THE VIDEO CV TOOL
A DOCUMENTARY RESEARCH ON DEVELOPMENT
AND DIFFUSION OF VIDEO CV TOOL IN EUROPE AND
USA
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION
ALL THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAPER ARE EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AUTHORS.
1
Leonardo Da Vinci Programme
Responsible Author:
EURO INNOVANET SRL
Co-authors: With the cooperation
of Cit of Rome – Dept. XIV
City of Rome- Dept. XIV
Printed on: 30/04/2009
V.I.D.E.O. PROJECT
The V.I.D.E.O. PARTNERSHIP:
1. City of Rome – Dept XIV for Labour Policies and Lifelong Learning Programmes,
Rome, Italy
2. EURO INNOVANET SRL, Rome, Italy
3. TRUST Technologies and Human Resources for Development and Transfer Ltd,
Rome, Italy
4. Arbeitsgemeinschaft SGB II im Kreis Plön – arge. Plön, Plön, Germany
5. The Christian Youth Village Foundation of Germany – CJD Eutin, Eutin, Germany
6. INSTITUTE OF TRAINING AND VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE – IEKEP, N. Ionia – Athens,
Greece
7. Polydynamo Centre of Social Intervention of Cyclades, Ermoupolis, Syros, Greece
8. OAKE Europe, Manchester, United Kingdom
Project ID: LLP-LDV/TOI/08/IT/456
WP: 2
Title: The Video Cv Tool. A Documentary Research On Development And Diffusion
Of Video Cv Tool In Europe And USA
Status
[ ] Draft
[ X ] Deliverable
[ ] Report
[ ] Public – for public use
[ ] IST – for IST programme participants only
[ ] Restricted – MU.S.EU.M consortium & PO only
2
SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
4
1. THE VIDEO CV TOOL: STORY AND DIFFUSION
5
2. A GENERAL LOOK TO THE USA
10
2.1. TOOLS FOR EMPLOYERS
10
2.2. TOOLS FOR JOB SEEKERS
13
3.THE VIDEO CV TOOL IN EUROPE
25
4. TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE VIDEO CV TOOLS AVAILABLE
36
5. CONDITIONS OF USE
38
6. ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE VIDEO CV TOOL
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SUMMARY: LIMITS OF THE VIDEO CV TOOL AVAILABLE AND
PERSPECTIVES FOR IMPROVEMENT
41
3
INTRODUCTION
Since the beginning of the year 2000 a new tool, a new way meant to present skills
and capabilities of job seekers –the Video Cv- started to be developed. This new
phenomenon is due, among most factors, also to the success of You Tube and the
increasing use of the Internet by young people.
Today, the video CV tool represent one of the new possible frontiers in the world of
job seeking, one of the way available to let know who we are and what we can do.
According to someone, it is possible to imagine that it is not far the moment in
which the written, traditional CV, will be replaced by the unstoppable descent of the
digital presentation of job applicants.
As just mentioned, things have started to take form just thanks to the planetary
success of YouTube: the youngsters s first, started to place on the web a brief video
to describe their own capabilities; then, the enterprises began to use the Video tools
to explain what are the possible professional trails, to offer the employment
possibilities describing the environments of job.
Today, numerous are the websites (see for example www.alumwire.com;
www.jobster.com, www.vault.com, www.hirevue.com) that are trying to bring these
experiences to the context of the job selection.
It is estimated that within You Tube, are available more 1,500 entries listed under
the voice “Video Cv”, which are, of course, not professional. The effectiveness of
them is also difficult to evaluate, but it is likely that not many employers are using
YouTube for searching and selecting candidates, which is where the new online
services come in.
This survey, conceived as an exploratory study, aims to investigate just the state of
the art about the exploitation, the development and diffusion of the Video CV tool
in Europe and worldwide.
4
1. THE VIDEO CV TOOL: STORY AND DIFFUSION
As mentioned in the introduction, the Video Cv tool was born in The USA. Just in the
USA have been realised some interesting researches about the Video CV diffusion.
The diffusion of the Video Cv tool is great in the USA, were this innovative tool
attracted the attention of the Media since 2007.
An article published on the Time1 gives evidence to this increasing importance of
this tool since a student of Yale submitted his video-CV titled “Impossible is
nothing” to investment bank UBS last fall. This Video became a YouTube classic.
Usually, the Video-Cv are, today, available on some important web resources for job
seekers: Jobster, an online job board, Vault.com, HireVue and Resumevideo are all
trying to launch this tool. But if the portals devoted to the matching of job demand
and supply are encouraging users to realize and upload video Cvs, it is to be stressed
that the biggest part of the Video Cvs that we can find on-line is self-made, mostly
by young people (very often students or graduated people with medium-high level
of education and very skilled).
Of particular importance is the “2007 Video Resume Survey”2, has been realised by
Vault.com, a Company specialised in the services for Human Resources, involved in
the creation of Video Cvs.
The results of the survey give light to the future of the Video CV, stressing its
importance and efficacy o the labour market. According to outcomes of the survey,
89% of employers stated that they would watch a video CV if it were submitted to
them, but only 17% of the interviewed people had viewed a Video-CV when the
research was done.
The primary reason why employers would value Video Cvs would be the ability to
assess a candidate's professional presentation and demeanor (52%). More than
three-quarters of employers (76%) advise candidates to keep their Video CVs under
two minutes and 47% recommend getting the job done in less than a minute.
1
“It's a Wrap. You're Hired!” by L. Takeuchi Cullen. The article is available at the address
ww.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1592860,00.html
2
The research is available at the address www.vault.com/video-resume/
5
Finally, 56% of employers believe that Video Cvs will become a common addition to
future job applications.
Fig. 1 – Percentage of Emplyers that have ever seen a Video CV
Fig. 2 - Percentage of Emplyers who whould view a Video CV
6
Fig. 3 - Ideal length of a Video CV according to Employers
Fig. 4 – Opinion about the utility of the Video CV tool
7
Fig. 5 - Percentage of Emplyers who watch the entire video CV
Fig. 6 - Opinion about valuability of the Video CV tool
8
Fig. 7- The future of the Video CV seen by the Employers
Source of figg. 1-6: “The 2007 Video Resume Survey by Valut.com”
9
2. A GENERAL LOOK TO THE USA
A research realised by InterviewStudio.com3 helps in pointing out what is happening
and what is being developed in the world about the Video Cv tool.
The study focuses on several tools related to the Video Cv, available for two
categories: employers and job seekers, that will be analysed in detail.
The data of chapters 2.1 – 2.2. are based on the results of the InterviewStudio.com
Survey (www.interviewstudio.com/DisplayResearch.doc)
2.1. Tools for Employers
Among the first tools for Employers there are Company Branding Videos that
outreach marketing to candidates via videos, messaging, email etc, that appear on
Employers’ web pages.
Products and services provided are meant to provide Employers with a new digital
marketing tool.
The study provides also a list of the resources available on-line:
RecruiTV/Wetjello: It combines video concepts, social networking and dynamic web
media. It is possible to upload audio and video files and turn it into an employment
branding video for Companies’ Website Career Pages, or help creating texts and
other media to be sent out via mobile messaging to potential new employees’
mobile devices.
CareerTV
This is an interactive web site provided by a company based in San Francisco created
in order to help students and young professionals to find a job. Partners of CareerTV
are over 500 college and university career service centers.
Employers have the possibility to upload videos about “What it’s like,” and “What it
takes,” to work at their companies.
3
“Unmuddying the waters of Video As An Emplyment Tool”, 30th August 2008,
www.interviewstudio.com/DisplayResearch.doc
10
Other relevant tools for Employers mentioned by the research of
InterviewStudio.com there are some candidate screening tools including Videos; the
most important ones are:
A. First Interview Replacement, including Cvs pre-taped video interviews with job
seekers answering specific questions, as well as other documents to be viewed
before face-to-face interviews with applicants.
InterviewStudio
According to the research by InterviewStudio.com , it is “a Seattle based company
that offers a comprehensive tool for Employers and Recruiting Firms that replaces
the traditional first half of the candidate screening process. Employers request prebuilt Candidate Showcases which include (all on one screen) the resume,
endorsements, results of a 5th generation Assessment test, a video-taped interview,
salary and preference data, LinkedIn Profile, button links to Google’s information
about them, their portfolio docs, their blogs, their websites and any other
information they choose. Recruiters view all this due diligence upfront, replacing the
resume review step, the phone screen step, the first interview, the social network
checking step, and the personality testing step. Candidates for second or final round
are chosen within the first few weeks of the search”.
Fig. 8 - Interviewstudio web portal
Services for Recruiters
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InterActive Applicant
It is a Canadian company providing video interviewing tools with basic Applicant
Tracking Systems and Job Board tools. This product allows Employers to purchase
“job postings” within the InterActive Applicant system guiding candidates into the
InterActive Applicant system, where applicants have 60 seconds to answer
Employer-provided questions either verbally, in written form, or on video.
B. Finalist (or semi-finalist) Live Webcam Interviews
This is a service free for candidates.
Employers, indeed, have to pay to interviews applicants live:
LiveHire
It is provided by LiveHire that has built a chat-room-like product allowing employer
to instantly connect and chat with a candidate live via webcam.
Currently, the target of this system are university students. Technical requirements
needed to use the services are, for both the parties, a webcam, an internet
connection, and Flash programme loaded on their computers.
It is also possible during the live interview that employers and candidates share files
within the so-called Interview Room, like the CV.
It is interesting to underline that Employers have the possibility to record and save
the interviews in order to view them in a second moment.
CareerCam
CareerCam was launched in the fall of 2007. It is a service allowing employers to do
live video interviews with students of 50 colleges across the USA.
It has built a web application that leverages an API for WebEx, allowing employers to
schedule and manage live video interviews.
During a live video interview it is possible, as happens for LiveHire, to share
documents (such as Curricula), web browsers and applications.
Live video interviews take place outside of CareerCam servers, strictly between the
employer and the candidate over WebEx. The interviews can be recorded on the
WebEx platform and saved on the employer’s servers or on CareerCam’s servers
through a Command Center that CareerCam provides to each employer.
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Fig. 9 - Career Cam Video interviewing web portal
C. Finalist (or semi-finalist) Canned/On Demand Webcam Interviews
These tools are used just after the Curricula review and the processes on first- or
second round candidates for final interviews.
HireVue
HireVue, Company based in Salt Lake City, contracts with employers to send
webcams and interview questions to their finalist candidates for a job-specific
webcam interview.
Candidates are allowed to answer the questions on video or in writing. After, the
answers will be uploaded to HireVue system for online viewing by employers.
Applicants have also the possibility to upload work samples and Cv.
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FaceHire
It is an American hosting service for employers which want candidates to upload a
video but don’t have their own infrastructure to handle the video storage or
viewing.
InterviewScreen
InterviewScreen is a Pennsylvania website for Employers who can create online
interviews inviting candidates to take the online interview using their own webcam.
These video interviews can then be viewed by hiring managers logging into the
InterviewScreen website.
InterviewOnDemand
This USA website allows employers to create an interview template by adding their
own questions to a job file, then send an email invitation for a candidate to “take
the interview”.
That candidate has to find a webcam and record his/her answers to the questions
that were emailed to them. The video can after be uploaded on the
InterviewOnDemand website for viewing by the employer.
2.2. Tools for Job Seekers
Together with tools specifically addressed to Employers and recruiters, there are
also several tools targeted for job seekers. A first category if the one of the
Interview Practice Tools , which are on-line systems allowing job seekers to
practice interviewing in front of a camera for having a feedback from professors or
other viewers. Example of these tools are
InterviewStream and
InterviewOnDemand (see above)
At a second level, there are some Video Cvs, online tools allowing job seekers to
realise and deliver a video in which applicants talk about their CVs.
Among the most relevant there are:
InterviewClips
Professionally taped videos realised at a video center in San Francisco of job seekers
answering a few set of questions.
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Fig. 10 – InterviewClips home page
The questions to which the applicant has to answer are:




What job are you looking for?
What did you like of your last job?
What would you former employer say about you?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
15

Fig. 11 – InterviewClips web site, samples of Video Cvs
Videos are very brief; answers to the standard questions are clear and precise.
It s possible, as we can see in the figure above, to view the written CV or contact the
candidate.
Staff will coach job seekers before taping. These tapes can then be sent out over
the internet to employers.
One created the Video, applicants receive a URL where they can place their Video
and Cv. This service is for one year. They can contact directly a company when they
are interested in a job, sending the URL to it.
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Fig. 12 – InterviewClips Portal, Tips for creating a successful Video CV
Jobaria
Allows Candidates to create a webcam video interview on the Jobaria website based
on the job function they are interested in. Responding to about 10 questions, the
Candidate creates the video on line and is given a URL link to incorporate into their
resume.
CBVideo Resume
It is a service offered by the McClatchy Company and Microsoft Corp.,
CareerBuilder.com that provide an online and print network to help job seekers to
match the employers offers.
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Fig. 13 - Examples and tips for creating a good Video Cv
on the Career Builder web site
On the web site www.careerbuilder.com there are also some tips to record a
successful Video CV, like:
Wearing professional outfit; checking the environment:
- Lighting: Make sure you don't have any shadows
- Background: Solid colors work best; just make sure you don't blend in.
- Windows: Avoid sitting in front of if possible. If you can't, make sure no light is
coming (try hanging a something with a solid color over it).
- Check for background noises: coughing, doors opening/closing; talking; car horns,
etc.
- Distance: make sure you are centered in the camera frame from the waist up.

Editing:
- Don't combine more than two takes
- Check to see if you are combining takes that you stay in a consistent place on
screen
- Keep editing seamless, don't have a lot of dead space between speaking or one
take to the next.
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Time: keep it between 1-3 minutes
File Size: up to 50MB
Other suggestions provided within the web site concern how to build a Video CV. It
is suggested to answer some questions, like4:
•
•
•
•
•
What are your greatest strengths? Why?
What accomplishment are you most proud of? Why?
What motivates you? Why?
Why would you be successful working in a team?
How have your skills developed?
Answers should be short and sweet. The Video should last between 1-3 minutes.
myWorkster
MyWorkster, a New York based company, promotes the establishment of University
Networks that foster students interaction. Students can create a webcam-based
video (using some other video software program not available on myWorkster site)
to be after uploaded into their MyWorkster network profile.
VideoResume and CVTV(Toronto), Video Snapshot, Jobrific.com, FutureResume.
offer an on-line platform on which it is possible to upload Video Cv made by
applicants through the webcam.
SavvyPaper
It is a professionally enhanced video CV that puts together a moving text along with
the spoken message in order to capture both visual and auditory attention.
It helps design, create and produce an enhanced video resume, by offering
background templates and a selection of colored moving text fonts to personalise
the Video Cv.
4
See http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/VideoResumes/VRStyles.aspx
19
Fig. 14 - Savypaper Home Page
On the web site, are available the following tips to creating a powerful Video Cv:
1) Prepare a Script: it is mandatory for It will help you focus on the key points and
deliver your message effectively in the limited time available
2) Doing Practice
3) Dress for Success
4) Make Your Video – It is suggested here to have a video professionally produced.
5) Put Your Best Face Forward
6) Body language: as 80% of all communication is non-verbal, it is suggested to look
comfortable, confident and convincing.
The service also provide a sample of questionnaire to be answered while creating
the Video Cv.
Questions to be answered are:
1. What is your objective or your career goals?
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2. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?
3. What are your greatest strengths? Why?
4. Describe the accomplishment(s) you are the most proud of?
5. What motivates you? Why?
6. Why should we hire you?
7. What are three positive things that your last boss would say about you?
8. Are you a leader?
9. What are your skills?
10.What is your educational background?
C. Personal Profile Building Tools
These are sites providing templates to job seekers for creating a comprehensive
social profile including Cv, skills, pictures, hobbies, also uploading videos.
Similar to the Digital Portfolio tool, it provides no interviewing facility.
VisualCV.
Free, online multimedia digital CV that lets an individual embed pictures, sounds and
documents, and then send this template to anyone through email.
Fig. 15 - Creating a Video Cv on the VisualCv platform
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Fig. 16 - Guide to create and upload a Video CV on the VisualCV Platform
ProfileBuilder
Developed by a Detroit investment company, the site provides the possibility to o
create an online personal profile page in a dashboard format, where users are
allowed to put links to their facebook, MySpace, picture sites, blogs etc.
ResumeVideo
Provided by a New York company, this tool consists of a film of applicants interviews
to be uploaded together with documents of different nature, thus creating a profile
to be sent to the employers.
22
Fig. 17 - Job applicants pages on the Resumevideo web platform
Fig. 18 - Job applicants pages on the Resumevideo web platform
23
D. Video Distribution Tools
There is, finally, a fourth group of web sites allowing jobseekers to upload Video Cvs
and place them in a searchable database. It is also possible to send the video Cvs
directly to employers.
Among the most important, allowing applicants to upload previously recorder Video
Cvs, there are:
Workblast, Vault.com (New York), ResumeTube, JobMatchPro (Orlando).
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3.THE VIDEO CV TOOL IN EUROPE5
We just saw the diffusion, use and exploitation of the Video CV tool in the USA.
From this area of the world, the Video CV has spread all over the world, reaching
Europe where, since the end of the 90’s, this tools has faced a great diffusion.
Today, relevant is the interest of the labour market as well as of the Centres for
the Employment also in Europe, even if the services available for what concern
web sites specifically devoted to realisation and diffusion of the applicants Video
Cvs, are not so well developed as they are in the USA.
There are, anyway, some interesting experiences and services available also at e
European level.
First of all, mention can be done to the portal Live Job6, providing services for the
matching of job demand and supply at a European level for numerous countries.
Fig. 19 – Live Job home page
5
This study will not focus on Germany, Greece, Italy and UK as specific reports devoted to these countries will be
provided within the V.i.d.e.o. Project. Only a quick reference to 2 relevant UK web portals will be done within the
following pages due to their importance for the European context.
6
http://livejob.eu/
25
Live Job provides the possibility for job seekers to realize a Video CV, by recording
the Video with the webcam and directly uploading it on the portal web pages.
Enterprises have a section devoted to them on the web site, and can access to a
virtual “catalogue” of the job seekers.
It also offer its platform for Entrepreneurs to do live interviews.
Fig. 20 – Live Job Portal, Section devoted to the Video CV recording
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Fig. 21 – Live Job portal offer
Services provided by the portal include, for job seekers:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Creating and sharing a personal CV profile
Online video CV recording
Direct contact with companies
Online Live interviews
Service available for Enterprises are
 Employer branding
 Statistics
 Live Interviews tools
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 Access to Video CV’s
Specific services are available in Ireland and Spain.
In Ireland, it is available the CVizz portal7 specifically devoted to the Video CV tool.
The web site in provided by CVizz, an Irish recruitment service devoted to graduates
and graduate employers, formed in August 2007 at Nova Innovation Centre in
Dublin. The company is today a recognized brand with candidates and clients
throughout Ireland and many EU states.
Fig. 22 – Cvizz portal, Section devoted to the Video CV
7
www.cvizz.com
28
The portal hosts two branches, one for graduated job seekers, the other one for
Employers. Both have to register to the web site to use the services available.
Applicants can create a personal profile accessible to the Employers. They can
upload a written CV and a Video Cv in different files:.mov / .avi / .mpeg / .mpg /
.mpe / .wmv / .mp4 / .3gp / .3g2 / .3g2 / .dv / .qt / .rm / .rmvb.
For the creation of the latter, the web site make available a short “guide” including
tips for a powerful and successful Video Cv. In the following lines and abstract of the
guide, available on the web site www.cvizz.com.
1.
Video CV preparation
It is suggested to prepare the Video CV script in advance and try to keep it simple.
2.
Thinking to 'core competencies'
Highlighting strengths and re-emphasizing them at the end of the Video. Rehearse
and adjust the script until it is between 60 and 120 seconds of speaking time.
3.
Choosing a camera
To shoot the VideoCV it is possible to use a webcam, a Digital Video camcorder, a
digital camera or even a mobile phone.
Higher resolution in recording the Video is recommended.
4.
Lighting
Make sure that the face is well lit and there are no distracting backgrounds.
A neutral background that contrasts with your colors is best to keep the focus on
you.
An evenly lit white background gives a professional and non distracting look.
5.
Presentation
Reading the script is a great way to appear professional.
29
In Spain, in recent times there is a great interest to this new tool, as pointed out by
the media according to an article published on line on the TV20 worldpress web
site8.
The article is devoted to a platform, Career TV, available in English, and highlights
the characteristics of this innovative tool, to which in the country there is an
increasing interest.
Fig. 23 – In Spain some professional are developing specific skills in recording
video Cvs for job seekers
There are also, like in the USA and in some European countries, some web site
devoted to hosting Video Cvs trying to help the matching between job demand and
supplu using this tool.
8
http://tv20.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/llega-el-video-curriculum/
30
Remarkable is, in this context, the portal Infoempleo.com, offering an area for job
seekers and one for Employers.
It is possible to upload on the web site the Video Cvs recorded by the applicants.
Fig. 24 – Infoempleo portal
The Video Cv tool is regarded, in Spain, to a great interest as testified by an
interview to Clara Varela Ricotti, recruiter for the company Formalselect Consulting9.
She underlines that it is more likely that a candidate looking for a medium-high level
occupation uses this tool, and considers the Video Cv as first as useful to evaluate
the appearance of the applicants, including their gesture, their way to communicate
and move.
9
The interview is available at the web site www.formaselect.com/elrincon/periodico/video-curriculum/entrevistaclara-varela-ricotti.htm
31
The tool, again can help in saving time for the selection procedures.
To conclude, the recruiter states that the Video Cv tool can be regards as a real
innovation that can facilitate the selection of candidates, most of all if it is
accompanied to a telephonic interview. Of course there will be a final interview, but
the first impression, given by the Video CV, will have a great relevance.
For the UK, mention must be done to Jobs2View.
This UK based website allow recruiters to contact by email candidates asking them
to record a video CV explaining career history, future aspirations, skills, etc.
Fig. 25 - Portal of Jobs2View
32
According to the tips available on the web site in order to create a good Video Cv,
the key to recording a good Video Profile is, first of all, planning.
As a guide, it would be worth to follow this simple structure:






Introduction (applicant’s name)
What you do/what that involves
(job titles & responsibilities)
Skills used
(specific skills you have & are needed in the role)
Achievements
(anything memorable worth mentioning)
Aspirations of your next role
(what you want to do)
End
(thank viewer of their time)
Other tips concern:
The Timing
The ideal length of time for a Video Profile is two minutes.
The Background
What's behind you could send out the wrong message to the viewer.
“Dress to Impress”
Jobs2View provides also a video profile guide to realize powerful Video Cvs.
According to the guide, it would be worth to follow the following structure while
creating a Video Cv.
Another important web site is TalkingCV (London) which helps creating a profile
consisting of the applicants’ Cv and a Video realized with a webcam and placed on
the TalkingCV website.
To build the video, there are 2 possibilities: a) Candidates develop their script for
their video; b) They answer to structured questions.
33
Fig. 26 - Access to the Video CV recording page from
the Talking CV platform
Fig. 27 - Example of a candidate’s profile created on the Talking Cv platform
Questionnaire is built as in fig. 28 below.
34
Introduction
Hello. Thank you for viewing my Jobs2View Profile.
Myname is ____________________
I am currently working as a current job title ____________________ for a type of company you're
employed by ____________________ in town where your office is ____________________.
Skills Used
My day to day role consists of give the viewer an overview of your job, your day to day duties and
responsibilities. Tell them about any specific skills you use/have
____________________________________________________________.
Achievements
One/Some of the biggest achievements/contributions I've made whilst with employers name
____________________ is/are give details of any specific achievements/contributions you've
made at the company. (If you can't think of anything, don't worry, tell the viewer about a project
you've been involved in, or targets you've reached)
____________________________________________________________.
Aspirations
I'd like to find a role tell the viewer about what you want to do/skills you want to use/the type of
company you want to work for. Try and be brief and keep your options open
____________________.
Close
If you would like me to provide you with any specific information, please get in touch. Thank
you for viewing my Video Profile - I look forward to hearing from you. Goodbye.
Fig. 28 – The Jobs2View Questionnaire for creating powerful Video CVs
35
4. TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE VIDEO CV TOOLS AVAILABLE
To sum up what analysed in the previous chapters, it is possible to state there at
present time two main categories of tools related to the Video Cv exist, both in
Europe and in the USA:
 Video Interviews: Can be defined as real interviews conducted between an
employer and an applicant candidate using a video technology, and can be
either real-time (both the parties interact in real time) or pre-recorded. Tools
needed for these interviews are, mainly, webcams and video conferencing
equipment, or videotapes. Video Inteviews are of particular help in case
candidates are geographically dispersed, as pre-screening tools (also in order
to avoid too time consuming procedures), in case of particular communication
skills are needed for a specific job.
 Video-Cvs: In this case, applicants create a video presenting her/his
professional experience and skills. In certain cases videos mention also job
seekers hobbies, career objectives, etc.
For the aims of this survey, we will focus on the analysis of Video Cvs, created and
recorded by job seekers.
From a technical point of view, Video- Cvs available on the web as well as on the
labour market at present time are, for the majority of the cases, recorded with a
video camera or webcam, very often directly by the applicant. Videos generated the
most different kind of video files.
Many web platform hosting the Video Cvs in order to help the matching between
job demand and supply, also furnish practical, technical tips in order to realize a
semi-professional tools.
The most innovative tools provided offer the possibility to use formats slides for the
Videos and for the text describing skills and competences of the applicants.
For what concerns the structure, almost all the most important web platform
devoted to the Video CV creation and diffusion among enterprises, suggest to
answer to a set of pre-determined questions (see for example SavvyPaper,
36
Jobs2View format for sets of questions/ questionnaires), generally focusing on an
introduction, person’s objectives, history, knowledge and skills, education.
The background is very important as well as the appropriate length of the product,
which, according to all the experienced revealed, should be between1-3 minutes at
the maximum.
Once created, the Video Cv is generally posted to a website. Video resumes are
usually generic in nature, but can also be specific to one company or position.
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5. CONDITIONS OF USE
About the conditions of use of the Video Cv tool, the analysis of the most relevant
products and web sites offering the Video Cv tool service pointed out that there are
some condition of use particularly indicated for using a Video CV instead of a
traditional, written curriculum. According to what suggested also by the specialized
portals, the best condition for the use are:
1.
Showing practical skills
2.
Stimulating or highlighting creativity skills of the applicants
2.
When it is worth to show a digital portfolio of the job seeker
3.
For non-traditional positions, such as a reality show applicant, when the
personality has to be evaluated.
Finally, it has to be stressed that, even if not clearly indicated within the home pages
or devoted sections of most important web sites and platforms dedicated to the
Video CV tool, for the majority of the cases the video Cv tool is targeted to young
people.
According to the data collected on the web documentary research, these could be
some pints of strengths and weakness of the Video Cv tool, coming from the most
relevant experiences analysed within the previous chapter.
WEAKNESS
STRENGTHS
Applicants can show their personality and
practical skills
A certain degree of professionalism is needed to
realize an effective Video CV
Candidates are free to show their
personality
Due to the lack of standardization, it is hard to
compare the different profiles proposed
Cheap service: it has no costs for the
employers
The tool is difficult to integrate into existing
recruitment process
Discover candidates outside the normal
sourcing channels
No possibility of interaction between recruiter and
applicant
Specifically useful for creative people and
positions
Mainly used by the youngsters or high educated
people
Fig. 29 – Strengths and weaknesses of the Video CV tool available on the web
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6. ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE VIDEO CV TOOL
Another important aspect to be considered, related to the development of the
Video CV, and that has been stressed10 , is that that thanks to the Video CV
revolution a lot of time and money could be saved from the point of view of the
traditional recruiting and interviewing process.
It has been estimated that a good exploitation of this innovative tool within the
selection process would led to a compression of the entire process into 30 days,
instead of 90. On the other hand, applicants would save money (for example, for
travels) and time to do job interviews.
As a quick aid to choose which products to consider for your particular Employer’s
needs, here is the same chart with specific vendor tools placed where they offer the
most productivity, either in replacing that traditional step in the process, or
enhancing it.
10
“Unmuddying the waters of Video As An Emplyment Tool”, 30th August 2008,
www.interviewstudio.com/DisplayResearch.do
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Fig. 30 - Impact on the selection process. Source: “Unmuddying the waters of Video As An
Employment Tool”, 30th August 2008, www.interviewstudio.com/DisplayResearch.do
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6. SUMMARY: LIMITS OF THE VIDEO CV TOOL AVAILABLE AND PERSPECTIVES FOR
IMPROVEMENT
This survey pointed out that today, there are in Europe and in the USA, several
employment-oriented tools addressed both to employers and job seekers, which
focus on video tools.
The Video Cv tool can be a really effective tool, both for helping people to find a job,
and to allow Enterprises to save time and money from the human resources
selection process, as shown in chapter 5.
Nevertheless, the analyses done in the previous pages, point out 3 main limits/ weak
points of the Video CV tool. The most relevant one are 3.
1. Difficulty in exploiting the video Cv tool and in the matching between job
demand and supply.
It is possible to state, according to the results of this exploratory survey, that
with the exception of some services and portals –like, for example, the
initiative of Resumevideo for promoting the matching between job demand
and supply, consisting of delivering some postcards to a selected network of
employers- the majority of the services provided face problems in helping the
matching between job demand and supply.
2. Video Cvs are often a simple “talking CV ” reproducing the written model of
the traditional CV.
In all the cases examined within this study, the typology of Video CVs
produced do not overcome the traditional CV, being limited to simply convert
the written CV, listing skills, education and professional experience acquired.
Videos created with this concept, do not add significant elements.
3. The video CV tool is not exploited for different targets, being its use limited
to young people, very often with university level education.
To overcome difficulties of point 1, it would be necessary that the Video Cv tool
become a practice and a service included in the “daily”, regular activities of the
Centres for Employment and vocational Guidance, which means:
 Possibility to realise professional and powerful Video Cvs
For what concerns this point, to have an équipe of trained operator able to
record a professional Video, specifically tailored on the competences and
skills of applicants;
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 Creating strong links with local Enterprises in order to properly exploit the
Video Cv tool concretely favoring the matching between job demand and
supply; this become possible and more easier providing that the Video Cv tool
becomes a tool usually managed in all its aspects (from the design, to the
recording and diffusion among enterprises) by properly trained operators.
For problems of point 2, a revolution in the way of considering the Video Cv tool is
necessary: from simple “talking CV”, the Video CV must become a real added value,
showing, more than “narrating”, practical skills and capabilities in concrete.
This point is closely link to the problem of the target (point 3).
In fact, at present time the Video CV is mostly exploited by graduated people,
youngsters, students, and in general, by medium –high level educated people, which
means that only the competences acquired in formal learning contexts are
represented.
But if we would consider that a Video Cv is more useful when it show practical
abilities, it becomes clear the possibility to exploit the advantages of this tool also
for other social categories, like for example craftsmen and other professional whose
abilities are not formally acquired, or acquired in non formal learning contexts.
This would allow also the exploitation and transferability of the Video CV tool to
other target groups, making it a more “democratic” tool also for older and non-high
educated people.
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