What is a video resume?
March 5th, 2008If you you listen to the main stream media you will soon realize that there is a reason that it is called “main stream”. Either the popular opinion is reported, or the version that they want you to believe is the popular version is created.
I have found this to be true with “Video Resumes”. It is reported that HR at big companies are scared to look at a video of an individual because it might influence them. I would suggest a few steps to help with that.
1) When you call that individual in for an interview be sure and wear a blindfold because you might see what they look like and violate EEOC.
2) Don’t read their resume because you might think poorly of them because they misspelled some words and if you judge them prematurely you could be in violation of EEOC. After all maybe they spell that way because of a disability or old age is setting in. So you better call them in for an interview just to make sure, but remember step 1 above.
Seriously though, you as an employer have to make a decision to hire an employer based on multiple criteria . These blanks in your matrix are filled in by the jobseekers input. If your decision making process allows you to add weight to the input(s) that would violate EEOC then there is either a problem with your process or your personal bias and/or outlook on people. If your outlook is incorrect then maybe you need to be in another position in the company. Let’s face it if a person slouches in the interview they would probably slouch in the video. If they dress like a slob for a sales position in the interview they would probably dress that way in the video. Notice I did not say that if a church going Baptist looks like a slob in the video you should not hire him because he is a Baptist and may not want to work on Sunday. You would disqualify him because his sloppiness would not represent your company well as a sales person. What if that same individual was applying for a job to clean toilets? Would you place as much weight on whether he wore a suit or not? I think not! This is exactly my point, it is not the video, it is how you apply the input(s) and pieces of information from that video either personally or into your decision making matrix. To think that by not looking at a video resume you are going to block out all input that could cause an EEOC violation is ludicrous.
Honestly, if you think videos are just going to go away because you cant handle the input then maybe the input needs to be changed, but how………
JOBSEEKERS! It’s your turn, where is it written that a video resume needs to be a video of you plopping down in front of a webcam?? You have been listening to much to the mainstream media again. Isn’t this about getting a job? Isn’t this about you being able to say “I am the best candidate for the job CHOOSE ME!” ?
Then for goodness sake use the tools that are available to showcase your work, not your face. If you clean toilets then create a video of you cleaning toilets. If you build cabinets for a living then show me some cabinets you are building or have built. Finish carpenter? Show me your miter joints. I don’t care how you look as long as your miter joints are clean. Drive truck? Don’t tell me on a vid you can drive SHOW ME like this gentleman from down under did when he was looking for a job. Now THAT’S a driver worthy of hiring.