A-Z Guide For a Winning Video Resume

December 15, 2021

🕐 8 min read

Over time, with the advancement of technology, it is common for innovations to appear in anything. It applies to any industry. The same goes for the job market. Even when you are building a resume, it is a dream to get a job with a resume format that existed in the year 2000. Nowadays, even the way a resume is written is new. A video resume is a new addition to the industry, but not yet very popular. In the future, it may become a mandatory feature in the job competition. So in this article, you will gain complete knowledge on Video Resumes that you and I were curious about.

What is a Video Resume (Visume)?

A video resume (also known as visume) is a tool you can use to get your dream job done. It is the latest member to join career materials such as resume and cover letter. This is something like a video version of your resume. But this is not a substitute for the traditional paper resume you write. However, you can use this to highlight your personality, abilities, skills, etc. to your prospective employer.

Just like a resume, you need to say a little bit about your education, experience, and skills in a visume. But most importantly, like a cover letter, you should describe here, an answer to the question of why you should be recruited.

Great Video Resume Example

This is Mark Leruste’s video resume. This is the most impressive visume we have ever found online. This was created by Mark in a very creative way. This shows his personality as well as his confidence and even his excellent editing skills. Adding humor to this resume video has made it a bit easier for him to win the recruiter’s attention.

Mark Leruste's video resume

Why Video Resume in 2022?

If you want to be unique in this competitive job market, you have to do something different. Even recruiters like to see more visumes than the usual resume formats.

Studies that have been done so far have shown that it is easier for the average person to remember visuals than text. So once a recruiter sees your video resume, he is more likely to remember you as soon as they need to hire a candidate.

A video resume is simply a great opportunity to show you your presentation skills and communication skills. That’s something you can’t do with a traditional resume. If you are applying for a job in the creative industry, this can also be a platform to showcase your creative skills.

If a recruiter who reads thousands of resumes all day can analyze a candidate by watching a video, they will definitely like it. This will make it easier for you to attract the attention of the recruiter too.

Usually, recruiters and hiring managers always have a dilemma in choosing the perfect candidate for their vacant position. So a video resume will be a great help for them to choose the best applicant.

When to make Video Resumes?

Remember that your video resume can make or break your chances of landing your dream job. So before making a visume you need to know in what situations it should be used. We conclude that it is best to use a video resume in the following cases.

When you have an extensive resume

A video resume is a great way to showcase the skills and abilities. So if you want to show your skills to a prospective employer, it’s time to make one.

When you need to provide an “elevator pitch”

Any recruiter would like to know within the job seekers why he is suitable for this position or job. So often recruiters expect an elevator pitch from job seekers. Although not often included in resumes, we used to include this in cover letters. We can also use a video resume in this scenario.

When applying for a job in the following industries

There are many job fields where a video resume might be very helpful. For example, media, fashion, sales/customer service, information technology, design, etc., are among the top fields that you can get the maximum usage of video resumes in your job search.

Also, get rid of using a video resume when applying for a high-profile, government position or a traditional job. Because for such jobs, a visual aid about yourself will not do you much good.

So, how to make a video resume in 2022?

Do you think you should make a video resume to impress your prospective employer? Then follow the steps below to stand out among other candidates.

01. Make a perfect resume first

Before making a visume, you need to create a strong resume of yourself. If you don’t know how to write a perfect resume, visit our resume writing guide. You can build your free resume at our resumoz resume builder.

02. Think about what you need to highlight

The focus of the Visume should not be on your educational qualifications, experience, or abilities. These can be viewed from your resume. But here it should truly describe yourself. They want to know what your interests are, what your hobbies are, and why you like the job. So give priority to emphasize that information in your Visume.

03. Write an engaging script

To get the professional feel of a good resume video, you must use professional language. It doesn’t matter if you add a little humor. But do not overuse it.

You decide on how you will market your brand. Ultimately, the primary goal should be to convince your value to the recruiter beyond the information in a traditional resume. Therefore try to describe some of your career goals too.

Visume script should be personalized with the job you are going to apply for. A generic video will not impress the recruiter. But if you increase the relevancy of your video by personalizing it, the recruiter will feel how much the role means to you.  

So write a script accordingly and remember to memorize the script when you are on the camera. If not your video resume will be an utter failure.

04. Find a clean background

In resume video production, applicants do not pay much attention to their background. That’s a big mistake you make. So before recording the video, be sure to clean the background behind you and remove the unwanted stuff from the frame. You need to make sure whether the background is tidy and noiseless to record yourself like a professional.

Not only that, but you need to focus on the lighting too. A proper lighting arrangement could give your video resume a professional feel.

05. Record a few takes and pick the best

Split your script into several parts and speak them out in different styles, each in a way impressive. Choose the best style and add them into your video editing process to successfully end up with a super Visume.

06. Add extra visuals

You can add some additional visuals into your video resume such as infographics, photographs, animations, etc. These can be some additional but important information (achievements and awards). Through these elements, you can create more engaging content, which means recruiters will pay attention to you.

07. Get feedback from family and friends

Before publishing your video resume, share it with your family members, trusted colleagues, or with a friend to review it to make sure that it is well made, clear, and organized. Get constructive feedback and honest opinions from them on your Visume to make it better. Or sometimes they might suggest more creative ideas that will lead your resume video to a better and more attractive one. Note that once you share it publicly, you don’t have control over how it’s going to be shared online. So getting feedback is a very important factor.

How to send a video resume to the employer?

This is also a question that is frequently asked by many video resume makers. There are actually several ways you can show your video resume to your future employer.

  1. Recruiters will ask you to send a video resume via email with the application submission (Very rare at the moment).
  2. You can upload your video to YouTube and share the link in your resume header.
  3. You can embed that video into your personal website and include the URL of it on your resume header.
video resume orientation

Best Video Resume Tips for 2022

01. Don’t repeat your resume

There is no point in repeating the resume information in your video resume as your resume is already on the recruiter’s hand. Try to highlight many things possible in your visume that you can not find in your resume. For example, you can mention how you achieve those which are mentioned in your resume, the skills that contributed to it, how others appreciated you etc.

Also recruiters would definitely like to know your strengths, weaknesses and even your hobbies and interests.

02. Dress professionally

No matter where you record this video from, you have to pay close attention to your attire. Dress like you are going to an interview. So that it will look very professional. Wear neat, and dress appropriately such as business casual clothing. Also, make sure that the color of the clothes matches your background well.

03. Don’t record the whole thing in one take

When you record a video resume, record it in small pieces and combine them at the end. Otherwise it will be a bit boring for the viewer to watch the video. Break your video down into several sections, just like your traditional resume. Always try to add video shots and photos of your work in a timely manner as well while your narration goes on.

04. Stay positive

You have to face the video just like you would in front of an employer in an interview. You should always present your positivity and the friendly manner to your future employer via your resume video. Most people forget this when recording a video resume. So always try to give a pleasant smile while you are on the camera.

05. Show confidence

A video resume is something like a mixture of your resume and the interview. If you feel uncertain about what you present, can not present with fullest confidence or else if you are scared, your recruiter will not believe in you. He will not give you a chance. So don’t forget to always look into the camera by keeping your head up and with a good posture. Don’t hesitate to speak. Just speak like in real life. Recruiters value your confidence.

2022 Best Apps to Create Video Resumes?

Now you have a good idea about Visumes. But now the question that arises for you is where do I make it. If you search the internet you can find many tools for that. Below are some recommended apps for creating your video resume.

video resume making tools

We encourage you to create a visume in the modern job world. But it is not a substitute for a traditional resume. Writing a perfect resume is a must for every job application. You can get extra benefits from video resumes. And it will even increase the job winning chances. So we can not ignore quality and entertaining visumes at all.