At least weekly former clients, current clients and jobseekers at all levels bring to us “new” ideas about searching on the web. Many ideas impress. I see a lot of creative action taken on many forums that seem new and different. But with every new idea come intended and unintended consequences. Your cool new video resume may be viewed as passe and quite self centered to some recruiters or potential hiring managers. When I work with executives it’s sometimes nice to promote the brand that they built before they felt compelled to generate social media notice of themselves. For some executive jobseekers just taking advantage of what’s already in their brand makes sense. They don’t need to create new content or be aggressive about getting noticed in social media.
Here are two ideas about what works and what might not work for people “in transition”on YouTube or any other video access to you channel in the world of social media (including Facebook):
YouTube Videos or Video Resumes – Know Your Audience. If you create a YouTube video about you it could be good or it could just bring more attention to you. When you are looking to be hired you really need to focus on what the company wants not what you possess in a three minute video. Using this medium creatively or when you are in a creative field to demonstrate your knowledge or post can help you. But too many recruiters point out to me that, unless carefully and thoughtfully done, a YouTube video outlining your jobs and why you are a strong candidate does not help.
Get Noticed Quietly. You don’t need to look into the camera and let a company know how great you are but if you talk about what you can do and have done it can be a compelling story. In a traditional one on one interview the person being interviewed needs to set the pace. On video set the pace by talking about specifics, what you have done and how you have solved problems. Be specific. If you drove revenue by creating new programs talk about the specifics, acknowledge others and let “the audience” know that you won’t take credit for all.
Image Credit: instantshift.com