How to do a Video Resume – Your 3 minutes to shine
How about extending your application to another channel? A video resume is a great chance to stand out and not only show your skills, but also your personality. Especially in modern times, it’s a no-brainer to use the possibilities technology & the web offers for getting the job you want. A paper or electronic CV (PDF or form), of course, is still required by almost every sports company. However, it’s a one dimensional medium and limits your communication to the written word and a little design to express your character. A moving video, on the other hand, adds depth to your profile. Use it to introduce yourself, your communication skills, your confidence, maybe even your humour – precious soft skills that a lot of jobs ask for.
It might take some time to prepare, film and edit it. But: Your effort will definitely pay off for your job search!
If you want to give it a try: This is how to make a video resume.
The technology
What do you need for a video resumé?
First, you’ll need a video camera with a good resolution, 1080px or more. You don’t want to send out a blurry video of yourself which distorts your face (in rare cases it might improve the situation, but don’t count yourself as one of them). New smartphones and notebooks actually do great videos, so you could even use a handheld device. Be sure to check the settings and adjustment before, so you film it in high quality.
If you own a camcorder or can borrow one from a friend, this might be easier. Nowadays, most of them have a turnable screen, so you can watch yourself while filming. To get a steady picture, please use a tripod.
After filming, you will need an editing program for your Notebook. To keep it easy, you’ll probably need it mostly for cropping the video, so Windows Movie Maker or iMovie suffice.
Since the file will be BIG, you can’t just send it over via e-mail. The best way is actually to upload it to a video portal, Youtube for example, and add the video link to your application. Watch your username though – an application for a sport management job by user “ifarted69” might not be taken seriously.
Here’s an example by Laura Harris who does a great job in introducing herself in only 2 minutes:
The setting
Try to choose a nice setting, no matter if just a white wall or sandy beaches – everything is possible. One of our candidates once placed her video interview in front of a wall-sized window facing the alps with snow covered mountains behind her, right after coming back from Snowboarding. That definitely left an impression – especially as she was applying for a well-known winter sports company! Most suitable is a background that matches your personality and somehow sparks interest in watching your video. In any case try to avoid recording other people and better don’t do your clip outside, unless you find a quiet place with good light.
Preparation
Dress up accordingly to the job you want to apply for
Pay attention to all the factors that you are also considering when having a real job interview – a good overall impression. This doesn’t mean to dress up – a video CV is a medium to express yourself. Dress like you normally would – this could be formal or sporty, depending on the position.
Remember the candidate in the alps? Her fresh-out-of-the-snow look wasn’t all tidied up, but fit the character of the company, showed her passion and love for outdoor sports and created an easy-going atmosphere for the introduction. That’s one of the advantages of the video CV – you can really express who you are and what makes you special. Dare to be yourself and show it.
Wrinkles? No worries!
Who is concerned regarding discrimination – no worries, there has been a conference of the commission of employment law in 2010, with the outcome that video resumes have to be judged by the same, objective criteria as the written ones. That means you won’t have any trouble with your holiday pounds or grey hair.
The content
When it comes to the content of your speech you really need to kick ass in these few minutes to get your dream management or marketing sportjob. This is going to be tough. To be honest, I tried endless times to make the perfect video. In the end I had to accept that there is none. Still, no one is flawless and your video will still be able to impress when done right. So, according to my own tests, here’s some hints what to look out for:
Make a plan
Let’s start! And stop! After 10 “ehm” in the first 30 seconds, because I wasn’t sure what to say, I can tell you: Starting to talk without any plan does not work. Unless you’re a natural free speaker, then just go ahead! Work out a script, a red thread to follow. Your video won’t convince anyone if you stutter or jump from one topic to the next and back.
Keep it short
Now fully planned, my agenda will tell you step by step what to do: Introduction – What makes you special – Why are you the perfect choice for this sport job. If, after 10 minutes of recording, you are still talking about your former experiences – that’s too long.
Set a time for the whole interview and each part. Less than 3 minutes will suffice to shine. The video is supposed to give the company a glimpse of who you are and make them curious enough that they want to get to know you. It’s similar to a good presentation: Keep a clock in hand sight and decide how much time you want to use for each topic. This way, you won’t loose track.
Control your body language
After your first recording, re-watch the material. Even when your language is optimized, you’ll probably realise that your body language might be a little off. For example: Whilst watching my results, I am noticing that my eyes wander around the room, and after 1 minute I get a little too comfortable in my seat. Also, I am horribly waving my arms around at one point.
A lot of people that try to be convincing are flailing horribly with their arms. There is no problem about that if you are having a face to face conversation, but if you only have a small display window to present yourself, it is better to be a bit reserved.
Also, sit straight and smile, that shows confidence, you can even lean in a little – and look into the camera. When your future employer watches the video, it will seem as if you keep eye contact. That’s great!
Retry until it’s perfect
Probably one of the biggest advantages about this kind of resumé:
You can try and try and try…
Taken as a whole, generating a video CV doesn’t sound that complicated. Everyone is able to mumble for about 2 minutes into his webcam. Not having to rack your brains about phrases for your sportjob cover letter is nice as well. But unfortunately, it is not that easy. Keep in mind that the situation is similar to a real job interview, your potential job employer virtually sits right in front you. Following this tips, take your time and put in a little effort to make a creative video resume. Good luck!
Try out video CV tool
Do you want to practice? We set up a video CV tool online for you to test. Our life coach Stéphane is guiding you through the process, asking you some questions – if you like, take these as a reference when filming your own CV. Let’s practice: Visit our CV Box