There are plenty of resume hacks you can do to make your application stand out. But sometimes, the traditional paperworks simply won’t suffice. Creating a video resume that will accompany your traditional black-and-whites is one of the great ways to stand out from the crowd.
If done right, video resumes can provide prospective employers more insight into what you can offer, spark interest, and inspire action. So, how do you make it right?
1. Use it only when it’s appropriate.
Some hiring managers do not like video resumes because they are time-consuming or downright irrelevant. So use video resumes when it is relevant to the job you are vying for.
For creative professionals like graphic designers, creative directors, and copywriters among others, video resumes work great. But video resumes might not work well with the legal or finance industry. So, know your audience well.
Here’s an excellent example of how a PR manager leverages the power of multimedia to sell his personal brand.
2. Think of AIDA.
Your video resume is a supplement to your traditional resume. It can give you an excellent chance to bring your personal branding to a whole new level. Unlike your written resume, your video resume must clearly inspire action. AIDA can help you with that (No, AIDA is not a girl).
Curate your video just like how copywriters curate sales pitches. A good rule of the thumb for this is the famous Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) formula.
- Attention. The easiest and the best way to grab attention and optimize for conversion is to dwell on your audience’s pain points.
- Interest. You may elaborate on your audience’s pain points further by elaborating on consequences and costs if these pain points are left unattended. Create a sense of emergency and urgency.
- Desire. Lay out your value proposition. Now is the time to propose possible solutions. Showcase your greatest achievements, most relevant skills, and proposed general plan of action. Entice.
- Action. Finally, lead your audience what to do next, either to contact you or visit your website. Always be clear on what you want your audience to do next.
Watch Marry Patterson’s video resume and pay attention to how she uses the AIDA formula:
3. Keep it short and simple.
It takes about 6 seconds for recruiters to scrutinize a resume, it’s logical that you keep your video resume as interesting and short as possible. A minute and a half is ideal.
Think of your video resume as your personal teaser trailer because your actual face-to-face interview with the hiring manager is your real blockbuster show.
Watch Lauren Goodman’s video resume and how she plays with typography and icons.
4. Or get creative.
If you decide to go for a video resume, you better make it spectacularly brilliant. You can get creative while staying classy. An excellent copy, a fabulous humour, an astonishing cinematography, or a remarkable human angle can make your video resume unique. Just remember: Know your audience. Humour might not work well with a law firm, but it just might with creative firms.
5. Boost your credibility through references.
While it is not recommended to list your references on your traditional resume, you can add them in your video resume. Watch this dynamic video resume made by Theo Ramsey and pay attention to how the elements he used in this video resulted in a compelling video resume.
Take Home Message
All content you put online becomes part of your digital footprint for a long time, if not forever. Thus, they should be produced with utmost diligence and thought. Remember that your video resume is not a substitute for your resume or cover letter. It is a teaser trailer to your personal brand. But if done spectacularly brilliant, it could help you land the job of your dreams.
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