It seems like I have been talking about video resumes for a decade now. The reality is they are only about 4-5 years old. I have always advised my clients against it in the past, but I am slowly changing my opinion. For one, the technology has increased dramatically and it is as easy to create and post a video resume as it is to post a standard resume. The main reason for my change in opinion is due in large part to the economy and difficulty of the hiring environment. My thought is that you have to be creative and aggressive in pursuing opportunities. The purpose of a resume is to secure an interview, right? Well, a video resume is a resume and interview in one.
I am finally starting to see this video resume movement reach the main stream. When the largest job board, CareerBuilder, gets in on the act, you know there is something to it.
If you are going to take the video resume plunge, make sure you do it right, it is very easy to shoot yourself in the foot with this approach. I am not going to get into a diatribe about best practices, but I will tell you three basics:
- Dress the part- Guys, wear a suit. Gals, wear a pant suit. Simple enough!
- Don’t come off as too rehearsed.
- Don’t be a stiff, make sure you let your personality shine through.
You may want to go to Youtube and see good examples and bad examples to point you in the right direction.
For your viewing pleasure, here is what not to do, enjoy!
