It may seem absurd, but those silly YouTube videos you made for fun could actually turn into practice for a video that will help you get hired after graduation.
Video resumes are becoming popular for job hunters trying to set themselves apart in the terrain of the current job market, and one Phoenix company is offering the service of video resumes to try to improve candidates’ chances of getting hired.
Training To You was started in 2003 by Tim Smith, a former PGA golf instructor who says he started Training To You as a way to improve the lives of local people through career-focused training.
“I wanted to really take my passion for education but put it to a higher purpose in people’s lives, ” Smith says about his decision to venture from professional golf instruction to CEO of a business and computer training school. The business offers instruction and services exclusive to its students, but anyone entering the job-hunting fray can apply for a video resume.
The idea behind a video resume is something like this: A video resume goes beyond sending a conventional resume or transcript. You are sending your first interview along with the typical word document. ("Hi there, this is me willing to take the extra step toward getting hired.") That distinguishes you from the pack.
“It still ties back to a somewhat traditional method or approach to getting a job … but gives us the opportunity to actually see the person,” says Brandyn Bolte, president of Training to You and an Arizona State University alumnus.
There are still some concerns, of course, about putting together a video resume. Detractors point out that you can't find a lot of video resumes with basic keywords, or that it's difficult to hold a potential employer's attention.
But as Bolte explains, it can be worked out in the preparation phase.
Before the video is actually recorded, you are given a short how-to guide on getting ready for the camera appointment.
Preparation includes setting up a profile on TalentRooster’s website, the server Training To You uses for video resumes. The profile prompts users to include detailed education and employment history. Plus, there is a personality questionnaire that generates a personality profile (are you more of a "Stable" type or a "Motivated to Lead" type?).
As part of the process, you also choose three questions to answer in the “interview.” This means you get a way to show your face to employers before they meet you, and you're also potentially given the opportunity to impress them with self-selected questions and primed answers (if the employers want to hear the answers to primed questions is debatable, but that's the logic).
For those who get nervous and maybe even a bit stupefied in front of a camera, there's always the option to re-record as many times as necessary. Videos cannot be edited, but they can be recorded multiple times for the optimal resume.
Crystal Otts, a Career Services manager at Training To You, really does have the ability to make you feel like you're conversing about your passion and skills as she sits behind the camera recording.
When it comes to finding the job you want, Otts offers the advice, "Don't focus on the job — research the company."
She believes one of the main services that sets Training To You apart from other "career advancement education" is the video resume.
Still, if the thought of a video resume is outside your comfort zone, I can relate. But I did it (and you can check it out here). My advice? Practice before you go stepping into the office.
Contact the reporter at mfidura@asu.edu
