‘Watch’ My Resume – Pros and Cons of Video Resumes

Tired of the same old antics for the job search? Posting resumes online, mailing dozens of resumes through “snail mail,” searching sites on the internet, and cold calling companies? Is there a better way?
Maybe there is! How about the newest technology with video resumes?
Actually, video resumes have been around for quite some time, but they are just beginning to gain attention in the job search arena. Several online companies are developing a business around this new concept. Wireless broadband, digital photography, and a myriad of new technology advances make video resumes much easier to produce and inexpensive to create. They’re one more tool in the job search cache.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES?
Think about “selling yourself”. A flat piece of paper with your credentials, education, and background doesn’t really jump out at a potential employer. But when you combine your resume with a brief video of yourself, you quickly grab attention and point out your strengths, capitalize on your personality, and stand out from the crowd. You can use the video to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job and interlace your skills and qualifications during a personal video presentation to your potential employer.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
Human resource professionals caution companies and individuals about the use of video resumes. Videos not only reveal your strengths, they quickly reveal your weaknesses too. And sometimes even worse, they may divulge more personal information than you wanted to share such as your weight, race, gender, age, or disabilities. Although these things should not be used in the hiring decision, it will be hard for a potential employer to ignore them once they’ve seen your video. Until interviewers are trained to ignore these things, you may reduce your chances of getting a face-to-face interview to really sell yourself!
You also run the risk of doing a poor job of creating your video if you’re inexperienced. Poor quality can threaten your job chances by indicating you are unable to produce a high, quality work product. This could backfire on you in the long-run so you’ll need to ensure you do your homework before producing a video resume! Working with a professional or someone who has successfully created video resumes is advisable.
WHICH VIDEO RESUMES ARE MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED?
Video resumes that are high quality and professional will be head and shoulders above the rest. The best videos will be colorful and effective, and will showcase your professionalism, energetic personality, and knowledge.
Videos that are able to encapsulate the whole package of personality, skills, and experience are most likely to succeed. If you have the right talent and physical appearance, being “seen and heard” might just give you the edge you need.
With the advent of video resumes, there is a whole new opportunity and a new challenge out there for the job seeker. Just make sure your video has a story to tell – an introduction, a middle, and an end. Do your homework before you start and then give it a test drive. You never know what you’re missing until you try!