How Should You Assess a Video Resume?

Well, there’s a first for everything, and perhaps, you just received your first video resume. You may be wondering whether or not you should just throw it out. But as job seekers become more adept at utilizing technology in their search, you can bet that video resumes will become a lot more common.

With that, you need to know how to assess these resumes. After all, you don’t want to throw out someone that could be a great fit for your company just because they do things a little differently. In fact, that might be the type of candidate you want.

Time. Contrary to what your initial reaction might be, time is on your side with this one. Recruiters and managers tend to rush through paper resumes. In fact, it’s common knowledge now that only an average of six seconds is spent perusing a resume. Why? Because there is no time.

A video resume forces you to give your time and attention to a candidate for 60 seconds. In that time, you can get a better picture of the candidate as opposed to just gleaning what you can about them in six seconds from a paper resume.

Personality. Again, you can get a better glimpse of the candidate via video. Personality does not come across on a piece of paper, unless you’re dealing with one of those creative resumes.

With a video resume, you’re able to read body language and gauge a job candidate’s confidence. If they’re reciting their 60-second spiel, give them a break. Do they at least sound natural? Are they still exuding confidence? Then they have what it takes. If a video resume only enhances a candidate’s inability to talk about themselves, then you at least know enough about them not to ask them to an interview.

Enhancement. The video resume isn’t necessarily a replacement for someone’s paper resume. It’s only an enhancement. After all, a job candidate can’t detail their academic, work and extracurricular experiences in 60 seconds. And you don’t want them to either.

What the video resume is meant to do is catch your attention, put a face with a name, show off a personality. Most importantly, it’s meant to set that candidate apart from the crowd.

So when you come across a video resume in the future, don’t throw it out. Give it the 60 seconds it deserves, and you’ll find that of all the resumes you’ve received, choosing whether or not to ask this candidate in for an interview will be a no-brainer. And as you look at the stacks of other resumes you have to get through, you’ll be wishing that every other candidate did the same.

How would you assess a candidate’s video resume? What criteria would you use? Tell us about it below.

IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by Schlüsselbein2007