The traditional job application process often relies on resumes and cover letters. This can be challenging to make to stand out from the competition. However, with the rise of social media, job seekers have a new opportunity to showcase their skills and expertise: the skills video.
A skills video is a brief video presentation that allows you to demonstrate your abilities directly to potential employers. It can be a powerful tool for highlighting your skills, experience, and personality, making you a more memorable candidate.
Designing Your Skills Video: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating a compelling skills video doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
- Define your purpose: What do you want to achieve with your skills video? Are you applying for a specific job or trying to build your portfolio? Having a clear goal will help you focus your video and tailor it to your target audience. When creating your profile on VideoWorkers, the aim of the skills video is to present the way you work. Or, you can customize your profile and make a video for each specialization you have.
- Identify your target audience: Who are you making your video for? Put yourself in the shoes of the employer. Understanding the expectations and preferences of potential employers will help you choose the right format, style, and content for your video. Employers are interested to see in the video the way you do your job. So, keep everything professional and behave as if your potential employer stands next to you.
- Choose a compelling topic: Select a topic that showcases your skills and experience in a relevant and engaging way. In case you make a video for welding, choose a more difficult material to weld. If you make a skills video for cooking, choose to show a dish that is harder to make, not scrambled eggs. If you are a waiter, show how you can serve a table of 8, not a single person. If you are a graphic designer highlight the most important piece of your portfolio. If you are a teacher, make sure you talk about the difficult moments of your job in a captivating manner that would attract any audience.
- Write a clear script: A well-written script will guide your video and ensure that you concisely communicate your message. Keep the script concise and focused on your key skills and accomplishments.
- Film or record your skills video: You don’t need the latest tech equipment for that. Almost any smartphone nowadays can produce a good video image and has some video editing software for social media. Make sure you have a good light in the room or filming place. Pay attention to the sound, in case there is a huge background noise, try to use a microphone so that your voice will be heard in the video.
- Edit and polish: Social media tools can help you remove unnecessary footage and add transitions and graphics. Add music only if this will not interfere with showcasing your skills. Ensure the video is concise and engaging, lasting no longer than three minutes.
- Review and refine: Before sharing your video, review it carefully to check for any errors or inconsistencies. Seek feedback from others to ensure your video is effective and conveys your message.
Highlighting Your Skills: Show, Don’t Just Tell
The most effective skills videos are those that showcase your skills rather than simply telling viewers about them. Instead of listing your accomplishments, demonstrate them through examples and demonstrations.
Here are some tips for highlighting your skills in your video:
- Provide context: Explain the problem or challenge you faced and how you overcame it.
- Use data and metrics: Quantify your accomplishments to make them more impactful.