Video resumes no hot button

Words on paper still beat face on camera for most job seekers

By Janet Forgrieve, Special To The News

Monday, June 16, 2008

The Rocky Illustration

"What was I talking about?"

"You'll be my friend with benefits."

A video resume may have gotten Legally Blonde's Elle Woods into Harvard Law School, but seven years later the jury's still out on whether using available technology to create face-to-camera pitches gives real-life job seekers a leg up in the hunt.

Some believe video resumes may offer applicants a creative edge, a way to stand out from the masses of job hunters clamoring for a particular job. Others, including some hiring managers, see them as less efficient and potentially riskier than paper resumes.

"We hear from recruiters who get 500 resumes for one job," said Jim Buttimer, chief executive officer for Career TV, which produces and posts recruiting videos for job seekers. "They spend seconds on each resume. If they're getting video resumes that are four minutes long, then it's 20 times what it was with paper."

Human resource professionals also worry about legal issues and whether turning down applicants who have introduced themselves via video could lay the groundwork for discrimination claims from those not hired for the job.

"I would caution recruiters about the potential for bias claims," said Debi Duran, director of recruiting and staffing for human resources at Qwest Communications in Denver.

Qwest, which fills about 4,200 job openings annually, gets a couple of video resumes each year but doesn't use them, Duran said. Instead, applicants are asked to go back and submit their written resumes through regular channels.

Finally, for job seekers, the technology can prove a double-edged sword. Video resumes done badly have the potential to haunt applicants for years to come, with embarrassing moments living forever on YouTube and other sites.

When aspiring investment banker Aleksey Vayner sent out his six-minute opus a couple of years ago, he quickly made a name for himself on Wall Street - but likely not the name he wanted. The video, titled Impossible is Nothing, and showing Vayner playing tennis, breaking bricks and ballroom dancing while spouting his personal philosophies about success, circulated quickly and over time has become the subject of numerous parodies on YouTube.

"It can be embarrassing. There are a few famous ones that have been circulated and spoofed," Buttimer said.

The ability to create video resumes has been around since the dawn of the VHS recorder, but the bulky taped versions never really caught on with prospective employees or hiring managers.

These days, digital technology and the availability of webcams mean almost any job seeker can easily attempt to sell himself or herself to recruiters using a video, and the ability to do it has created a renewed buzz and spurred several companies to offer help creating the videos as well as places to upload and showcase them.

A survey of 300 human resources and business managers by HireMeNow.com, a self-service online staffing firm, revealed that 83 percent of respondents said they were willing to view a video resume as part of the hiring process.

"They're most popular in fields like marketing, IT and design," said Allison Nawoj, career adviser for CareerBuilders.com, which beefed up its video resume hosting capacity last year. "If you have a creative portfolio, you can explain and show it in a video resume. Sales is another popular one because a video resume is a way you could show your personality and highlight your sales style."

CareerBuilder, which showcases some sample video resumes on its site and offers a slew of advice to applicants considering creating a video, believes the technology is going to gain widespread acceptance soon.

But video resumes haven't gone mainstream yet, and others say they may never do so.

When Career TV launched the latest version of its Web site last August, the company devoted significant space to video resumes, Buttimer said. In response to a lack of demand, the company has since scaled back and refocused its resources on the corporate recruiting videos and monthly Web TV shows it produces.

"All the folks we're talking to, and that's lots of companies hiring lots of people, they're not itching to see if they can get more video resumes," he said.

Area employers and recruiters say they're not being deluged with video resumes either, despite all the talk about the technology.

"I haven't seen any," said Mike Sukle, president of Sukle Advertising in Denver. "I think it would probably be a good idea because a lot of what you look for in a person in that initial phone call is presence. If they appear to be smart and creative, you might want to talk with them."

Job seekers are using other technology to aid their searches. It's almost a requirement today for creative types to have Web sites that showcase their work. They're networking online at places like LinkedIn and Facebook, and many are also using blogs to raise their profile and demonstrate what they can do, Sukle said. But video resume adoption lags behind.

Eric Kimble has been Denver's division director for the Creative Group for four years and has yet to see his first video resume, he said. The Creative Group is part of the Robert Half Co. and specializes in placing people in temporary and permanent jobs in marketing, advertising, communications and other creative fields.

"At the end of the day, good old-fashioned networking, resumes and interviewing - I still think those are tried and true methods of finding staff," said Kimble. "Video resumes Â? the verdict's just not in on whether that's going to be a good supplement."

Dos and don'ts

Experts agree that video resumes shouldn't displace written resumes. Instead, short videos should serve as a brief introduction that showcases your presence or highlights talents or abilities that don't come across as well on paper.

Do

* Dress professionally: Treat this video resume like you would a first job interview.

* Introduce yourself: Let the employer know who you are.

* Be concise: Keep your video at 1 to 3 minutes long. Time flies when you are taping it but not when an employer is watching.

* Make eye contact and be enthusiastic: Show off your personality and let the employer see how excited you are through words, tone and body language.

* Focus on results: Tell employers what quantifiable results you've delivered for other companies and what you can do for them.

* Be thankful: Don't forget to thank the employer for their time.

* Make practice runs: Try writing down your thoughts and practicing in front of a mirror.

* Use a tripod: Keep the camera on a level area to avoid bouncing and image streaking.

* Tape a few seconds: Then check to make sure the lighting, background and sound are OK.

Don't

* Dress in casual clothes: This is your first impression - make it a good one.

* Just start right in: Take a moment to establish who you are and why they should continue to watch.

* Tell your life story: Keep the information relevant to the job and industry you are applying for.

* Read from a script: No one wants to watch you read from a script behind the camera.

* Just read your resume: Employers want to know more about you than what is on your resume - here's your chance.

* Go overboard: If you are running long on time, take a second look to see what you can leave out. On the other hand, don't just cut it off without giving a quick summary and saying thanks.

* Forget to review: Take a look at what you've taped to make sure it's good on time, sounds and background.

* Hold the camera: If you don't have a tripod, get creative with a stack of books or boxes.

Setting the scene

* Lighting: Make sure you don't have any shadows.

* Background: Solid colors work best; just make sure you don't blend in.

* Windows: Avoid sitting in front of a window if possible. If you can't, make sure no light is coming (try hanging something in a solid color over it).

* Noise: Check for background noises: coughing, doors opening and closing, talking and car horns.

* Distance: Make sure you are centered in the frame from the waist up.

Editing

* Don't combine more than two takes. If you are combining takes, check to see whether you stay in a consistent place on screen.

* Keep editing seamless; avoid dead space from one take to the next.

Video length

Experts differ on how long a video resume should be. One recent survey of 300 hiring managers revealed that shorter is probably better:

1 minute or less 54%

1-2 minutes 24%

2-4 minutes 18%

4-plus minutes 4%

Video resume styles

* Interview style. Ask a friend to sit off camera and ask you questions.

* Informational. Give a quick overview of how you got to be where you are today. Don't recite your resume - instead, offer a glimpse of you that can't be showcased on paper.

* Showcase your skills. This can be particularly effective if you're going for a sales job. Role-play with a friend off-camera who is playing a would-be customer, allowing you to use your selling skills to overcome objections. Warning: this method carries the most danger of turning out over-the-top. Don't act or change voices - just be yourself and demonstrate what you can do.