Video Resumes — The Secret to Getting Hired During COVID-19

Read Time: 4 minutes

Something strange is happening on LinkedIn. No, it’s not the algorithm or the sudden surge of “kids at home” pictures. At least for us here at Powtoon, it’s a sheer abundance of video resumes that we’re being mentioned in.

Now, some maybe not-so-needed historical context. In the times of COVID-19, the unemployment rate in the U.S. alone increased to a record breaking high of 14.7% in April 2020. That means that now more than ever before in our lifetime, jobseekers are out there scouring the internet looking for their next opportunity to get back into the employment game.

But that’s easier said than done.

Video resumes - how to get hired during Covid-19 — (New release from U.S. Department of Labor)

In a “pre-Covid world”, companies needed to compete for incredible talent who had the power to choose where they wanted to work. But now with so many companies cutting back on hiring and so many talented applicants being let go from their positions due to budget cuts, the traditional employer branding mantra of the “War for Talent”, suddenly is flipped on its head. The War for Work is here.

So how can a candidate stand out in a crowded sea of applicants?

It’s called video resumes!

A video resume is a short video that showcases your skill set, experience, and a touch of personality. It’s a great way to add a little something extra to an email cover letter, LinkedIn profile, or to share on social media to get the attention of recruiters in your space.

To stand out, applicants can’t just see a job on Linkedin, Glassdoor, or Indeed, apply with a one-page resume and cover letter, and expect a call. Recruiters are being flooded with nearly identical resumes and it’s hard to sift through even relevant candidates on paper. Only truly memorable applications merit a response. Considering people remember 95% of what they see in a video, compared to only 10% of what they read.

Video Resumes In Action

We’ve seen video resumes served up in a few different ways on LinkedIn. We love all the ways they find (and tag!) us, and are helping to create buzz around the candidates who create them.

Here’s a look at some of them we can’t stop raving about to help you get inspired…

Beth Sutton – Creative Director

It’s important to note, right off the bat, that video resumes aren’t just some new-age Millennial or Gen-Z thing. Beth Sutton, who’s been establishing a name for herself in the digital world since the late ‘90s, recently made a Powtoon video resume to talk about what inspired her to get into the field in the first place, some mishaps in her career journey, and what she brings to the table.

Gaëlle Martino – HR Officer

Bonjour Pandemic! In the midst of an upside-down hiring market, Gaëlle Martino wanted to break through the noise and prove that it was “still possible to find the rare pearl!”. Using many of Powtoon’s pre-designed animation and “scenes”, she was able to showcase her skills, background, work ethic, and even a bit of what she likes to do for fun. Of course, no video resume is complete without a contact info end slide to let potential employers know how to get in touch.

Paloma Peter-Dzoho – Aspiring Software Engineer

If you ever thought that your resume doesn’t quite capture your personality or value properly, you’ve got a friend in Paloma Peter-Dzoho. As part of taking a bold move to apply to her dream internship, Paloma used Powtoon to create a video resume to show off her heritage, passions, humor, and what she hopes to accomplish during the program.

Oumaima Boulhna – Communications Professional

“What’s the one thing that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?” That was the question Oumaima saw posted on LinkedIn that sparked it all. Oumaima used Powtoon back at a previous job at DHL for instructional and promotional videos, and figured her LinkedIn could use a good Powtoon.

Using a Powtoon resume template, Oumaima got to work personalizing it with her passion for all things communication. After posting it on LinkedIn, the video got almost 18,000 views and nearly 160 comments. Microsoft’s Global Experiential Marketing Lead, Akosua Boadi-Agyemang, saw the video and just had to share it which added a second wave of likes, comments, and shares. Job seekers, recruiters, and career gurus alike went nuts over Oumaima video.

Create your own video resume today for free with Powtoon!

Visual Communication & Your Job Search: Bonus Tips

Looking for other ways to stand out and get hired with visual communication?

Keep the video creation going with these fun video-filled ideas to build your personal brand and land your dream job!

Start a YouTube channel. Got a topic you love, professionally or even personally? Produce content for a YouTube channel for it! Even if you’re not going for a marketing role, having a YouTube channel can show recruiters that you’re dedicated, can manage projects and timeline, and have a creative spirit!
LinkedIn videos. Got an idea, story, or message that seems to keep bouncing around in your head? Do a short, simple face-to-camera video with Powtoon Capture to talk about it. LinkedIn’s algorithm will love you but more importantly, you can start conversations with others in your network and get noticed!
Expertise & data visualization. Within the candidate experience, you’re likely to be asked to give a presentation as part of an assignment. Got a lot of data sets and bullet points? Make an engaging, visual presentation that’s less about words on the slide, but more about bringing your points to life. You can leave the fine print in the show notes.
Thank you notes. At every stage of the candidate journey, it’s always important to make as many meaningful touchpoints with your recruiters and hiring managers as possible. Make them a quick, thank you video note to reflect how much you value their time, something they said that stuck with you, or confirm next steps.

Looking to start using visual communication and video resumes to get through the door? Try out our video resume templates, professionally made so you can easily customize to your story and get hired!

Shoshi Davis

Shoshi joined Powtoon as a Marketing Assistant. To read more of her stuff, you can find her content on Upwork and Business 2 Community talking all things inbound marketing for SaaS. After only 2 weeks at Powtoon, Shoshi was dubbed by the marketing team as having the superpower of "Unbridled Enthusiasm." So that was pretty cool.