One of the top pieces of advice when it comes to video resumes is to keep them short. However, it can still be tempting for a job seeker to try and pack as much information as possible into a video resume. (You don’t want to leave anything out, after all!) Here are some reasons why it really is best for video resumes to be around a minute, or less. So stop hogging the limelight, already!
Keep a manager’s attention
Did you know that the average paper resume is only looked at for about 6-10 seconds by a hiring manager? If a paper resume only gets 10 seconds, your lengthy video resume is certainly going to try a hiring manager’s patience (unless you are Pixar and you have made an adorable short film). Job seekers should be certain that their video resumes can keep the attention of a hiring manager for the video’s duration. If not, the manager quits watching and you can be certain that your candidacy will be as brief as your video resume should have been.
Show desirable employee characteristics
Keeping your video resume to around one minute—one high quality minute—shows your potential employer that you know how to make a great first impression and that you can convey information efficiently. Obviously this is important for a job seeker, but these are also very employable skills. Employers want employees with great presentation and communication skills, which can both be best presented in a brief video resume.
Save the rest for the interview
The video resume is the highlight reel of the job seeker’s professional life. The goal is for a potential employer to want to know more about you after viewing your video resume. This goal is more achievable with a brief video resume. If a hiring manager already feels that he/she has learned everything about you, they might feel less compelled to bring you in for an interview. Don’t reveal how you saved the baby from a swarm of crocodiles…let the hiring manager ask you about it in your job interview.
Make things easier on YOU
This post has been focused on brief video resumes with the qualification that they must be high quality. As a job seeker, you spend enough time on the job search so why prepare a video resume that is twice as long as it needs to be? Keeping your video resume brief means that you can spend more time preparing a good 60 seconds to present to your potential employer. This means a better video resume, and a low-stress job search!
How do you keep your video resume brief? Leave a comment below, or send me a tweet: @ithinkther4iamb
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