Should You Make A Video Resume?

August 30, 2008

Perhaps youve been thinking a video resume would give you an edge. It would show you off in your best light. It would show youre tech savvy and current. After all, youre a dynamic, attractive person who presents well in-person. A video resume should give you the edge over people just sending in paper or Internet resumes. Webcams are cheap, you look good, so why not get that video on Jobster, CareerBuilder and Vault?

Well it looks like if you want to, you should do it quick. Video resumes are under fire. It could be a waste of time.

Yes, a video shows your great posture, sharp haircut and professional wardrobe, but unfortunately it also shows your race, age, sex and disabilities. Employment attorneys appear to be telling employers to give it the nix. (Of course for legal advice, consult an attorney.)

Take a look at one of our favorite websites, Overlawyered (www.overlawyered.com). According to this site, attorneys think it gives a corporation too much exposure, which is lawyer-eze for not a good idea. Theyre saying not to accept these video resumes.

Overlawyered quotes attorney Dennis Brown from the San Jose, California office of Littler Mendelson which recently gave a seminar advising employers about the dangers of video resumés. Brown said, Just dont even deal with them [video resumes] ...My advice to my clients who have asked me about video resumes -- and I have had a lot of clients ask lately -- is do not accept, do not review video resumes. Other attorneys are also quoted as being deadset against the idea.

Employers are cautioned against the risk of this sort of unnecessary knowledge in terms of discrimination. There are also comments on this website from the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Not everyone has access to the necessary equipment, nor the skills to use it.

Of course were all wondering about this Internet thing and jobs. It s common sense to assume that employers and recruiters check out candidates on the Internet. This gives new meaning to the old adage, Never put anything in black and white you wouldnt want the whole world to see. Theres the cache, which seems to give eternal life to things on the Internet.

Prudent people dont put anything on blogs they wouldnt say in person. This is just etiquette, emotional intelligence and best practices.

Emotional intelligence is about self-awareness and this includes predicting what effect your words and action may have-for you and for others.

So, unless the job youre applying for requires video skills (graphic artist, for instance), etc., it looks like making a video will be a waste of time-sooner or later.

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