Making my video resume - Video production - Part4

A rule of 3

Each scene of a tonic video should not exceed a pitch of 3 sentences.

Transition
You must consider two aspects:

              1- Vision

Our eyes are used to quick changes. For the comfort of your viewer, you should insert:

- A smooth screen transition effect between scenes. The ones I use most often are cross dissolve and fade to black/white.

- A common object or word between successive scenes.

For example, in my video resume, I finish the coffee scene by mentioning the Virgin Group before talking about Sir Richard Branson.

Another example: in the "Why social recruiting?" section, notice the symmetry between the shootage of "on one hand" and "on the other hand," made with:

                - black/white background colour

                - same layouts

                - number on the door

               2 - Hearing

Our ears are much more sensitive and less tolerant.

Among the comments from friends watching the beta version of my video resume, one of the harshest was, "The voice sync is Horrible…it is constantly throwing me off."

Please make sure to have high-quality audio. People are likely to tolerate poor image quality, but they will not show mercy to painful audio. I highly recommend:

- Renting a directional mic

- turning your iPhone + head set into a micro.

The length of your video

Hiring managers spend an average of 2 minutes watching the top candidates’ videos.

I got that statistic by compiling results using the:

- RecruitLoop platform, which records videos of candidates giving online interviews with pre-set questions. 

After logging into the RecruitLoop platform, candidates answer a list of questions we have pre-entered into the system. Their responses have a time limit. They have one chance to answer each question. Remote interviews offer flexibility for both parties, solving the time difference complexity of international recruitment.

- The excellent book, "Job searching with social media for dummies" - Joshua Waldman

- My own video resume’s YouTube Analytics after 215 views

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet

Making my video resume - Part3

I have previously explained the difference between the image and the perception. Accordingly, remember that the form is just as important as its content.

The content

You want to produce the highest-impact content. 

The first 15 seconds are vital!

Please do not assume that 2 minutes is short enough for people not to lose interest on the way.

The partition of our attention

Each person’s attention span is (unconsciously) set for each different type of media. Reading an article takes longer than listening to someone discussing it. Same with video: on top of the audio, the images tell much longer than plain text!

This makes video one of the most integrated communication channels. As a result, it’s the one that makes us switch our attention most quickly.

You have to hook your viewers from the start!

What works better than humour?

My way of hooking viewers’ attention was through humour. That is a double-edged sword. However, I think I like taking the risk! The higher the bet, the higher the gain.

Ultimately, it would give true insight into my personality. I dared to use the Star Wars joke, and so far, people like it!

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below
Author - Kevin Simonnet

Making my video resume - Part2

What impact do you want to have?

The end result of this video is to communicate your (personal) brand. Once you have determined the five main aspects of your brand, you have to make them shine through this media.

ie: Setting up the microphone before a presentation

Understand the power of visual media

Because Human is much more of a visual creature, this media is the most effective.

Be right at the 1st sight

Allow people to "meet with you" online. This technique replaces the first impression you make when meeting in person.

You only get one chance to make a long-lasting impression built on assumptions from the viewer’s unconscious analysis.

What is the message?

A video resume allows you to showcase your attributes, such as:

- Presentation skills

- Leadership presence

- Creativity

- Pro-activity

- Fondness for innovation

- Professional presence

and so forth!

Because  this media is utmost impactful, it can show to your next boss who you are and what working with you is like.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Author - Kevin Simonnet

Making my video resume - Part1

I have just released my video resume.

Proud to have done it!

It is a great piece of work, and the 2:58-minute video kept me busy full time for three weeks!

But it is definitely worth the effort.

I did enjoy the experience of doing the design, shooting scenes, making a first draft, getting people involved, taking personal training at the Apple Store to learn iMovie and, after editing it, realising that I needed to change it completely!

It took me three drafts and a number of versions to produce the final release on YouTube.

How?

That is what you have to go through when making something on your own. 

You start with nothing but ideas (and we all have brilliant ideas!). Then, when it comes to making it, you start asking yourself, "How can I?!"

Just do it. I loved this experience, and it has revealed resources within me I could barely imagine. 

First, find the means

You need a camera (the one I used is a Canon D600) and a place to make the shooting. As the saying goes, "When you have no money, at least you have ideas."

Find the camera

I asked my friends. The good part of being a foreigner in a country is that you have friends from everywhere. Among mine were some who had just left their jobs to live the great adventure of travelling, particularly in this beautiful country that is Australia.

And the good news is: those people have a camera, usually a professional one!

Find the place

FishBurners, the place I worked in, could not be better for video shooting.

Thanks to the kindness of its:

- Director: Peter Bradd I was allowed to shoot any scenes I wanted

- Fellow members,Brett Fox, Band guitarist at creo/www.brettfox.net/Co-founder at Fotzy and Dain Hedgpeth founder of touchskate who offered me a lot of patience

Sometimes, I just rearranged the office, moving desks, chairs, TV screens, etc. to make it look like a perfect video studio!

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Author - Kevin Simonnet

10 tips to be successful in your job interview - Part2

5- We want to be your coach
We are spending hours in a day at screening Cv. If you are interviewing means that your on paper you are qualified for the job. But it is your personality that will make the difference.

If you successfully convince us to be worth the effort, we will invest effort and time to accompany you at best. In fact, you represent us: you are our image.

6- Why this in-person interview then?
The main purpose of my interviews is to instigate the basis of a trustful relationship. That is why I like to stick to my in-person interviews, rather than a (cold) call.
It takes time at the first place; but on the long run I think I save time. 

Because I know my candidates and they know me. With trust and respect you can establish a real collaboration. That increases loyalty during the process.
Since I have (truly) helped the candidate, most of the time I get something in return. Sometimes a great referral!

6- We represent our clients
I know there are recruiters who just send out Cvs, sometimes without even having contracted with the company. This is (also) part of the game.
But good recruiters are successful because they manage to do recurring placements with the same company. Thereby, we partner with the business and we become like an extended HR.

7- We are not mail boxes: use us!
We want you to be successful just as much as you do. Therefore you should pay attention to our advise and even ask for them! by asking questions such as:

"What does your client expect to hear about? What should I focus on?"
"I really want this job at this company. How can I better my odds?"
"Is there anything special I should know about the current situation/projects at the company?"
"Can you tell me more about the personality of the interviewer?"

8- Company does not hire people
It is people that hire people.

I have examples of candidate with not the best Cv doing really good at blue ship companies  ..and vice/versa.
The interview is mainly to mesure your culture fit, get a piece of your personality and for the hiring manager have a glimpse at what it would be working with you.

9- We can be more than what ones think
We spend our full time week building relationships and spreading networks within niche markets. If we do not have the right opportunity at this period of time when you are seeking, chances are we could be representing you for your next move!

We do the mapping of your market and keep abreast of the coming hiring projects. That is something you could benefit of, isn't it?

10- Let us work for you
By building relationship with clients, I mean we first have to deliver. An important aspect of our job is to provide a (recruitment) solution to the business.

When the decision maker realises that working with us means having the right people at the right position and thereby an accountable and dedicated team, which enhances the business..   we are valued as much more than "recruiters". Building trust means that we can influence decision makers.

Some of my candidates would never have been able to step in the door of important clients  if it was not with my referral.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet

10 tips to be successful in your job interviews - Part1

1- You have already stepped in

As agency recruiters, we are working under enough pressure from KPIs not to have time to waste.

Same goes for internal recruiters. By networking with talent acquisition specialists, internal/on-site recruiters,  internal recruitment consultants (agency recruiters working as contractors at end users like "implant" or a delegated resource from an RPO).

If you made it to the interview room, you have already come a long way. You’ve ticked most of the boxes. So what could make you fail?

2- Your attitude

Those of us who are used to interviewing have often developed an acute ability to read people. This sense comes with our strong business acumen. You can understand that we are seeking to recognise the potential for success in the candidate we chose to represent.

We are screening your:

- Gestures

- Coherence between your story and what is written on your resume

- Vision for your career

- Self-confidence

- Ability to reveal your potential and “true colours”

3- (Good) recruiters are more about sales than NLP

Our job is to connect a talent with a great career opportunity and recognise the potential of a great fit. This is all about business.

The more talented recruiters I know are great business people, some of whom are even launching their own business.

4- Our job interview questions are to get you lost

Let me give a real-life example: the airport. If you were a terrorist, would you truthfully answer the question, "Are you convicted of terrorism acts?"

Same with our questions.

Sometimes, we weird questions on purpose (turning you back to an experience you have already discussed, trying to make you look stupid by reasserting your lies)…  just to get you lost. In that manner, we can take down your prepared pitch or your defences and gain access to the real person.

I will follow with 6 more tips in my next post, next week

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Author - Kevin Simonnet

10 tips for a recruiter friendly resume

1- Social media presence

List the complete LinkedIn, website and blog URLs. Even if your CV will probably be read on a screen, the hyperlink doesn’t always work.

Recruiters, both internal and agency, are relying a lot more on social media. Being part of the pool of candidates who understand the importance of having a web presence is good.

2- Summary section

Sum up your experience in one sentence that includes:

- Total years of experience and the ones in your specialization

- The importance of the companies you worked for

- Your area of specialisation

3- Your objective

Explain in one sentence the goal you are pursuing, mentioning:

- The job you are seeking

- The career vision you are pursuing

4- Your value statement

A headline that captures your personal brand in five to seven words, revealing your:

- Beliefs

- Reasons you like your job

- Objectives (what you want to achieve through your job)

5- Look smart

Sharing your analysis of the market and the solution you bring to business will catch the hiring manager’s attention and is a good induction to more questions.

6- No picture

Even if I like a picture on a CV, a recent survey of recruiters showed that they reject CVs with photos 88% of the time.

7- Presentation

Integrate no more than 2 colours in the category/company headers and job title.

8- Images

To call attention to certifications, company logos, etc. or make it more visual, you may consider inserting images. But nowadays, resumes are scanned by ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) such as Taleo, Brass, Ring, PageUp, and graphics cannot be garbled.

9- Fonts

These are visually friendly: Calibri, Gautomi, and Verdana.

10- The physical address

Unless you are in the countryside or very specific about the time spent in transport, mention only the borough.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet