Do's and don'ts of video résumés

“The potential for bias based on physical appearance is very real,” worries Julia Overton-Healy, director of career services at Mansfield University. “In a world where we have enough inequities, why allow more disparity to enter into a process where applications should be weighed upon achievements, not on looks?”

 

“I have doubts about the popularity of this type of resume,” agrees Patricia O’Keefe, assistant director of the University of Denver’s Career Center, “except in special circumstances like modeling or acting where it might be useful.”

 

Frank Tortorello, Jr., executive director of career services at Franklin & Marshall College, adds, “The only time I would recommend it is for high visibility jobs, and even then I would suggest sending the video as a complement of, not a replacement for, a one-page résumé.”

 

However, if you are still compelled to create a video résumé, here are some guidelines:

 

 

1. Dress appropriately. “Appearance is the first thing a potential employer will notice when watching a video résumé, so be sure to dress professionally in the video,” said Mike Perlow, president of Getatvjob.com. “For men, this means a jacket and tie. For women, this means a suit or dress and blouse or sweater. Men should be cleanly shaven and have a fresh haircut. Women should have a fresh haircut and apply make-up, but don't overdo it.”

 

2. Make a connection to the position. “Build a direct and obvious bridge between your background and skills to the responsibilities of the target position. Put yourself in the position of the potential employer, ask yourself questions in advance of the recording and practice your answers,” said Tortorello.

 

3. Stay scripted, yet unscripted. “Speak to the camera. Do not read a prewritten script. It will sound like you're reading and will not come off as genuine. This does not mean you shouldn't prepare your comments in advance. Take some time to write an outline of what you want to say in your video and practice in front of a mirror until you are comfortable,” said Perlow.

 

4. Practice first. “Do a few dry runs and review the video closely. It's important to critique not only what you're saying and how you sound, but also if you are speaking correctly. It's also important to make sure everything looks good, too,” said Sharon DeLay, career transition specialist and president of Permanent Ink Professional Development Services.

 

5. Keep it short. “Make the video under 60 seconds so that it serves as more of a high level overview of your background and a deep dive into your passion and interests. Although this seems short in comparison to what you can convey in an interview or even an actual résumé, keep in mind that a savvy employer can scan a résumé for interest in less than 10 seconds. So, even spending 60 seconds to watch your video is a big investment from an employer’s perspective,” said Boris Epstein, CEO and founder of BINC.

 

 

1. Skimp. “If you can’t produce a high-quality video, use other career marketing tools. A badly done video—audio problems, bad resolution, etc.—is worse than no video at all,” said William Arruda, president of Reach Personal Branding.

 

2. Act like you are a star of a sitcom. “Although the point of the video is to pitch your personality, companies still want a serious and professional candidate for their company. Sure, the video is centered around you, but ultimately it is about the company and how hiring you can help them become a better company,” said Shemia Miller, CEO of The Giants Den Firm.

 

3. Be a hater. “Nobody likes a negative Nancy. Never, ever, say or do anything that implies negativity. Not even in an allegedly ironic way. It doesn’t work,” said Tracy Cote, executive director of talent at Organic, Inc.

 

4. Get too casual. “While you do want to showcase your personality, this is not the time or the place to do so. Remember, your goal is to get an interview with this video résumé, not a job. Also, you simply want to raise questions in the employers mind—you can answer these questions later,” said Harold Houpt, vice president of marketing at Gnarleydog.com.

 

5. Speak with your hands. “It's a nervous habit for many people, including myself in my early days in broadcasting, to move their hands around while speaking. This can be very distracting to someone trying to watch your video résumé and learn more about you,” said Perlow.

 

Join me and J.T. O'Donnell, a caeer coach, workplace consultant and founder of Careerealism, for a free, live, online chat about crafting winning cover letter and résumés for internship and entry-level job candidates. The chat will begin at 4 p.m. EST / 1 p.m. PST on Sunday, February 8, 2009. Click here to register.