More video resumes sites are popping up left and right. And while their popularity remains to be seen in the professional world, there’s no doubt that college students are catching on. There are even parodies that are are good for a chuckle or two.
The folks at video production company Corp Shorts must have noticed, because they’re creating a site that is just for college kids. On ZoomREZ.com users can upload and publish their video resumes, which can then be searched by recruiters and companies,
“We are the first video production company to team up with a recruitment company, so we have both areas of expertise fused together to successfully create this one of a kind online business/ social networking site. It’ all about connecting good people with great futures in business, and harnessing the power of video and new technologies to do it,” COO Catherine Gray said.
Everyone has the technology these days to create their own, so why not just go to YouTube? Probably because the site is so cluttered that it would be almost impossible to cull some strong candidates. I’d be interested to know if recruiters have had success using YouTube to find college grads.
If not, would a site where these videos are contained become a valuable tool?
August 27th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
In case you didn’t get it today, the daily email from TheLadders.com was all about the pros/cons of video resumes. The net result? A resounding “NO”! Here is the article:
http://marketing.theladders.com/career-advice/Online-Video-Resumes
August 27th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I have never looked at a video resume so I can’t give it a thumbs up or thumbs down, but I never really wanted to see a candidate’s resume on the vid. Intersting article, thanks for posting it.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Monster did a survey in the UK and Ireland (a total of 2 Million users) - 58% said they would like a video resume!
I think you will find that where there is a will there is a way and that pontificating over the issue of the pros and cons is just delaying the inevitable.
Anyone with an ounce/gram of pride (i.e. all of us!) who expects to get through an automated selection process on fair and reasonable terms, just because of what is written on a piece of paper, is kidding themselves. You only have to look at how inefficient recruitment, selection, succession planning processes are to realize what benefits additional media will bring to this process and given the right (impartial) advice, what a difference a well managed video clip will make to the proceedings.
“The pen is mightier than the sword” and all that nonsense, but times have changed and very few can wield a pen to match the reality of a state of the art webcam/video camera, so take your heads out of the sand and consider the benefits before you rule this out - it may save you and your clients/potential employers valuable time and resources - isn’t that what we “should” be doing?
The argument for NOT doing a video resume only goes so far - if you get through the “lottery” of an automated, text base application process and find yourself in front of a hiring manager who just doesn’t “click” with you, or even worse expected something different from the description you or your recruiter gave of the person sitting in front of them, then you will both have wasted time, money and effort, never mind a difficult, embarrassing 60 minute charade.
On the other hand if you get through the automated selection process and the client has the option to view a short section of your video resume before committing time to meet you, then you know even before you arrive that your chances of landing the job are improved. I know what I would rather do!