How About a Video Resume?

Video resumes are an attempt to go one step ahead of the conventional paper resumes by showing what the latter cannot – the overall personality of the candidate which includes language skills, appearance and style. The traditional 'text only' resumes manage to convey all the attributes, skills and qualifications that can be put on paper. However many candidates want to add the one factor to their resume that could prove to be their trump card – their charisma and their engaging public speaking skills.

What is a video resume?
A video resume is a three minute visual snippet recorded on camera where the candidate gives an overview of his/her expertise, interests and goals. This is then uploaded on the internet and can be sent to various companies along with the job application. Its USP is that the recruiters get to see the confidence, poise and personality of the aspirant helping to create a more powerful visual impact and generate a positive impression that it is more likely to turn the dice in his favour.

Although the idea of a video resume sounds appealing on the face of it, we recommend that you think it over from every perspective. It works well for a select category of people who have the ability to project their best self on camera. You need to honestly judge whether you are one of them.

What you should consider before opting for a video resume

• How “camera friendly” are you?  It is a well established fact that not everyone possesses a ‘screen presence’. Most people are not their natural self on camera and appear either too stiff or over enthusiastic in an attempt to seem naturally spontaneous.  They would much rather prefer face to face interactions and be able to express and convey more through personal gestures like eye contact and body language. Therefore, for those who are just not cut out for an impersonal camera recording, the idea of a video resume should simply be shelved.
• Cannot be easily customized: It would be quite absurd to make a separate recording to match the job profile of every position or organization that has been applied to. There is no option but to send one recording for all job requests which may not seem in sync with the goals and vision of the different organizations. A traditional resume on the other hand just needs some minor modifications to match it perfectly with the different job posts applied for.
• Impossible to predict what the viewers want to hear: A video resume just presents one side of the coin, it tells only what the candidate wants to convey and that too in his own comfort zone. The viewers may not get the answers that they might be looking for and hence the video resume could appear uninteresting and stretch on endlessly as they wait to hear relevant information. They could then simply choose to turn it off unlike in conventional resumes where a quick scan is sufficient to give an experienced recruiter a fair idea of the candidate’s background.
• No concept of keyword search:  A video resume cannot be accessed as easily as other online resumes that contain vital keywords, which allow the automated software to pick them.  It cannot be used to advertise your expertise or market your skills on the net. Therefore the scope of a video resume is extremely limited.

It is important not to follow a trend just because it seems the most fashionable thing to do. Weigh the pros and cons of a video resume, take into account your temperament and preferences, to arrive at the correct decision and make a resume that stands for the real you. 

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Sifting through Resume Myths

While searching for tips on resume writing, don’t be surprised if you come across diametrically opposite advice. There are several approaches to building a resume and people may have different opinions which could  be totally contradictory. These conflicting points of view may confuse you especially if you are in urgent need of a professional resume and do not really have the time to sort out the facts.

 Well, our resume website answers all your doubts to give you reliable and expert advice about the dos and don’ts of resume writing. We have for you some popular resume myths along with the correct perspective that you should adopt. It will help you to discard the misleading assumptions about resumes and enable you to build one that is based on proven truths.

Let’s bust some popular resume myths

Myth: Its fine to make one generic resume to be sent to all the jobs applied for

Fact: Sending the same resume along with every application is like trying to fit each candidate into the same outfit. Taking the trouble to tailor your resume to suit the requirements, values and visions of the different organizations you have applied to, convey a sincerity and clarity of thought that recruiters find impossible to ignore. Therefore going that extra step to create a special resume for every application would surely reap rich dividends

Myth: Mention each and every job you have done till date

Fact: Relevance is the main attribute that recruiters value the most. Therefore even if you have an array of previous work experiences lined up, they would be of no use if they are not relevant to the post applied for. They would actually divert attention away from your resume. So ensure that your employment history is in tune with the post sought and as you progress in your designation, you could slowly start eliminating the earliest jobs from your resume.

Myth: You don’t need to include voluntary work in your resume

Fact: Voluntary or unpaid work conveys a great deal about your character and shows you to be a self motivated individual driven by selfless goals. If the honorary work happens to be connected to the job you are currently applied for, then it would surely be a huge boost to your candidature.

Myth: It’s the norm to include hobbies and interests

Fact: A resume is a professional document and it is important to make judicious use of the space available to you to project yourself in the best possible light. Mentioning casual hobbies which bear no relevance to your qualifications would not help brighten your chances in any way whatsoever. However if your hobby is in congruence with your profession then it would surely make sense to include it.

Myth: You could mention salary expectations

Fact: It is best to keep mum about your salary expectations in your resume as they may well work against you. If you quote too high, it could turn the recruiters away from your resume. On the other hand a lower figure could lead you to a job where you may end up getting underpaid. It is impossible to predict the figure that the employers have in mind so your best bet would be to evade the salary issue entirely in your resume.

Now that you know the resume myths you need to guard against, go on, let your better judgement prevail to help you write a flawless resume.

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Types of Resumes

 Why can’t all resumes have a uniform structure and format? Wouldn’t it make our task simpler if there were just one layout that could be applied to every resume? However that is just like saying that every candidate should have the same traits, skills and background. This is as impossible as it sounds. Just as people vary in their aptitudes, situations and temperaments, so must the resumes that represent them.

There are three types of resumes:- Chronological, Functional and Combination. It would be a good idea to know when to use each of them so that you could judge for yourself the one that best suits your requirements.

The Chronological Resume  

This is the traditional type of resume and is still used in many conventional professions where a long, unbroken employment history and a steady career growth are the attributes that are most valued ones in a candidate’s profile. This type puts the entire focus on work experience which is listed in reverse order, ie. starting from the latest and going progressively backwards towards the earlier ones. The chronological resume charts the progress of the candidate over the years and emphasizes on the reliability and professional competence that shine through in the long employment history.

While they make the perfect choice for people with a strong work history, chronological resumes would just not work for people with an unsteady and diverse career experience or for those who wish to change their professions. This is one of the most obvious disadvantages of chronological resumes making it necessary for several people to opt for the other kind.

The Functional Resume

Functional resumes aim to highlight the skills of the candidate putting little or no emphasis on work experience. It brings forth the finer aspects of the candidate’s personality which play a vital role in professions like psychology, acting, music, designing, art and history. In the case of such unconventional professions, a mere listing of prior experience would certainly not do justice to the calibre and potential of the aspiring candidate.

Functional resumes also work well for fresh graduates or for those who have had long gaps or frequent changes in their career. In this type of resume, each skill is matched with the job profile sought and is backed by a substantial proof of success. It would be the ideal choice for those who have planned a career change and for those candidates who want to remain vague about their age. Another plus point is that this type of resume allows you to include mention of skills acquired through voluntary or unpaid work, especially if the skills are relevant to the job sought.

Functional resumes are however not so popular among the employers who tend to doubt the lack of work experience and hesitate to hire a candidate who has not been tried, tested and proven.

The Combination Resume

The combination resume tries to bridge the gap between the other two resumes by taking the best aspects of both. This resume begins with a summary and skills which are then followed by the work experience. The inclusion of employment history lends a marked credibility to the resume, making it the current favourite of both the employers and candidates alike. This resume merges the advantages of the chronological and functional resumes and minimizes the flaws of either. Most job seekers today pick the combination resume as it showcases their skills and supports it with solid evidence of their prior experience, making for an attractive candidature.

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Traits of a Cleverly Crafted Resume

A cleverly crafted resume projects you as the perfect candidate, an indispensable employee for the post in question. The skill lies in being able to express your strengths and potential using the fewest words and the smartest language. But before we explore the traits of a successful resume, let us first understand what exactly is the aim and purpose of a resume.  

The aim and purpose of a resume

The goal of the resume is not really to land you the job you aspire for. Your performance in the interview round is the sole criterion that would determine your chances of getting hired. But whether or not you reach the interview round depends almost completely upon how skilfully crafted your resume is. Therefore we can conclude that the aim of your resume is to earn you a place in the interview round.

The purpose of your resume is to make clear your intentions and aspirations for the post in question. It should clearly indicate the designation you seek and state what makes your candidature suitable for the job. It also serves the purpose of keeping track of all your professional experience and achievements till date along with giving a glimpse of your educational qualifications.

The most important aspect of a resume is that it conveys your goals and aspirations for the future. This gives the employers an idea of your how you rate yourself and where you envision yourself in future and how you plan to achieve your ambition, making this one of the most crucial points of the resume. This is usually encapsulated in a smart and precise objective at the very beginning of the resume.

What are the distinguishing traits of a clever resume?

• A business like summary: An objective is followed by a summary which is a brief summing up of your knowledge, experience and accomplishments. This should be written in as elegant a language as possible with a very professional tone
• Interesting and tasteful: Refrain from making your resume appear as a dull account of your academic and employment history till date. It should instead be a dynamic testimony of your expertise, knowledge and potential for the future
• Authentic evidence: Support your claims with figures that act as evidence of your performance. Translate achievements into measurable successes that clearly reflect your talent. Giving proof of your accomplishments makes the employers believe in your potential
• The correct Keywords: Since the process of scanning resumes is done by automated computer programs that search for certain keywords and pick resumes that have them, discarding the rest, you need to ensure that you place these all important words in your resume. You can find then in job advertisements in newspapers or on the web.

Follow the traits given above to get the most competitive resume that can match up to the intensely competitive world that we live in and fetch you a host of bright opportunities.

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What Makes a Resume Tick?

Imagine a situation where you have only thirty seconds to speak about yourself, to advertise your potential and market your skills. Thankfully, it is seldom that we are faced with such a possibility. But our resumes are put to this test every time, with every recruiter.  Most employers can afford no more than a cursory thirty second glance at every resume and only the most dynamic, unique and visually appealing resumes attract a second look.

So how do you ensure that your resume makes the cut among the shortlisted ones? Are there any fixed rules or conventions that you could apply to ensure that your resume puts you in top contention for the job? Unfortunately there is no magic formula that can conjure up the perfect resume. However there are a few time tested guidelines that could help you in your task.

Golden rules to frame an impressive resume

• Focus on employer's expectations: Contrary to what many people believe, resumes should not put the spotlight only on the candidate: Your recruiters are more interested in how you can contribute to the organization, how you can bring in greater profitability and success. Therefore flaunt your skills and successes in such a way that they show quantifiable proof of your achievements. Word your resume keeping in mind the employer’s expectations
• Never compromise on ethics and honesty: In your enthusiasm to outdo the others, you may be a little tempted to exaggerate or embellish facts and stray away from the complete truth. Such tactics always meet with an embarrassing end and put an outright question mark on your credibility, shutting all the doors of opportunity. The best bet is to be completely honest even about any shortcomings or lapses as employers value honesty over everything else
• Research about the organization:  This is one aspect that candidates totally overlook and it becomes most obvious when the same resume is sent to multiple organizations. It is worth going that extra step to read about the goals, vision and the values that the organization stands for and reflect those in your resume. Every company works on an ethos, a set of principles, which if you identify and incorporate in your resume, would be sure to strike a positive chord with the employers and convey that you would fit in well with the ideology of the company
• Give your resume a powerful start: Begin your resume with an objective that is confident and compelling enough to capture the attention of the employers and force them to read on ahead. A smart objective is one that successfully matches your expertise with the vision of the organization, projecting you as the best person for the post.
• Spruce it up: The overall layout, the look of the resume and the content all add up to make an impact. Make sure that it looks simple yet elegant, subtle yet assertive. Sprinkle it with the right action words like ‘lead’, ‘developed’, ‘implemented’, ‘achieved’ as these words emphasize your professional competence

Writing a resume is certainly no less than an art as it requires tact, style and expression. Use the unique guidelines given here to design a resume that will give wings to your aspirations and fuel your dreams towards a bright future.

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Let’s Talk About the Latest Trend – Resume Websites

We are well into the twenty first century where technology has advanced at such a phenomenal pace that it seems to have blended with the realm of magic. The world has become smaller, Alaska is just a click away and the distinction between virtual and real is blurring. Is it any wonder then that paper resumes are becoming increasingly redundant and a thing of the past?

Keeping pace with the times has become the new mantra for success. Many employers today tend to ignore paper resumes even though they may be outstanding. They prefer the sleek look of resume websites that project the candidate as a technologically savvy person with a bright mind, ready to march confidently into the future.

What is so great about resume websites?

• Creativity and innovation: Unlike paper resumes, having a resume website of your own allows you greater creativity and flexibility. You can design it in a way that it represents you better, gives insights into your personality, aptitudes and potential. There are no constraints of space and context and you could even include a video clip or other important files that showcase your potential.  
• Instant updates: A resume website puts you in complete control of the content and you can include the latest achievement the moment it happens. Once submitted, paper resumes cannot be updated or modified but in this case, you have the advantage of constantly adding to your website to make it smarter and more impressive.
• Easier to market: Almost all reputed businesses and industries are connected to social networking sites. Having a website that flaunts your skills and expertise and posting its link to enable maximum accessibility is the best way to make yourself known and to attract the most lucrative offers.

While most job seekers are convinced about the significant edge that resume websites gain over other conventional paper resumes, they are also wary and hesitant to go all ahead and design one for themselves. This probably stems from a general technology phobia which makes everything seem more complicated than it actually is.

But now you need worry no longer. We have for you a step by step guide to design your very own resume website with all the advice and suggestions that would enable you to put your best foot forward and create that all important positive first impression.

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Craft the Smartest Resumes

Just another resume website! If that was your response too, then think again. This one is a resume making website with a difference. If you want to build the most powerfully vibrant and enticing resumes you need look no further. We will equip you with all the tips and know-how required to create them.We live in a fast paced world where competition has reached such dizzying heights that even a split second, a quarter of a mark, half a notch can mean the difference between winning and losing. Whether in the academic arena or in the quest for a good job, the race is closely run and it’s always a tight finish. The winners possess something that gives them a decisive edge over the rest and this decisive edge is not always merit and talent.

There are a great many people out there who are capable and highly talented but haven’t yet found the success they deserve. The main reason for that could be that they are not projecting themselves as they should. That’s where the resume plays an important role. An ordinary, run of the mill resume does nothing to flatter your skills and expertise and set you apart. Such resumes will probably not attract a second look and would be promptly relegated into oblivion taking with them your hopes and dreams.


What you need is a resume that befits your qualifications, calibre and potential. What are those special ingredients that would make your resume exceptional and hard to ignore? How do you create one that meets the employer’s expectations and projects you as the right person for the job? How can you design one that succeeds in its ultimate aim of earning you a place amongst the shortlisted candidates?


Our website will actually help answer your questions and provide you with valuable insights and pointers that will give your resume the decisive edge you are looking for. From explaining the importance of resumes to discussing about how to make them unique and eye-catching, from elaborating on the types of resumes to busting the most popular resume myths...we have them all. And to further simplify your task, we have even provided you with resume templates and sample resumes that you just need to customize with your details in order to have an attractive readymade  resume in no time at all.


So read on to build the most amazing resume that is sure to bring you a step closer to that dream job. It’s one smart step that will make all the difference...just like our website!8RJSR74MWEPK

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