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Of Video Resumes and Golf
I was reading the cantankerous Your HR Guy blog recently and he was going off on video resumes.
I’ll agree with him that most video resumes today don’t have much to recommend them. And I’ll agree that most resumes are, at best, bland, and often train wrecks.
I’ll also agree that most people pushing video resumes are websites who are charging you for creating / storing / displaying them.
However, before people start to think that I’m just like that ‘ol cantankerous HR Guy, that’s where my agreement ends. I do think there is a place for video resumes.
Allow me to explain.
LIKE VIDEO RESUMES, VERY EXPENSIVE GOLF CLUBS AREN’T FOR MOST PEOPLE
The way I look at resumes and video resumes is a lot like the way I look at golf and golf clubs.
One of my friends recently purchased some high end golf clubs. He dropped a pretty penny on those clubs because they were going to help his game. Okay, whatever. I’ll stick to the same good (not expensive, not fancy) clubs I’ve used during my turbulent 15 or so year relationship with the game.
If I were to buy some high fallutin’, perfectly balanced, space-age material golf clubs, it might improve my game. A little. But, at my skill level, I would get the most improvement of my game from more practice.
No matter what a golfer’s skill level is, new clubs can improve their game a little. For the scratch golfer, however, a new set of clubs can be that little something extra that gets their game below par on a regular basis.
VIDEO RESUMES ARE “THAT LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA” FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH
If you’re an average job seeker, you probably have a regular resume that could use some work. It probably looks something like the Mystery Candidate’s resume in the JibberJobber Resume Experiment.
In other words, it could use some work.
So why would you add a video resume to something that already needs some work? For the same reason that I would buy some expensive golf clubs: it will improve your game, even if just a little, immediately.
KEEP IN MIND THAT VIDEO RESUMES HAVEN’T MATURED YET
As I said earlier, most video resumes (that aren’t for media-related positions) suck. That’s just because video resumes haven’t matured yet.
Everyone is new at this and there are no real guidelines, no “the way it’s done by the successful people” to go by. As a result, most people are floundering with what to do.
That won’t last too long, though. As soon as people figure out what is visually interesting (not a guy reading his resume on camera, for example), learn a little video editing (the tools are there, but people don’t know how to do something professional-looking with them), and learn the first rule of filming a good quality video (LIGHTING!), they’ll get better.
So, yes. Video Resumes are new. We’re still figuring out what a good one looks like. But, in time, I predict that a large portion of job-seekers at a certain level will have them within the next 5-7 years.
If you’re a candidate, go ahead and make one. Imagine you’re shooting your own little television show and make it something you’d want to see. You’ll get there.
Enjoy the Search!
-Dan
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Daniel R. Sweet
Owner / Author / Chief Cook-And-Bottle-Washer
FRACAT.com - Free Resume and Career Toolbox
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielrsweet
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March 21st, 2007 at 10:10 am
Good argument Dan. I’m no expert in this arena but I’m guessing that as they pop up more, and people do them better and slicker, it will be more accepted, and then more common, and then practically required. But that ain’t going to happen in 2007.
Jason Alba
CEO - JibberJobber.com
March 21st, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Jason and Dan,
Who will have the time to watch video resumes? My guess is that recruiters see far too many resumes as it is. At least with a written resume you can skim quickly for information, and decide “toss or keep” in seconds. How do you do that with a video resume?
Kent
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:16 am
Kent,
There are three answers to your question:
1) In the short term (until video resumes become popular), because of the novelty, people who actually have them will get a little boost. That is, if they’re of any moderately good quality.
2) Recruiters have made a decision on a candidate in a face-to-face interview in about 5 minutes. All of the personal characteristics of in-person communication such as confidence, eye-contact, ability to speak, etc. help to make that “1st interview” decision.
Video resumes will be a step between “culling the resumes for the qualified people” and “making the call”. People who do it right will get the call.
3) Video Resumes will (either for the candidate or the recruiter) get borderline candidates and interview, boost the candidacy of candidates with resumes that aren’t all they can be, and will save the hiring manager a lot of time because so much of a 1st interview is “getting a feel for” the candidate.
Take that!
Dan
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:28 am
Dan,
Touche’!
So in the recruiting process, the video resume fits between paper resume and interview. That makes sense.
However, I think the video clip will need to be as targeted as the resume and cover letter - a new five minute clip for each job the candidate is targeting.
How do you think recruiters will prefer to receive the videos - link submitted with original contact, or only on request? What approach would most make you take notice?
Back at ya!
Kent
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:38 am
Yes, the video clip needs to be very targeted since it, like the resume, has to further answer, “Why should I hire you?”
As a recruiter, my preference would be to have a link as part of the resume. Since 99% of resumes are done in either Word or Adobe Reader, that’s an easy add near the top of the resume.
I, and just about any other recruiter or HR person, would never, ever, NEVER call someone for a video resume. It takes a lot of calls to get in touch with candidates and that’s a lot of trouble for a video resume.
However, if you’re instantly in front of me and impressive, I’m going to make the extra effort to get in touch with you.
Dan
June 27th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
New golf clubs will not improve the golf game but the fundamentals will but it will increase your confidence which is mainly what golf is about.
I feel the same is true for finding a job the higher your confidnence the better you feel about yourself and the chances increase of getting the job.
Mike