How to Create a Video Resume that Stands Out

Video resumes are in for the long run. In this work-from-home economy, when most people barely leave their houses to get groceries, it is very unlikely that hiring managers will go back to face-to-face interviews anytime soon. In the healthcare industry, however, working from your own home is not as common, but getting hired remotely happens more often than ever, as recruiters keep relying on virtual interviews and online onboarding processes to get the workers they need.

In this article, Caring Support wants to help caregivers and healthcare professionals get ahead, not by telling you how to excel in a video interview but by teaching you how to create a video resume that stands out from the competition in the first place.‍

What is a video resume?

A video resume is a video where a candidate for a position shares information about their skills, experience, and accomplishments with a potential employer. These videos can be uploaded to a website, like in the case of our Caring Support platform, or sent via email to recruiters and hiring managers.

Video resumes may be accompanied by a traditional resume, but not necessarily. They can be targeted to a specific position or company, but they can also be generic for a particular industry. Additionally, video resumes can be recorded using a phone, a webcam, or an actual filming professional, for people who want to go the extra mile.

We understand that video resumes can seem a little scary to begin with, but we promise that they are one of the best tools available right now to help candidates stand out by showing their personality, enthusiasm, and creativity.

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Why do caregivers and healthcare workers need a video resume?

Short answer: because video resumes help you market yourself better to employers.

Now for the long answer, video resumes are a helpful tool for candidates in all industries, because they allow you to show employers why they should hire you by showcasing why you are the best person for the job, what skills you have, and what you’ve learned from past job experiences, in your own words.

In the healthcare industry, where most of the workers are required to perform client-facing roles, video resumes are an excellent way for you to show off your personality and your positive attitude, especially when it comes to personal support workers, who many times provide home care for patients on behalf of their family members. In fact, a person would be more motivated to interview a caregiver for their elderly parent or a disabled loved one if they are able to get a glimpse of their personality through a video early in the selection process.

To summarize, a video resume helps you make a good impression by showing the aspects of yourself that you can’t display on a traditional resume, such as your verbal communication skills, your charisma, and how much you care for your work and for others, something that is critical in healthcare.

How to create a video resume that stands out

The following tips will help you create a strong video resume. We can’t guarantee that it will get you hired on the spot, but we can assure you that it will make you stand out from the competition.

Get your webcam ready. Here are the best tips to record a video resume:

1. ‍Professionalism above all. Just because you are putting yourself out there first doesn’t mean you can forget the formalities of job seeking. The first step to create a strong video resume is to dress professionally. Select clothes, hairstyles, and makeup that you would normally wear to a job interview.
2. ‍Find the perfect background and setting. We won’t ask you to record your video resume from a hospital or long-term care facility to get a job in healthcare, but you do need to make sure your background looks neat, that you have good lighting, and there are no background noises.‍
3. A good script is your friend. Before turning on the camera, you need to take the most relevant information from your traditional resume and turn it into a compelling script. If you don’t believe us, try recording the video without any preparation and then watch it. You’ll notice that we all tend to use many unnecessary words, which makes it harder for us to communicate ideas as clearly as we would want to.
4. ‍Watch your tone. Just like in a job interview, you should take care of the way you speak in your video resume. Your tone should be courteous and friendly, but not informal. And you should avoid using inappropriate words or jokes.‍
5. Consider your audience. A video interview for a job in finance and one for a teaching job at a primary school are completely different and require different resume formats. The same goes for a video resume. Consider who will watch the video before developing your concept and script.‍
6. Keep it brief. A strong video resume should last between 30 seconds to 1 and a half minutes at the most. It is not a documentary, so anything longer than that is unlikely to be watched.‍
7. Get feedback. Before uploading it, you might want to show it to a good friend, family member, or even a colleague. Keep an open mind to their recommendations and make the edits you think the video needs to be even better.
   

How to upload your video resume to your Caring Support profile

At Caring Support we truly believe no one can sell you better than yourself, and we want to give you the opportunity to prove it. Get your camera ready, put on your best smile, and do not forget to apply the recommendations above to create your own video resume.

Once you have it, follow these simple steps to upload it, and before you know it employers could be hearing why you are the best candidate for a position at their organization from your own words.

1. Create a Caring Support caregiver account, here
2. Go to your Profile
3. Under the Video Resume section, click the UPLOAD button
4. Select your file
5. Wait for the file to load
6. Done! (please note, your video may be held for review before appearing on your profile)

And if you have any more doubts, reach out. We're happy to help.

Good luck!