While most companies will still ask you for a copy of your written CV, video CVs are rapidly growing in popularity due to their ability to showcase key skills, work experience and personality in a matter of seconds.
If you’re applying for roles where communication skills are important, a video CV is a great way to demonstrate your presentation skills, your positive demeanour and your enthusiasm for the role, rather than simply writing it down on paper.
If you want to create a video CV that makes employers pick up the phone and call you, here’s how to go about it:
Prepare a script.
You want your video CV to come across natural and off-the-cuff, but at the same time, you only have a few short seconds to impress potential employers, so make them count.
Having a script prepared in an advance will help you get to the point straight away and showcase why employers should bother getting in touch with you.
Your script should start with a short introduction, detailing who you are and what you’re looking for. Follow it up by describing your career goals, key skills and some of your most recent accomplishments. Then, finish by telling potential employers how they can get a hold of you.
It’s also worth paying attention to your language - keep it professional and avoid using slang words or industry jargon.
Keep it professional.
Most people choose to film their video CVs in the comfort of their own homes, but that doesn’t mean you should be dressed in your PJs while the video’s recording.
Before you press the play button, dress up like you’re going to an actual job interview. Iron a shirt, brush your hair and, at the very least, put on some trousers.
It’s also worth paying attention to the little details. Find a blank background with lots of natural lighting – and try to find somewhere with very little background noise.
Know your audience.
The key to creating an effective video CV is knowing who you’re trying to reach. If you have a particular job function in mind, or a specific industry or sector, you should target your video towards it.
But if you’re open to a range of different career options or opportunities, then a broader, more general approach will be your safest bet. Alternatively, you might be better suited to creating multiple video CVs to showcase your suitability to different jobs or industries.
Keep it short and simple.
Remember, your video CV isn’t meant to be a documentary about your life, so keep it short and simple. Anywhere between a minute and a minute and a half is a good rule of thumb. Any longer and people will start to lose interest.
And, unless you’re a videographer or graphic designer, spending your time on fancy visual effects or editing won’t do you any favours; instead, focus on highlighting your actual skills.
Sort out the technicalities.
Most people use a webcam or the camera on their smartphone to film their video CVs – you don’t need anything more high-tech than that.
Just make sure the camera is in focus and everything’s working, then start filming.
With Fyte, job-seekers can use our app to easily film, edit and upload their CVs. It also has an inbuilt teleprompter to help you keep to script while filming. We also offer job-seekers the option of coming into our Fyte studios to shoot their video CV.
While creating a video CV can be a daunting process, there’s plenty of research out there that proves applying for a job with a video CV is a highly effective way to engage employers, and ultimately, to land a new job.
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