How to Make a Video CV

One of the most important employment tools for job seekers and companies in the future... employers want to know that you'd fit into the company culture, want to know about you before inviting you for an interview.
Video CVs or VCVs have become an important employment tool for job seekers and employers everywhere. With an incredibly competitive job market, a VCV is just the right tool to make you stand out as a candidate. Personality is often hard to show through traditional paper CV. Before inviting you for an interview, employers want to know that you will fit into their company culture. VCVs are there to present your past achievements as well as your possible achievements in the future as a part of the company you are applying to. Speaking with confidence and expressing the value you can add to the company means you means that you stand a better chance than other candidates. CVCs are not, however, for all companies. More traditional employers still prefer paper CVs. But if the role that you are applying to is in the media, the social or other creative sectors where your personality counts, then a VCV might just do the trick. You can always submit the VCV alongside a paper CV. That way you are providing the best of both worlds. Follow the guide below to create your own VCV.

Step-by-Step Guide to Make a VCV:

1. First ask yourself some important questions: what is your personal brand? What are your values? What is your character? What is your integrity? What are your ethics and morals? What is your passion? What gifts and talents do you possess? Finally, how would you describe yourself in a business setting: are you introverted, extroverted, a self-performer or a team player? The answer to these questions will be a key feature of your VCV.
2. Now gather all your answers from the above questions and create a brief script that shows your personality well. The script should consist of an introduction including the position you are applying for, a brief example of any relevant experience (your last or current position), then describe how you excelled in said role and what made you stand out as an employee, after this you can talk about what makes you unique (this is where the answers to the above questions come in), and then you can finish off with a strong statement. You may also add slideshows of your work or possible sound bits basically anything and everything the viewer will see. The entire script should not really exceed one A4 page.
3. Now that you have created an outline for the video you will need some equipment: a video camera and a laptop or computer with some sort of editing software, such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro.
4. Next you must take care of your appearance. Wear an outfit suitable for the job – the kind that you would wear to an interview with your prospective employer. Not all jobs require you to wear a custom-made suit so find something comfortable that still fits with the job role as well as your personality.
5. Choose a suitable background. This could be anything from your home office to a plain white wall. You want to be creative but professional.
6. Make a few screen tests to ensure the camera is not too close or too far. The ideal shot is a mid-close up. This means your forearms and above your torso can be seen on camera.
7. Either film the video yourself, or have someone film for you, because now you are ready. Wherever you are filming should be well lit. It is not an effective VCV if you cannot be seen. Additionally, the camera should always be in focus and the video itself should be clear.
8. Once filmed, start editing. Adding some background music is great for ambience and letting your personality shine through even more. Use creative but professional transitions if necessary. Try adding a blooper reel to show you have a sense of humour but can still maintain a professional demeanor.
9. You can now upload the VCV to YouTube and send the URL to prospective employers. Another option is to put the finished VCV on CDs/ DVDs and send those. Or you can just send the video directly to the employer.
10. Now you will just have to wait. If all goes well you will be getting a call for an interview in no time.

That is it. A VCV completed in 10 easy steps. Though it does not end there. It is best to keep in mind some important do’s and don’ts when making your VCV.

Do’s and Don’ts
Do structure your video with a beginning, middle and end. A script will help to do this.
Do not make your video more than 2 minutes long. The ideal length is 1 minute, but if you feel like you need it, that extra minute will not do any harm. So long as it is not an extra minute and a half.
Do leave contact details at the end of the video – email address, phone number, professional social media accounts and so on.
Do not read off your script, and no need to memorise it either. As long as you follow the general idea of the script you will come across less robotic and more like a suitable candidate. You should feel free making the VCV.
Do show your CV to friends, family or colleagues before sending it off. It is always good to get some objective feedback that way you have time to make changes.
Do not forget to label the DVDs you send out with all your contact details, along with a paper CV to maximise success.
Do save the clips to use in more VCVs should you wish to submit another.

It does not take a fancy studio, expensive cameras or the best lighting to make a VCV. Just a simple camera or smartphone will do so long as the video is clear. Approach the VCV with some creative flair. A paper CV can only get you so far, there are no set rules for VCVs like there are with paper CVs. You have freedom to use whatever format you like, to be unassuming, to visually show why you are the perfect candidate. For it is the individualism that will catch an employers eye, thus resulting in an invite for an in-person interview. Introduce yourself at the start and grab the viewer’s attention, this way you will have them hooked and wanting to watch the rest of your video. Avoiding all possible blunders such as shuffling paper or filming in an untidy environment will most certainly help your case. A VCV should be treated like a face-to-face interview if you want it to be successful.

Lucine Bassa