How to make a Visume

We all appreciate the importance of a CV. A well formulated CV can make or break a job interview. It is very important to follow a proper structure and use the right power words while designing your CV. One can say it is an art form.

But it the present times, a video resume is gaining popularity. In the world of globalization, people are sitting in far off places and applying to jobs in other cities. Many times it becomes difficult to come for interview. A video resume is a good alternative for an impersonal CV.

I feel that a video resume offers a chance of forming a more personal level connect with the interviewer than a bland sheet of CV. A visume offers a chance to showcase your personality and interpersonal skills. It allows you to show your emotions on your passion. To depict your enthusiasm.

These are some of the positives of making a video resume.

There are multiple ways a person can make their visume. The basic steps involved are:

1. Writing a script
2. Recording the video
3. Post record editing
4. Publishing it on media platforms

Writing a script is very important as it provides content you your visume. The content should be organized in a structured format. You can start by showcasing your most important achievements first, or you can follow a chronological/reverse chronological order. That is starting from your school to the college or going back from your college to your schooling achievements. Whatever structure you follow, try to maintain a consistency and avoid jumping from one era to the next without any connections. It should not be confusing to the listener.

The content should be crisp and the delivery should be articulate. A visume should not go beyond 3 minutes. People do not have patience to listen beyond the first 1.5 minutes ! So you have to make it really interesting.

 

Next step is recording yourself. These days all mobiles are equipped with a good enough camera to give a decent output. Just be comfortable and don’t read from a script. You can use prompters or cues to keep track of the content but speak while looking straight in the camera. If it appears that you have memorized the script or a reading off a paper, it will send a negative impression.

 

After recording yourself, some post editing becomes necessary. You might want to trim out some parts. It is a good idea to add a pic of your detailed CV, your social media handles and a starting welcome slide to the visume. A soothing but non disturbing music can also be added, but at a low volume. Many professional video editors are available. Free softwares like OpenShot are a good alternative. Even some mobile applications can be used to edit the videos.

The last step is publishing it on the internet. You can upload it on youtube and send that link out to the recruiters. This is useful in keeping a track of who has watched your visume. People might give constructive feedback for your efforts !

Making a visume proves that you are comfortable with technology and are motivated enough to embrace any tech change that a company might face. It shows that you can be an enthusiastic and proactive employee who is not afraid to try out new things.

Try making a visume for yourself if you are interested !