Video Résumé
Have you had students use video résumés in their job search? Have you recommended them or found them successful for enhancing a student’s brand?
We don't recommend they use video resumes. Many HR departments don't like this. They are afraid if they don't hire the prospect and they are a minority they might be unlawfully sued.
We have not tried this option as yet, but will explore the idea. Can be beneficial for hands on purposes and personality and confidence.
This is an avenue that our graduates have not tried, as of yet. I do know of an instructor that utilizes this. I believe this would be a wonderful asset to getting into corporately owned businesses.
Our students haven't used video resumes but I can see an advantage to doing so since students learn and become proficient in hands-on skills through our programs that could be effectively demonstrated and presented in video format.
Hi Gretchen,
That's an excellent idea on how to apply this type of marketing collateral to your students' needs. Anything that can help differentiate them and help you as well in "selling" them better to employers makes a difference!
Robert Starks Jr.
I have not even heard of a video resume until this evening. I do like the idea of it, especially for the types of programs that we offer here. Because we are an Allied Health school our students learn hands-on crafts and can use the video resume option to have a live-action opportunity to demonstrate their unique skill sets.
Hi Margaret,
One of the things you talked about in another forum post was given the fact that employers are searching for and reviewing the online presence of candidates, content such as a professional LinkedIn profile or a list of accolades helps. I agree but I think many career advisors frame the issue of students not having an optimized, professional online presence as not having a "LinkedIn" profile or not having a professional "Facebook profile," etc. This brings me to this point - video resumes are simply another form of marketing collateral that can live online to optimize one's professional online presence. Thus, I would argue the usefulness of a video resume is not dependent upon one's industry but most accurately, it is a question of the extent to which one wants to go to optimize and maximize one's opportunity to create a professional online presence through online content. Whereas a video resume may not be required, it can aid in managing one's online presence. I personally feel it is important for students to understand this difference as it is part of the very concept of "reverse job searching" or inbound marketing.
Robert Starks Jr.
I have not had students use video resumes. I think it depends on the field they are going into. Perhaps and IT field, design, tech field..etc.
It does make sense. And I can see using it as a training tool.
We've toyed with the idea of recording our mock interviews for students to use. We have outside employers come in and interview, but we've thought about also recording one interview so students can see how the present to an interviewer.
It's one thing to for an mock interviewer to tell a student that they need to make more eye contact during the interview, it's another if the student can actually see that.
I could see using the video resume in the same type of context as a video of an interview.
Hi Vanessa,
I hear what you are saying and I personally think that it may be a simple matter of practicality. In other words, do you even have time to train students to do video resumes given there are so many other things to teach them and help them with that have greater priority? I know the reality is that it can often take quite a bit of time to work on resumes, cover letters, and other traditional marketing collateral let alone online profiles and video resumes. One must prioritize. However, there are many benefits to video resumes that have less to do with the final product and more to do with the process and the educational experience for the student. For instance, creating a video resume can help students refine how they communicate their brand, improve their ability to articulate their qualifications, demonstrate their communication skills, and allow students to review themselves on video for self-reflection and analysis in conjunction with coaching to improve. A video resume is only detrimental if the final product is poor quality AND it is published and shared. However, this is no different than saying resumes wouldn't help students because the final product wouldn't present well - that'e precisely why career professionals train students and guide them - to help them get to a point where they present well. Thus, I wouldn't agree that video resumes would have no benefit but definitely see if it is an additional learning exercise that is simply not practical due to limited resources and time. In an ideal world, in my opinion, students would have an opportunity to learn all forms of career marketing. Career coaches would then have much more to work with, students would have learned a great deal from the experiences and would likely present better and improve their interviewing. At the end of the day, even if a student had a resume, video resume, presentation resume, etc. - we could then advise on what materials they should use and which they should not based on our evaluation of quality just as we do when we advise students to edit their resumes before sending to employers. Does that make sense?
Robert Starks Jr.
Hi Madison,
Video resumes aren't for everyone and they are definitely supplemental marketing collateral as they are not widely used for primary applications to companies but I noticed rather than saying they would not be practical, you stated they were not "beneficial." How would the benefits be lost for your graduates? Can you explain what you mean by this?
Robert Starks Jr.
Honestly, I had no idea that you could use a video resume. I believe at my place of work, it wouldn't be beneficial for them.
I guess what I mean is this. Not all students will present well in a video and I'm not sure if we should (or how we would) discourage someone from doing a video resume if we didn't think they would present well.
Also, most of our student body is non-traditional students and I don't know if a video resume would benefit, say, our older students. I wouldn't want them to be out of the running before they even got an interview.
Or do you think this concern may be unfounded?
Hi Vanessa,
What do you mean by "proper branding?" I am not sure I understand the challenge you are identifying. Could you explain further?
Robert Starks Jr.
I haven't had any students who have used video resumes. I do agree with Rhonda, in that I'm not sure that the proper branding could be established.
My students have not used video resumes as part of their job search. I have some students who actually may present better on video than in a traditional resume. However, I would be very concerned about the proper branding coming across.
