Video CV: Make yourself stand out from the crowd!

Sobhan Mohmand, Career Expert          27 Apr 2021

A Video CV (or a Video Resume) is exactly what the name suggests: a CV or Resume presented in a video format.

These modern and innovative CVs have been around for many years in the Entertainment, Fashion and Design industries but they seem to be slowly and gradually creeping into other industries as well. In the Media industry, we have seen job vacancies where they explicitly ask the applicants to provide a 2-minute Video CV with their applications!

The greatest benefit of these CVs is the fact that it allows potential employers to see, hear and get a feel for how the candidates present themselves.

These recorded CVs are usually hosted on a web page where they can then easily be viewed by potential employers from around the world. They may also be given as a CD but that wouldn’t be the most convenient option from the employer’s perspective.

Who would use a Video CV or Resume?

The vast majority of Video CVs are produced by the following groups of people:

• Fashion designers
• Web/Multimedia designers
• Musicians
• Commercial artists
• Marketing officers
• Journalists

How-to

There are four essential requirements, besides the Brad Pit looks, to create a perfect Video CV:

1. Creativity
2. A recording device (camcorder, camera)
3. Some video editing software (windows movie maker, et al)
4. A website or web space to host your Video CV to be viewed by potential employers

Advantages

There are many reasons why a job-seeker might resort to presenting their CVs in a video format;

• It can make you stand out from the crowd
• It shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile to impress
• It can give a very personal touch to the CV
• It can demonstrate your creativity and designer skills
• You have full control over what you present to the potential employer

Potential Disadvantages

• Time-consuming to play and watch the presentations whereas employers can quickly scan a traditional paper-based CV in a matter of seconds
• Bad design and presentational skills can bring about your downfall very quickly
• Video CVs seem irrelevant to many industries, and it can alienate many potential employers or even considering looking at your video!

Example of a Video CV

A quick search on YouTube throws up plenty of Video CVs (or Video Resumes). You may want to check these out if you have decided to create your own.

One video in particular caught our eye and we thought that it is a good example of how an impressive Video CV would look like; Graeme Anthony C.V.I.V.

Do I need one?

If you’re not in the Design, Media or Fashion industries you probably won’t need a Video CV.

There is a good chance that Video CVs will become more and more the norm as the years go by but at this moment in time, they are best to be avoided by the majority of the job-seekers as there is a chance it might alienate some potential recruiters.