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Whilst we don’t think video CVs will replace traditional resumes any time soon, they can be a great addition to your job application. Creating a video may seem a little daunting, but it could help to demonstrate your personality, experience, and skills more clearly to any prospective employers.
You’ll find some great free software and mobile applications you can use to make your video, so why not give it a go? If you do choose to make a video to accompany your job application, remember not all companies will be able to accept an application solely based on your video CV, so make sure you have an up-to-date written version too. You can find extra support on how to make the most out of your written CV here.
What should I say?
As with any CV, you should aim to sell yourself, your skills and relevant experience - the benefit with video CVs is that you can be more detailed when explaining these. The first step is to work through your current CV and pick out the skills and experiences that are not only relevant to the job you are applying for, but can also be brought to life by examples of past projects you’ve supported. Talk about any challenges you faced on the project and how you overcame them.
It’s a good idea to prepare a bit of script and split up each skill and qualification to allow you to focus on each aspect in more detail. Avoid writing a word for word script to read out though, as it can make the video feel unnatural. Instead, include key points that you want to talk about and record these in various takes. You should keep in mind that a typical video should last between 1-2 minutes, so make sure you keep what you’re saying to short and concise messages.
Remember to play back the first few clips you record to check the sound quality isn’t too quiet or loud. If there’s any background noise being picked up, consider whether you could move to a quieter space or record it another time. It’s best not to include any background music or special effects, as you want to keep the video professional.
Which tone and style should I use?
The tone of your video CV is essential. Professionalism is always something you should keep in mind, but you don’t want to appear robotic and uncomfortable. Prepare your delivery like you’d prepare for an interview – adopting a professional yet conversational and welcoming tone. This will convey your personality well and make sure the information you deliver will capture the viewer’s interest.
Don’t forget to dress to impress, considering your appearance to ensure it aligns with the role you’re applying for. You should also ensure the backdrop to your video remains professional throughout the duration of your video – aim to keep it clean and plain to allow sole focus on your message and content.
How do I edit my video?
Now that you’ve recorded some takes for your video, it’s time to look at how you can pull it all together. Video editing software will let you piece together several recordings into one video. Once you’ve added in all the video clips you want to use and trimmed them to fit together, have a listen back. Does it flow nicely and get across everything you want to portray? Is it clear, concise, and professional?
Getting your video ready to share
Once you have your video ready, make sure you share it with your friends or family before submitting it with any job applications. This feedback can help to highlight any obvious improvements that could be made.
You may also want to ask recruiters for feedback on your video - this could provide more specific and in-depth information for you to reflect on. You should try asking the recruiter a few days after you have submitted the application when you follow up about the role.
To have the video to ready to share you’ll need to consider where you can store it online so that the people reviewing your job application can watch it. Free email providers such as Microsoft’s Outlook and Google’s Gmail provide some free cloud storage. Here you can upload your video to OneDrive or Google Drive, and you’ll then be able to generate a shareable website address link that will direct link to your video. Include this with your job applications, and remember to add it into your written CV, so organisations can click on the link to open and watch your video when they review your application.