Video Killed The Written CV [Infographic]

Brighton School of Business and Management http://www.brightonsbm.com 5m 1,326 #videointerview

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

My name is Richard Madison and I am the Marketing Executive for the Brighton School of Business & Management. We offer a wide range of courses, from leadership and management, to hospitality and human resources, and I often write about interesting innovations in these industries.

To mark Job Action Day, which falls on November 3^rd, I created an infographic entitled Video Killed the Written CV! How to use video to nail your next job application to explore the rising trend of video CVs and interviews.

Did you know that visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text is decoded in the brain, and it is believed that a single minute of video is worth 1.8 million words?! Video is the fastest rising trend in the world of recruitment, with applicants eschewing traditional, boring CVs for a more visual experience. Today 63% of companies often use videoconferencing for job interviews, and as technology continues to improve this trend can only rise.

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Video Killed The Written CV!

HOW TO USE VIDEO TO NAIL YOUR NEXT JOB APPLICATION.

Human beings are visual creatures, and almost 93% of all human communication is visual. When applying for a job, a written CV doesn’t express your uniqueness, which is why video is fast becoming the next frontier of recruitment.

WHY VIDEO?

• 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual
• Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text is decoded in the brain
• A minute of video is worth 1.8 million words
• *According to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Researcher
• 70% of all sensory receptors humans have are in the eye
• Visual content makes up 93% of all human communication

THE STRUCTURE OF A VIDEO CV

Introduction

• Your first few seconds of screen time is where the employer will make their first impression of you.
• Before taking in what you say, an employer will notice your tone, body-language, and attire which should convey confidence, liveliness, and professionalism.
• Introduce yourself and explicitly state your intentions.

Unique Selling Point

• Hook employers in with what’s unique about you.
• What have you accomplished that makes you qualified for the position?
• Incorporate keywords from the job description so you’re tailoring your experience to what they are seeking.
• Remember not to read your CV, simply expand upon it in further detail.

Call To Action

• Briefly recap what qualifies you as a valuable addition and hook the employer with your call to action.
• Doing this prompts the employer to act if they are interested in what they see in you.
• Be sure to also thank the employer for their time.

PRACTICAL TIPS TO HELP YOU SHINE

• Take your timeDo a few practice runs of your script and speak slowly as you record.
• Be mindful of your body languageBe conscious about rocking back and forth while talking, crossing your arms, or having your hands on your hips.
• Keep the background simpleTry to situate yourself in front of a clean, single colour backdrop – a white wall is perfect.
• Look at the cameraJust like making eye contact in an interview, ensure that you are looking at your employer, not the wall or the computer.
• Dress conservativelyWear something you would choose going to a first interview.
• Keep the noise downEnsure you record your video in an area free of noisy pets, kids, TV, laptops, and/or phones.
• Don’t be boringBeing on camera makes people a little stiff, don’t hide your personality, but keep it professional.

HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR VIDEO CV

• Include a link to your video in your paper/online CV
• Include your video or a link to it in your professional profiles on career networking sites like LinkedIn
  • Send the link to your networking contacts
• Send the link along with your traditional CV with any job application you make

VIDEO IS THE FUTURE OF THE INTERNET

• In 2017, video will make up 69% of all consumer internet traffic
• An internet user watches 186 videos on average each month
• YouTube is now 28% of all Google searches
• Online video users are expected to reach 1.5 billion in 2016
• 50% of mobile wireless network traffic is video

THE VIDEO INTERVIEW

63% of companies often use videoconferencing for job interviews.

The Benefits of Video Interviews:

• Consistency
  All candidates are asked the same set of questions.
• Targeted
  Questions can be specifically tailored for the job the employer is hiring for.
• Reviewable
  Hiring managers have the opportunity to replay, review, and rate the interviews online, so they can compare candidates without having to remember who said what or review their notes.
• Saving time & money
  For the employer, video interviewing can save time and hiring expenses, because there are reduced travel costs and management time.

The Video Interview Process

• The company selects candidates for video interviews.
• Arrangements for an interview are scheduled – at home with your own webcam, a company office, an off-site location with a webcam setup, or via a webcam sent to the applicant.
• A tutorial will provide instructions on the webcam and the interview.
• There will be 10 – 15 questions related tot eh job the company is hiring for.
• The applicant will have 30 seconds to read the question and two minutes to respond.

The rise of Video Interviews

Video interviewing consistently shows better outcomes:

• 67 percent reduction in travel costs associated with hiring
• 47 percent shorter length in time to hire a candidate
• 22 percent more reach into other geographic regions
• 11-14 percent better employee performance overall on key metrics

Video Interview Tips

• Review all the instructions. Ask for help (which is typically available online or by telephone) if you’re not sure how the webcam works or if you have questions.
• Follow the directions.
• Dress appropriately in professional interview attire, just like you would for an in-person interview.
• Practice – if you have a webcam, record yourself to see how you appear on camera.
• Be aware of your surroundings and the lighting.
• Look at the camera, not down at the desk or table.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

“Purely having taken the time to prepare a video CV shows the employer you are prepared to go the extra mile to succeed…. Video CVs come in many different formats which express individuality – that is one of the best things about them…. There is no set rule for creating a video CV, whereas paper CVs tend to have a set format.” – Simon Thompson, Chief Executive of VideoRecruit

“There is a lot you can say in 60 to 120 seconds. Introduce yourself clearly and tell the viewer why you’re the right person for the job. Remember you only have a few seconds to engage them – then you have to keep them interested.” – Elizabeth Bacchus, Career Coach and Founder of The Successful CV Company

“It used to be we could fly people in and take out time, we don’t have that luxury anymore. Everyone has access to instant information, jobs are getting tweeted, and candidates are getting pinged proactively. So speed in the market really has been a driver for us. I think people appreciate the flexibility [of a video interview]. Not every candidate can hop on the plane and trudge halfway across the world and be out of pocket for three days.” – Lisa Calicchio, Head of Recruiting at Convance

“The biggest mistake to avoid is having a script ‘off camera’ that you refer to while recording your video, it is really obvious if you look away from the camera to read notes. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t do in an interview.” – Marc Fels, owner of Meet The Real Me

Brighton School of Business and Management
http://www.brightonsbm.com/

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