Be the star of your own video portfolio

Job seekers are frantic to find employment. There never seems to be enough opportunities, and most look for innovative ways to help their digital persona stand out in a crowded pile of resumes and portfolios. It comes down to how easy a hiring manager can access an individuals files. Whether that consists of sending in digital portfolios, resumes, cover letters and other graphical components or not, individuals are turning in some ground-breaking materials in hopes of gaining web development jobs or illustration jobs.

A more recent trend is a video portfolio. These visual aids introduce a candidate to a company and provides them with a variety of insight to base further judgement on. It may seem like a revealing option, but it could help a hiring manager learn important things about a person who has applied for a job. After all, most of the communication we participate in is visual. Being introduced to a person through a video can teach a hiring manager a lot, such as how they carry themselves, their confidence level and professional demeanor.

A video portfolio can be seen in three basic ways: a video that depicts personal work, one that shows work with a voice over or a video that features the candidate himself. Each option has its own benefit. While remaining separate in their function, it is important for the creator to carefully plan out the flow of a video portfolio. A film full of choppy scenes won't help anyone gain employment. In fact, it might weaken one's odds.

When creating a video portfolio, the first priority should be to write a script. If a job seeker is setting out to design a visual portfolio that requires their own voice, they'll want an outline on what they plan to say. Otherwise, it could result in a poorly communicated effort, which will come off as a lack of preparation. If a candidate is to be seen in a digital portfolio, he should be appropriately dressed. In some cases that may require a business casual look, however, the better rule of thumb is to dress similar to the culture of the business that the video portfolio will be sent to.

It is easy to think of all of the items to include, but much harder to decide on what not to. Never use copyrighted music, slow-moving music or too many jokes. These additions can get in the way of a video portfolio's purpose. It is an advertising piece, not a cinematic production. A visual portfolio that is effectively done can help a candidate get noticed. It may not guarantee employment, but in such a noisy job market, it could prove to be beneficial.