Resume videos?

[MACyMouse]

Want to create a resume to put on a CD for prospective Employers... can anyone suggest the best format to do this? And how would I get it to autoplay when inserted into someone's computer....

Sort of like a presentation... with background music/slide show of my design pieces etc...

Or can anyone guide me to a website that will give me some direction?

Thanks.......

 

[eric06]

Want to create a resume to put on a CD for prospective Employers... can anyone suggest the best format to do this? And how would I get it to autoplay when inserted into someone's computer....

Sort of like a presentation... with background music/slide show of my design pieces etc...

Or can anyone guide me to a website that will give me some direction?

Thanks.......

I found this link http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_13374 by searching real quick.

 

[MACyMouse]

Thanks for that...... I bookmarked it!!!

 

[Sa!!yz~Rage]

Best application for that stuff is Director, well it was when I did that stuff. Still is I imagine. ;D Bit of a learning curve though.

 

[EDIT-XTREEM]

I would suggest just making a DVD. Just use imovie and idvd. Then burn it and it will look great. If you need any help, just ask me....

 

[D3v1L80Y]

Personally, I would advise against a video resumé. I think you would gain much more from writing a proper printed resumé, and you wouldn't have to worry about compatibility issues.

Many professionals would advise against it as well...

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=7071

Essesntially the three biggest drawbacks (as I see) to it are:

One, you already alluded to... technology. Is the employer going to be able to even see it? Will they have plugins installed? Will they be able to even open the CD/DVD?

Two, it is going to take more time to watch it than it would to read over a printed resumé. You would have to say quite a bit in a video for it to compare with the amount of information available in a traditional resumé.
Making the video too short will leave out important points... making it too long will lose the interest of the viewer.

Three... discrimination. A resume and cover letter are simply pieces of paper. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need to worry about race, ethnicity, disability, and gender discrimination in the work place. But in reality, these elements can, unfortunately, play a role in a job search. A standard resume and cover letter ensure that if you have a successful track record, there is a good possibility of getting called in for an interview. The video cannot make this claim.
The video resumé can shut down these avenues in a the blink of an eye.


Video resumés are good for anyone into acting or some sort of "on screen" job. Other than that, they are nowhere near as effective as a traditional resumé and cover letter.

 

[mathogre]

D3v1L80Y is spot on. Let me add a little.

Imagine that Acme Graphics has an open position. You send your resume. So do 99 other people. Resumes get tossed for the most minor things, because no one is going to closely scrutinize 100 resumes. They don't have time, and they don't need to do it. The really good ones will stand out, and those will make it to the second and final rounds of review. Everything else gets tossed. "We'll keep your resume in our records..." = tossed.

Make someone work to "read" yours and it will be tossed in the first round. Smudges? Tossed. Spelling errors? Dumped. A slightly mismatched skill set? History. A CD or DVD isn't likely to see the inside of any computer, especially with the threat of viruses, trojans, et al. It's sort of a nice idea, but the reality is that with a video disc you're wasting your time and effort.

Your resume has a lifespan of about 30 seconds if you're lucky. Make it work for you.

 

[xstep]

I'm kind of with a few of the others in worrying about the technology. I think I'd go with a typical resume for your industry and reference a web page with some of your sample work. You could even load up a video. You could also press that to a disc if you still want to try that option.

As far as the video goes, I'd try to create it in Flash, Quicktime and whatever the current Windows format is. You might even be able to place Javascript code into the page to select the appropriate format for the potential employer depending on what technology their browser says it can handle.

Definitely think twice about placing you face anywhere. There isn't a need for it and as others mentioned, it could hurt you.

 

[MaDDoG]

D3v1L80Y is spot on. Let me add a little.

Imagine that Acme Graphics has an open position. You send your resume. So do 99 other people. Resumes get tossed for the most minor things, because no one is going to closely scrutinize 100 resumes. They don't have time, and they don't need to do it. The really good ones will stand out, and those will make it to the second and final rounds of review. Everything else gets tossed. "We'll keep your resume in our records..." = tossed.

Make someone work to "read" yours and it will be tossed in the first round. Smudges? Tossed. Spelling errors? Dumped. A slightly mismatched skill set? History. A CD or DVD isn't likely to see the inside of any computer, especially with the threat of viruses, trojans, et al. It's sort of a nice idea, but the reality is that with a video disc you're wasting your time and effort.

Your resume has a lifespan of about 30 seconds if you're lucky. Make it work for you.

I'm with Mathogre on this. When you are faced with tons of resumes, rightly or wrongly, you look for the easiest way of cutting the num bers downto a manageable number. Spelling, layout, and just format generally make for the easiest way out. You might have the worlds best but if you miss the first cut, no second chance.

 

[86Apex]

It really depends on the employer though. I have several friends that work for agencies that won't hire you unless you have a video resume, since they can analyze the work that you're accredited to. One of them works for a 2D composition company that gets hired for movies and commercials, and the only way that they can see if you're good is through video. So don't be quick to say that video resumes are no good. It all depends on what type of work you do. MACyMouse most likely needs to have a video resume, otherwise this question wouldn't have been posted.

Sort of like a presentation... with background music/slide show of my design pieces etc...

So try to stick to the main question that was asked. On that note, I was actually going to link to the exact page that eric06 linked to, but I got beat to the punch.

@MACyMouse
You can always give the employer a call and find out if they have the resources to view video resumes and if they do, what format they prefer. That way you're prepared and won't have to guess. Taking initiative and being prepared is always a quality employers like to see.

 

[D3v1L80Y]

That isn't a video resumé. Video resumés are completely different animals.
What you have described (and likely this is what the OP means) is a Portfolio/Demo Reel. Yes, many employers for design firms will require this.
However, you will still need a proper, typed resumé to accompany it.
A Portfolio/Demo Reel will not take the place of a proper resumé.

 

[86Apex]

That isn't a video resumé. Video resumés are completely different animals.
What you have described (and likely this is what the OP means) is a Portfolio/Demo Reel. Yes, many employers for design firms will require this.
However, you will still need a proper, typed resumé to accompany it.
A Portfolio/Demo Reel will not take the place of a proper resumé.

I agree with you, and I know the difference between the two. Every reel should be accompanied with a written resume. I was going under the impression that MACyMouse needed to show his/her design pieces, so I automatically assumed that that's what was meant. Sorry if I sounded arrogant in any way, I was only trying to help. I've always believed that you should help someone without questioning why they would do something a certain way. Everyone does things differently.