Stand out in the job market with a video resume

Did you know that most resumes job applicants send for jobs go unseen by a hiring manager? There are so many boxes that you have to check with a traditional resume in order to stand out from the competition. You must use the right resume format, add the right elements, mention the right keywords, and come up with the right design to impress potential employers. However, a video resume will make you stand out instantly.

What is a video resume?

A video resume is a way for you to outline your professional qualifications and experience through a short video. You will be doing a lot more than just turning your ink-and-paper resume into a video. You will be increasing the engagement of potential employers with your resume. You can also showcase your personality and create a great first impression with a video resume.

What kind of video resume can you make?

You love the idea of a video resume, but there’s a bit of a problem: you are camera shy. There’s no need to worry about that. There are so many things you can do with a video resume that doesn’t involve you going in front of a camera and talking about your experiences. You can choose to make an animated video if you have talents in graphic design and animation. If not, you can create a whiteboard video where you map out your career on a whiteboard for the hiring manager to see. Some candidates even choose to make stop-motion videos for their resumes.

How to make your video resume

If this is your first time making a video resume, you will need to invest a bit of time in it. Before you get started, you can read this article we wrote about creating a TikTok resume. Here are 6 steps to create a great video resume for you:

Write a script

You can’t just get in front of the camera and wing it. You should make sure that your video resume covers all the important factors of your career. You should invest considerable time to plan out your resume video. First, write a script for your video resume to keep yourself on track.

Add relevant info

You are not creating a “Draw my life” video for YouTube, you are creating a video resume. Don’t start your video at your birth. Start it from your college education and work your way into career history. Mentioning irrelevant personal information in your video resume is not a good idea.

Make it short

While it will be tempting for you to turn your video resume into a whole immersive experience, hiring managers will have only so much time to dedicate for one resume. Just like your paper resume needs to pass the six-second test, your video resume too should not exceed two minutes.

Be creative

There is no other way to say that you are great at thinking outside the box than to create a unique kind of video resume. Understand that you are not the only candidate out there who is creating a video resume. Look at a few video resumes on the internet and try to do something unique and different.

Keep it professional

If you are like most candidates, you will not be hiring a professional film crew to make your video resume. You can use your smartphone or digital camera to film your resume. However, you should ensure that the lighting, framing, editing, and composition of your video resume is up to the professional standard.

Get feedback

Don’t send out your video resume to employers yet! First, share it with your family, friends, or partner and ask them for feedback. They might even be able to spot any mistakes that you may have overlooked. If you are connected with resume writers or career coaches on LinkedIn, ask them for their opinion of your resume video.