Creating a video resume

A video resume is a great modern way to showcase your skills and enhance your traditional CV especially if you aspire to build a career in a creative profession. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that you are a professional candidate with good verbal communication skills.

So, what do you need to consider when making a video resume?

1.Is it appropriate?

Only make a video if it is relevant-you would not want to make a generic video and send it out to employers without mentioning the specifics of the vacant position and industry.

2.Never read out your resume

Have a script but aim to give employers deeper insight into you as a person and be aware of your tone and body language. Market yourself as if you were a product and you are promoting your brand.

3.Be brief but have impact

Keep it short and remember it is a teaser. Your video should be 1-2 mins long so think about your key professional attributes and do not go into too much detail.

4.Be creative but professional

Make use of video editing software and feel free to insert PowerPoint slides to emphasise your key points. Also remember to dress appropriately as you would for a face to face interview.

5.Practice makes perfect

You need to think like an actor…an actor needs to practice their lines and have a few takes before finally capturing the best scene so you will need to do this as well. It is not a live recording session so make mistakes and learn from them when you watch the playback to make sure the final version is top notch.

A video resume is a good solution to make you stand out from the crowd in this highly competitive job market. If you want to promote your resume ask friends or family to review it then you can include a link to your video on your recruit-drive profile.

Check out this comedic take on a video resume http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuLcxg5VGuo