Video resumes are becoming an extremely popular way to stand out from the crowd. They are easy to make, and they showcase a candidate’s creativity and tech skills. When used correctly, a good video resume can shoot you straight to the head of the pack.

We have embraced video to the fullest. Why read when you can watch! Over 1/3 of web traffic comes from online video. It is simply the preferred medium for information. It just makes sense that video is taking over traditional, paper resumes.

The Right Audience

Video resumes are not applicable for every industry. If you send in a video resume for an accounting position, you might miss your mark. The media industry is booming and those are the types of jobs for which a video resume will be well received. Be sure to keep your audience in mind when sending in a video resume. A bank manager won’t really care about your video editing skills.

Think Broad

A traditional resume can be changed and tailored instantly to suit the needs of the position. Video resumes, while not final, are not as easy to tailor. When creating the content for the video, be sure to be as broad and thorough with your skills and experience as you can. While these videos are short, you can pack a whole lot of information in there. Because videos are far more dynamic than print, you can jam a lot more information into them than the traditional one-page paper resume.

Use the Tools

A video resume is more than just sitting in front of a camera and reading off your skills. Video allows you to use pictures, graphics, rich media, color and sound. These will all help you create a dynamic and engaging video, and after all, that’s the point.  Recruiters only spend an average of 6.25 seconds looking at a candidate’s résumé before deciding whether he or she is a fit for a job. Capturing their attention is a whole lot easier with video.

Stay Relevant and Appropriate

While it is nice to add some personal touches to your video resume, be sure to stay on target. The recruiter or hiring manager don't really care that you fish every Monday. Keep the content relevant to the job and your professional experiences. There are other ways to let your personality shine through. Smiling, dialogue, tone and appearance are the tools that you can use to let them know who you are. 80% of that 6.25 seconds that recruiters will take to look at a resume go into scanning these six things:

• Name
• Current title/company
• Previous title/company
• Previous position, start and end dates
• Current position, start and end dates
• Education

Be sure to highlight these points and get to them quickly.

Include a Call to Action

When videos include a call to action, viewers are 4 times more likely to get in touch. Let them know exactly how and when to get in touch with you. This is where those handy graphics come into play. “You can email me at…” (insert a graphic of your email). “You can call me at…” (insert a graphic of your number). You get the point. A clear and direct call to action is vital to making contact.