Don’t Let This Be You
Video resumes present the opportunity for job seekers to express who they are in more in-depth ways than a paper resume can offer. That being said, it isn’t difficult to go too far. Don’t make the mistake of pushing the envelope; it can be an extremely unpleasant experience. The internet’s ability to spread videos like wildfire can make a bad (or good, see Video Resumes, A Fake Moustache and Boxer Shorts) video resume into a national phenomenon. Here are some lovely examples of video resumes that became the butt of every HR department’s jokes.
Head’s up, these are pretty brutal.
Where did they go wrong?
First and foremost, no one should look at your video resume and be confused about whether it’s real or a joke. If you’re looking to instill humor, by all means do, but keep it appropriate, and make sure you’re not the one looking like a joke.
Secondly, can anyone tell me what skiing, tennis, weightlifting and a sandwich have to do with who a job seeker is as an employee? I’m going to go out on a limb and say absolutely nothing unless you’re applying to be a professional athlete or a sandwich maker. Keep your video resume relevant to your field. Aleksey, in the first video, was applying to be an investment banker, and though it’s great that he can break bricks with his bare hands I dare say that that isn’t exactly a skill necessary for that position. Video resumes are supposed to highlight the soft skills and express applicable experience that traditional resumes can’t. They are not a place to showcase every skill you have regardless of how those skills apply to your potential career.
Lastly, and this goes for the first video rather than the second, length. The video is nearing seven minutes in length, which is far too long. Traditional resumes are viewed for maybe ten seconds by hiring professionals, so when you’re over five minutes that’s quite the stretch. On average, video resumes should be between 30 seconds and two minutes long. Just long enough to leave them wanting more, leading them to call you in for an interview.
For more tips on how to make a video resume worth sharing (for the right reasons) or if you want to try creating your own, click here!
