emails – Unlike a video resume for LinkedIn which contains general information about you, for an email, you can tailor your video resume to suit the company you’re applying to – their work culture, the level of formality, their required skill sets, and expectations can be included. Here, apart from introducing yourself and your job-specific accomplishments, you can also include the name of the recruiter and their company name. In short, your video resume should be personalized to help the recruiter understand you better.
4. Keep it REAL, Be Genuine
Through a video resume, you share your body language, expressions, and tone of voice – factors that are missing from a paper resume. In addition to that, according to Wyzowl infographic, people remember 80% of what they see and do. Therefore, it is important to be REAL and genuine in your video resume as recruiters are quick to pick up cues on whether a candidate will be a great fit or not.
Also click here to check out the main elements of creating a perfect video.
Final words!
It’s easy to miss important points when going through a slew of resumes. This is why video resumes are the easiest way to give recruiters an instant idea about a candidate’s dynamism, communication skills, and body language. No wonder, video resumes are fast becoming the new norm!
So what are you waiting for? Make one and start sending it out to potential employers – Good luck!
