Video resumes... not yet time?

I was recently interviewed for a trade magazine in the staffing industry.  The subject matter was about the use of video resumes.

In included below some highlights of key quotes from the article along with my comments immediately below the quote. 

Just curious, have you used a video resume before, or know someone who has?

• Lights, Camera, Action? SI Review May 2008 | Staffing Industry Analysts Articles / Research Topics | ArtIcles/News | Staffing Industry Analysts - Annotated

  • "If they do it well, it can be a good differentiating tool for them," says Aclaro. "If they don't do it well, it can be a bad differentiating tool for them."
    • My comments:  There's also an implied caution here for teens and college-level adults about NOT creating those beer-binging videos and posting them up on MySpace, etc. It will be found. - post by melaclaro

  • "...by watching videos of them provides an uneven playing field for our associates."

    • My comments:  While I somewhat agree with Jozwiak, it's worth mentioning that, from the candidate's perspective, creating a playfield advantage is exactly on point. - post by melaclaro
      
      
  • "It's too time consuming. It's way too selective. ... There's no format. You don't get to see career trajectory."
    • My comments: I would agree with this. Though, even this will likely change with new technologies... For example, a company called "Everyzing" (www.everyzing.com" is now making the spoken word within video searchable by search engines. So, when a staffing professional searches for certain keywords and the video appears in the search results, a pointer will take the viewer directly to the timecode in the video where those keywords were uttered. That can save time for recruiters... and, it will also necessarily mean a change, I think, for candidates in terms of how they structure their video presentation. - post by melaclaro
      
      
  • the only people he's seen advocate video resumes are the people who produce them.
    • My comments: LOL.  I would actually agree with him.  :-) - post by melaclaro
      
      
  • "In order to create one, you have to be good at talking to the camera. The average person isn't good talking to the camera. What the employer really wants to know is: Does this person have skills that are relevant. You're handling a lot of large files (when a video is sent to you), and why would you do that?"
    • My comments: True. I don't think video resumes are for everyone. Nor would I say they are an appropriate tool for every employment opportunity. However, consider the opportunity for those who are in the creative field, broadcast industry, entertainment, or even some stodgy career tracks such as training/e-learning industry. There's an opportunity here to show a portfolio of past work samples and creative technique in an attached video. - post by melaclaro
      
      
  • $30,000 to $60,000 for a five- to seven-minute recruitment video
    • My comment:  WOW! - post by melaclaro
      
      
  • Young professionals seem to look at employer videos the most, according to Luttemo. "They live online, so to speak."
    
  • His company currently charges $10,000 to produce a standard 90 second to three-minute video
    • My comment: Again, WOW! - post by melaclaro
      
      
  • Interesting tips and stats:
    > Eighty-nine percent of employers polled said they would watch a video resume if it were submitted to them
    >  yet a whopping 81% said they had never viewed one.
    >  Fifty-two percent of employers said they would watch a video resume to assess a candidate's professional presentation and demeanor
    >  14% said they would see it to get a better sense of a candidate's job experience and 9% would use it to gauge a candidate's speaking manner
    >  About 76% of employers said they advise candidates to keep their video resume under two minutes, and 47% recommended getting the job done in less than a minute.
    >  56% of employers indicated they believe video resumes will be a common addition to future applications.
    
  • Many companies that are interested in a candidate who lives out of state or out of the country are saying no to flying the candidate in, and saying yes to doing a video interview with the person. It's a way of seeing the candidate without having to pay the airfare and hotel costs.
    • My comments:  Great opportunity here for candidates with the wherewithall to offer this as an option to potential employers. BUT... tip the odds in your favor by learning to set up a camcorder as your video source, rather than the cheesy built-in cameras on many computers. Also, learn now about the power of good lighting. - post by melaclaro