Competition in the job market is at an all time high now.
So much so that getting the attention of employers today seems pretty much like a losing game.
But all hope is not lost and there is a way to set yourself apart in a vast sea of candidates.
And let employers know that you are the right person for the job.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at how to make a video resume.
From understanding the fundamentals to crafting one that leaves a lasting impression.
Let us explore insights, best practices, and stellar examples to help you open new doors in your professional career.
A video resume is a short video created by a job seeker to outline their skills and experience in a more dynamic way.
Typically lasting 1-3 minutes, it showcases a candidate’s personality, communication skills, and professional achievements directly to potential employers.
It allows candidates to effectively demonstrate their suitability for a role, not just through what they say but how they say it.
A video resume helps you achieve more with less and that’s the beauty of it.
As for the specifics, here’s why making a video resume pays dividends in the long run:
A video resume allows you to convey your personality, enthusiasm, and the professional presence you can bring to a team in a more holistic way.
It takes the essence of your job profile and brings it to life through visual storytelling.
Providing a glimpse into who you are beyond your qualifications.
This format offers the perfect medium to give your employers a glimpse into your verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
It also lets you briefly touch upon essential attributes based on the job that you’re applying to, especially helpful in roles requiring customer interaction or team collaboration.
Creating a video resume shows your ability to leverage technology creatively, an increasingly important skill in today's digital workplace.
It lets you add a hint of your own personality when you speak about any relevant skills that make you fit for the job.
In a job market where standing out is crucial, a video resume can be the differentiator that catches an employer's eye.
It demonstrates initiative and a willingness to use modern approaches along with traditional methods to showcase your candidacy in a better way.
A video resume adds a personal touch to your application, making it more memorable.
It also lets your employer see your willingness to go the extra step in making your application stand out.
It allows you to connect with the employer on a human level, increasing the likelihood of your resume getting shortlisted for further steps in the application process.
Video resumes can be as diverse as the candidates who create them.
Broadly, video resumes can be categorized into the following types, each suited to different job roles, industries, and applicant preferences:
This is your conventional resume but in video format.
It's typically straightforward, focusing on the candidate's qualifications, professional experience, and skills.
Which makes it Ideal for corporate, finance, or legal positions where professionalism is key.
Tailored for industries like advertising, graphic design, or entertainment, this type allows for more artistic freedom and informal annotations.
Candidates can experiment with special effects and unconventional formats to showcase their creativity and innovation.
Animated resumes are quite engaging and can stand out in a pile of applications in many ways.
For starters, it can turn an ordinary display of proficiencies into a tale of a candidate’s character development unfolding right in front of the eyes of their employers.
It's especially suitable for professionals in animation, video game design, or those looking to highlight their mastery in digital tools and creative software.
Primarily for freelancers, artists, architects, and designers, this format integrates work samples directly into the video.
It's a compelling way to visually present one's body of work along with verbal or text explanations of each project.
This style of video resume not only talks about your core competencies, it shows them in action.
This format includes testimonials from colleagues, clients, or employers, providing a third-party perspective on the candidate's skills and achievements.
It's an effective approach for those in client-facing roles or professions where reputation, credibility, and interpersonal skills are crucial.
Creating a video resume can seem daunting at first.
But by breaking it down into small, actionable steps, you can create an engaging and professional presentation that leaves your potential employers in awe.
Let’s take a closer, step-by-step, look into how you can make a video resume in no time:
Before hitting the record button, plan what you want to say and why you want to say it by making a video script.
Outline the key points you want to cover, such as your introduction, skills, experiences, achievements, and so on.
Make sure you include only the relevant bits that clearly show your employer why you’re a good fit for the role or company.
Most importantly, keep your script concise and to-the-point so as to not lengthen the duration of your video resume and maintain viewer engagement.
Based on your industry and role, decide on the type of video resume that best suits you.
Whether it's traditional, creative, or portfolio, selecting the right format is crucial in conveying your message effectively.
Try to include samples of your work or any relevant projects you’ve worked on in your video resume, regardless of the format you end up choosing.
Showing a proof of your work in action builds credibility and thus makes your job application more appealing to potential employers.
Find a quiet, well-lit space for filming your video resume.
Ensure the background is neat and professional, preferably of a bright and solid color so as to not make the presentation distracting.
If you're using any props or visual aids, set these up before you start recording.
And if you’re relying on animation for your video resume, make sure to use a vibrant and appropriately contrasted color palette throughout the video.
Your attire is the first thing, among many things, a potential employer sees about you.
So pick out an attire that’s professional and preferably what you would wear for a face-to-face interview.
The goal is to leave a positive impression and maintain professionalism throughout the duration of your video resume.
They say that people can sit through a bad video but not through bad audio.
But it’s advisable not to take a chance on either. Ensure both your video and audio are on point.
Check your camera, microphone, and lighting as many times as possible before even pressing the record button.
Ensure everything is working correctly, and the video and audio quality are up to par.
Using a tripod or stabilizer can help keep your footage steady and using a high-quality microphone can take care of your audio.
Don’t expect to get everything perfect in one go.
Record several takes so you can choose the best one.
This also gives you the chance to vary your tone, pace, and expressions to find the best fit for your video resume.
It’s advisable to give some time in this step by carefully analyzing the multiple versions of your video resume and seeing what works best for you.
Now comes the most important part in your journey of making a video resume, i.e., editing.
Use a video editing software to trim your video, add transitions, and incorporate text overlays or subtitles.
Keep the editing clean, minimal, and professional as much as possible, making sure that only the relevant bits of your profile are highlighted and non-relevant bits are removed.
Avoid overusing effects that could distract your potential employers from your message.
End your video with a clear call to action telling your potential employers what to do next.
This might include (but not be limited to):
Whatever be the case, make sure your call-to-action is specific and helps your potential employer learn more about you as a candidate in the simplest way possible.
Before you finalize your video, show it to friends, family, or mentors and see what they feel about it.
Take detailed notes on their constructive criticisms and suggestions and find ways to incorporate these into your video resume.
Make sure you keep improving and updating your video resume as you get more constructive feedback so you stay ahead of the game.
Congratulations! Your video resume is now ready to go.
Upload your video resume to professional networking sites, job boards, or include it in your text resume as a link.
Whatever option you choose to share your video resume, make sure it’s clearly visible and easy to find for employers.
Check whether the platform you choose is appropriate for the industry you're applying to.
This will ensure your video resume reaches the right employers and has your desired impact.
In our pursuit to show everything, all at once, we rarely get it right.
But Kevin Bosc’s video resume is an exception to this. And we’re glad that it is.
Inspired by the fast-paced video ads from Google and Apple, this video gives you a quick glimpse into Kevin Bosc as he woos you with the video.
Notice how instead of putting all the aspects of his profile, he chooses to personalize it for a specific job role, i.e., Product Managers.
Want your video resume to have an impact?
Kevin shows you that simple and specific is the way to go!
Give a creative person to make a video resume and what will you get?
Let Arthur Coppens answer that for you.
The visuals quickly turn your attention to Arthur and wastes no time getting into his educational background.
Notice how he uses mixed-media animation to achieve a perfect balance of professionalism and personalization.
This not only makes his video resume eye-candy for potential employers, but also memorable.
It’s a common practice among employers to ask for a portfolio of your work during the application process.
And the reason is fairly simple: They want to get an idea on how skilled you are.
What if you combined the good aspects of a resume and work portfolio together?
With AB Animation Studio’s video resume here, you don’t have to look further.
By turning their motion graphics portfolio into a beautifully animated video resume, they steal the show here.
Not to mention, the video shows AB Animation Studio’s primary skill of animation in action.
Simply put: This is quite literally a work portfolio brought to life, thanks to animation!
Let’s take the appeal of creative video resumes forward.
By Meor Syafiq’s own admission, this isn’t your cliche resume.
And one look through the video will tell you why.
It starts off with Meor outlining his experience working with various creative agencies through internships.
Followed by talking about his personality traits and aspirations in a way that’s relatable and immediately gets you hooked on his story.
All these aspects help Meor present himself as a confident candidate who’s willing to express himself for potential employers to notice.
And relying on a video resume to do that is the icing on the cake.
Kicking off this list of examples is this amazing video resume made by a YouTuber named Pervin Yabut titled “VIDEO RESUME | Pervin Yabut”.
The simplicity of the video resume makes it easy to follow and provides amazing clarity into his skill sets.
This next example of a great video resume comes from MotionEchoMedia titled “Professional Video Resume - Shelly” for a working professional named Shelly Cable.
The video resume is made professionally with extra care given to highlighting the key skills of Shelly in the most accurate manner possible.
Coming up next is this creative video resume by Aida Shah.
This video resume takes on a minimalist and somewhat non-traditional approach.
But the best part about this is it works flawlessly.
This video resume is from Shafira Attasha which she made in 2020 in the hopes of seeking employment.
The resume is well presented with efforts given to highlight core strengths and competencies.
The best part about being a filmmaker is that you can mold your content in ways that are simply remarkable.
That’s what Colter Willaims did in his video resume here.
He gave it a personal touch with awesome editing and b-roll footage that makes the video resume truly exciting and engaging.
This is honestly our favorite out of all the ten resumes we have listed here.
Joan Lao is an illustrator and she uses an amazing mixed-media style animation in her video resume.
In our opinion, this is really innovative.
This video resume by Jackson Roe is a true example of how simple and to-the-point resumes can effectively have the same impact as compared to longer video resumes.
The video is short and concise, just what an ideal video resume (or any resume for that matter) should be.
Creating a video resume that stands out has a lot of things going for it.
But there are certain things that you should NOT include in your video resume too.
Let’s break it down and put things into perspective:
Start with your name and the position you're applying for.
Make sure your introduction is specific to the position you’re applying to so as to not alienate the employer when they see your video resume.
Highlight your relevant skills that make you the ideal candidate for the job.
Talk about relevant achievements and how they've made you the right applicant for the role.
If you have prior work experience, make sure to briefly highlight that as well.
The point is to highlight all relevant information that instills confidence in potential employers about you as a candidate.
Briefly mention where you see yourself in the future and how the position you’re applying to aligns with your career path.
Employers love candidates that show ambition and long-term thinking so be sure to highlight your future goals as clearly as you can.
While professionalism is key, don't shy away from showing a bit of your personality and individualism.
It can be through your tone, a short story about a passion project, or a hobby that’s relevant to your professional skills.
Find a way to add a personal touch to your video resume to make it more unique.
This increase your chances to stand out among other applicants so be sure to fully leverage this aspect.
Avoid mentioning sensitive personal information such as your address, date of birth, or marital status.
Mostly because they aren’t relevant to the more professional aspects of your video resume and might come off as distracting or unnecessary.
Here’s the deal: Employers don’t have a lot of time to review your entire resume.
That is where your video resume comes in handy by making things short and simple.
So using lengthy stories in your video resume defeats the purpose.
So it’s better to either minimize its usage or avoid it entirely.
But if you insist on using storytelling, keep your anecdotes brief and relevant so as to not distract employers from your core message.
Speaking negatively about previous employers or colleagues is a major red flag for potential employers and will instantly turn them off.
Instead, focus on the positive aspects of your career journey.
Speak about how your previous employment, skills or achievements helped you improve in your professional career.
Only include experiences and skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
Irrelevant information can dilute your message and increase the duration of your video resume unnecessarily.
Leading to employers losing interest, hurting your application in the process.
While certain industry terms may be necessary, avoid clichés and buzzwords that don't add real value to your description.
As a rule of thumb, always stick to simple words for your video resume.
This makes it easier for employers to follow what you’re saying and it takes less time to get your point across as compared to using highly technical jargon.
As we wrap up our guide on how to make a video resume, it's clear that this innovative approach is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your job search.
Allowing you to present your skills, experience, and personality in a compelling and memorable way.
By following the steps outlined, incorporating the essential dos and avoiding the don'ts, and drawing inspiration from exemplary video resumes, you're well-equipped to create a video resume that stands out.
With creativity, authenticity, and a bit of technical know-how, one thing’s for certain.
A video resume is your opportunity to unlock new doors to exciting career opportunities.
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