You’re looking for a job and you want to put your best foot forward while standing out from the thousands of applications. To stand out you need to create a unique impression but how will you do that if you follow the traditional style of sending a resume where your skills are written down under a small section? You would want to do something out of the box and remain relevant to your job requirements. To do this you would need to create a video that highlights your skills. How to pitch your skills with a video? Let us find out.
Before we proceed let us first understand a video resume to know how it can help you pitch your skills.
What is a video resume?
A video resume is a short video that is sent to the employer by the applicant to evaluate the skills meant for a particular job. The video can either have the applicant speaking to the camera or a voice-over that is supported by visuals conveying the skills, qualities, motives of the applicant.
A video resume can contain strengths that would otherwise be omitted in a traditional resume format. It will highlight your body language, humor, character traits, and communication skills. This will make it easier for the company to understand your personality and whether it aligns with the requirement of the said job role.
Why pitch your skills using a video resume in 2024?
In this era of hyperconnectivity, there are innumerable opportunities that can be grabbed by people. These positions receive several applications from all over the internet. For a Human Resources employee looking through thousands of applications daily might become a bit monotonous. This is where your video resume will come into the picture.
A video resume stands out without much effort amongst numerous applicants. It gives you the creative freedom to express yourself beyond a single page and a few words. As a consumer, you would rather watch an entertaining video that speaks about a person’s strengths rather than read about it on a piece of paper.
The best part about pitching your skills using a video is that you get to channel your best foot forward by making the most of the video medium. Video resumes also save a lot of time when the applicant is being evaluated as these videos are often self-explanatory about the personality of an individual.
How to pitch your skills for a job with a video resume?
Pitching your skills with the help of a video resume becomes easy if you know what you’re aiming towards. There are a few tips to ace your pitch utilizing your skills:
- Be You – The best way to pitch your skills is to be original when you’re speaking to the camera. Many freshers make the mistake of imitating their idols and it shows in their mannerisms. You must not fake your personality and be as real as possible because the camera captures everything. Little changes in your attitude and the way you speak will be recorded and this would not work in your favor.
- Be Confident – Confidence will help you crack the job and retain it as well. Being confident is a basic trait required by a video pitch. You need to believe in yourself and market yourself the best way possible. Your body language will be noticed, the way you sit and speak everything adds up to the person you are so be confident and clear about what you say. When you have a reason behind why you say what you say you will appear confident by the way.
- Good sound quality – When you’re pitching your skills on a video resume you must engage the employer and provide them with crisp and clear audio. Choose a location where there isn’t a lot of noise. Then use a lavalier microphone to enhance your voice in the video resume.
- Keep it short – The employer gets hundreds and thousands of applications daily. We can’t expect them to sit through a feature-length video resume so it’s best to keep your video resume short and precise. You can create short-length videos, but it needs good video editing to make every second count. You may use the free online video editor at https://clipchamp.com/en/video-editor/ to edit your video accordingly.
- Write a script – You would not want to go to an interview unprepared, similarly, you must not record a video without a script. A script will help you structure the video resume in a better manner while making it easier for you to plan and record your video. It will also eliminate “uhms” and dead air, helping make each and every second of your video count.
- Select a suitable background – A background can make or break a video resume. Your background must not contain a lot of elements such as a jumping cat, a bright piece of furniture, or your teenage brother creating TikTok videos. Elements or movements in the background can be very distracting for a viewer. To reduce the distraction we suggest you use a backdrop that is evenly toned as it will help you get a professional output.
- Dress appropriately – If you want to impress your future employer, put effort into what you wear. You may wear corporate attire but you can wear semi-casual clothing, too. Just don’t look like you just rolled out of bed and suddenly got persuaded to find a job.
Bonus Tip: Making your video resume publicly available
When you create a video resume with all your heart, your hard work and personality are reflected on it. Once you’ve created the video resume you must add it to your LinkedIn profile to attract higher engagement and profile views. This will help increase the chances of the employer noticing and hiring you.
Now that you’re well informed, make sure to show your skills in the best possible way using a video resume!
