Thursday 22 December 2011

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. 

3 comments:

Anagha-Meghana said...

Thank you for the positive feedback. We shall continue to bring you the most interesting and updated articles on the topic. So do keep watching this space for more!

Steven Cruiser said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Steven Cruiser said...

Resume website has gained popularity with the advancement in technology. It really became very important in the present scenario. Your blog provides very good information on
resume website.

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