Would you rather be asked out on a date through a text message or in person? How about getting birthday wishes? I’m hoping you prefer the latter for both. That’s because seeing someone’s face when you’re talking to them is much more personable than lines of text. Conversational analysts have said that 90 percent of communication is conveyed through body language while only 10 percent is through actual words. While this has been greatly argued as false lately, body language is still important and it makes sense that sending a video resume would garner better results than sending just a typed document.
Employers are looking to hire job seekers who are ahead of the curve both in keeping up with the current standard as well as thinking outside of the box. By sending a video resume, you are showing that you fulfill both. If you were to send a video resume to an employer, chances are you would be among a very small percentage of applicants who did so. This automatically makes you stick out, regardless of what you put in the video. A text document resume is fine if you want to give them a chance to skim over you, but a video resume is sure to intrigue them. Wouldn’t you want a break from three hours of reading if you were hiring manager?
The most obvious benefit of a video resume is that job seekers can visually show everything they have accomplished. If you just want to talk in front of the camera and read your resume off to the employer, then go ahead. But an employer would be a lot more impressed if a job seeker made the video creative as well as professional. Here are a few tips for job seekers for making an impressive video resume:
– Dress professionally
– Ensure good lighting
– Film yourself in a professional environment
-i.e. if you volunteer somewhere talk about it while you’re working there.
– Talk about specific experiences
Those are a few basics that can spruce up any video resume. Through film you can make yourself seem infinitely more interesting than with a text document. Plus, seeing a job seeker in action makes an employer gain a sense of the candidate’s character and personality. Convey positive character attributes through confident and purposeful body language. Refine your footage just as you would each line of a resume. Since you can shoot and reshoot there shouldn’t be a single stutter or nervous twitch on that reel. If there is you’re just telling the employer that you couldn’t take the time to do something you had all the time in the world to do right.
A video resume can set you apart from the other applicants, but this doesn’t make the text resume obsolete. The text resume is like an index and should always be included with every application (unless told otherwise), but a video resume is much a more impressive addition. It shows dedication as well as ingenuity when it comes to applying and is sure to earn you points with whoever is reviewing your application.
Are you sending video resumes to employers yet? Share with us in the comments section below!
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