I’m fortunate enough to know a lot of people in the job search industry so I’m always asking questions and picking the brains of experts about anything related to the job search. Most recently the topic of video resumes cropped up. I first learned about video resumes several years ago at a career conference. It seemed to me at the time that the only folks excited about video resumes were the people selling them.
Besides, I spent a good deal of my career in broadcasting and I know firsthand that most people just don’t look that good on camera without a lot of coaching and practice. (I know I still have a long way to go on this myself) So perhaps it’s not in a job seeker’s best interest to produce a video resume unless they are a talented actor or news anchor/reporter or product spokesperson.
And to add fuel to my argument against video resumes, here’s something I recently learned from my network. Apparently HR folks are not too pleased with them either. The consensus is that they can unintentionally cause discrimination during the hiring process, because the recruiter can see if the candidate is too old or young, racially diverse, or speaks with a foreign accent, before determining if they have the qualifications. That can spur lawsuits. And that’s what scares them.
Think twice before including video/photos etc with your job application. And you also might want to go back and check out your LinkedIn and Facebook photos to make sure they don’t reveal too much.
Enjoy the fruits of your labor this holiday weekend.
Susan Geary
1st Rate Resumes
SEPTEMBER IS UPDATE YOUR RESUME MONTH!!!