Video Resumes

Last Year to my dismay, I found myself caught up in the economic downturn and without a job. I  have been on an exhaustive job search for over the last 7 months, looking for my next career move. I have 25 years of experience in sales and marketing and had the success and longevity of working for only two companies during this period. Last week my job search ended as I accepted a new position. I learned a lot over these last 7 months as a candidate looking for work and not as a Recruiter, Employer, Life Coach or Human Resource person and I want to share my insights with those who are less fortunate than myself and are still searching.

 In today’s tough job market, even with the best written resume, It is very difficult to make an impression. I have found that most of the doors that opened for me during my job search where the result of someone knowing me personally and referring me in the organization. I had done in depth networking on foot, including using the internet and all the social media channels.  I also had a professional video resume created which was expensive and spent countless hours reading blog after blog on tips for job searching. I used several versions of my resume when submitting myself as a candidate to show how I matched their search criteria, but at the end of the day my new job success was due to fact that the hiring manager knew me. He knew my personally, the type of sales guy that I was and knew the value that I bring to the organization.

 However, not everyone has the luck of knowing the hiring manager, so that is why I am writing about this new technology HitechResumes.com that I discovered during my job search. I was amazed by the technology, believe in it, tried it out and loved it!

 HitechResumes.com is a website offering people a new technology of resumes. Think about resumes and their evolution, aside from different writing styles, what advances have ever been brought to this document? It is amazing stuff.  It takes a standard resume and makes it go Hi-Tech.  Hi-Tech Resumes are customized documents containing standard resume content as well as embedded video or audio directly into a document. Hi-Tech Resumes features;

MS Word and Adobe Acrobat formats
Multimedia embedded content (audio or video)
No larger than a standard resume.
Can be transferred through normal email
Submitted directly to employers and Internet job boards.
Have built in security protection. 
Resume enable/disable controls 
Resume page view tracking tools

 In today’s job hunt companies want to find a candidate that is capable and polished in their craft. That’s why it is so important to have a video or audio that displays these talents. After all, my job success and what made me stand out from the rest of pack was the hiring manager already knew my talents and did not know the others.

 Why should resume technology remain status quo, while technology advances all around us. The days of scannable resumes are going to disappear for things that make finding the right candidate simpler. Looking for key words on a resume does not mean that candidate is right for the job, HR managers know this. That means companies will come full circle and will again be relying on their employees to recruit, as well as having candidates use new technologies to better portray themselves and make a lasting impression that plain black and white words do not. Imagine the time savings if your employed friend not only recommends you, but was able to hand the manager a resume that also has a video introducing you. That manager can make a decision to meet with you right away, no need to screen any further.  There is no better way to do this then using the Hi-Tech Resume. Paper info is for reference and Video or Audio will provide the meat for a yes or no in getting an interview.

Look at how we communicate these days newspaper companies are losing millions a week, continue to scale down on their way to closing down. We blog, get our news on the internet from CNN-MSNBC-WSJ-etc. We run our companies through the internet, look at skype and its in roads into the work place. The President of the United States used video to get hired as the leader of our country through standard media but more importantly through internet media such as YouTube and blogs; we did not get the opportunity to interview him personally. He used video and audio media to convey his thoughts to all of us and to convey his trust. I frequently watch AC360 because Anderson Cooper is always on video. I can see his eyes and expressions. Rush Limbaugh has his radio show and also has a ditto cam, but I like seeing him as well in order to believe him. HitechResumes.com offer both audio and video but video, in my opinion, is the media and the wave of the future, SEEING IS BELIEVING.  Those who feel uncomfortable in front of the camera need to get over it and just do it. Stop worrying about discrimination and focus on the positive effect that multimedia will have on furthering them into the interview process. 

 In addition to this new technology of resume, HitechResumes.com offers a video guide to assist users in recording their video as well as providing video editing services allowing users to spice up their home grown video presentation with music and other video features. In addition they accept previously recorded professional video resumes as long as it is 2 minutes or less in length. I recommend having multiple videos targeting the different types of jobs that you may be applying for.  As far as cost goes not everyone can afford the expense that I did for creating my video resume and HitechResumes.com is very affordable and offer a product for FREE to those who can not afford but still want a Hi-Tech Resume.

In conclusion go try out this new technology. They are in beta phase and giving the video editing away for free. Creating a Hi-Tech Resume does require some effort in planning and creating a video but it was well worth the time and effort. Become comfortable with who you are and being on video. Make it easy for your friends to recommend you for vacant positions as well as unlisted positions. They are your strongest allies so arm them with a strong weapon. 

 Good luck with your job search

 Article written by: Michael Reyes, recent job seeker and new employee

Click Here – To meet Michael Reyes

Click Here – To see Mike’s Talking Resume