Video Resumes: Lights, Camera, Action
Video resumes are gaining popularity among job seekers, and employers are starting to see video resumes, not only as a nice addition to the conventional resume, but as a sign of an innovative, creative and digitally-savvy employee.
But there’s a right way and a wrong way to make a video resume and to maximize the ROI you get out of any video pitch, you need to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward with it. A big part of this is not just on your video content, but on the little details – lighting, camera angles, sound, editing. Here’s some video resume tips on the aforementioned:
- Camera Angle: Make sure the camera is shooting you head-on. A video resume isn’t the time to experiment with weird camera angles or to channel your inner Hollywood director. Keep it simple. Make sure the camera is shooting you from a flat surface and shooting you from a forward facing angle.
- Lighting: Improper lighting can be a video resume killer. Make sure the light is focusing on you – the subject – and not on anything else. If the light is shining behind you, that could cause back lighting issues, which could impact the quality of the video. We’d even recommend shooting in front of a white or light-colored backdrop, to further put the focus on you.
- Sound and Editing: Make sure you shoot the video in a quiet room. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a video resume with the sounds of dogs barking, kids crying, horns honking, etc. in the background. Additionally, we’d recommend editing your video to give it further pizzazz. Stay away from the simple and limited Windows Movie Maker and consider a more advanced editing program like iMovie.
Remember, your video resume only gives you a competitive advantage if you do it properly. So don’t skimp on the small things because if you do – they’ll be very visible.
