Just as technology changes, the IT hiring market is changing along with it. In an ultra-competitive job market, some candidates—and the companies that help them—are turning to multimedia strategies to help them stand out.
Online resumes were the first major tech transition for job seekers, recruiters, and employers. The landscape evolved to include online networking and digital portfolios. Now, candidates are increasingly adding video, graphics, and social media into the mix—and employers are taking notice.
Video: Tools for both ends of the IT job market
Some candidates are choosing to supplement their application packages with a video resume. These short, personal introductions manage to summarize background and skills, and give employers a good idea of personality and presentation abilities—enhancing, rather than substituting for, the more formal written resume.
Video resumes can make a powerful impression and help you stand out, if they’re done right. Some tips for creating an impactful candidate video introduction include:
- Choose a professional, quiet spot with a bland or solid background
- Keep it short and sweet—respect the limited time of hiring managers
- Dress the same as you would for a professional interview
- Pre-plan to avoid interruptions: turn off your phone, lock the door, and if anyone else is in the house, make sure they know to keep it down while you’re recording
- Sit still and maintain eye contact by looking into the camera while you speak—and don’t forget to smile!
On the other side of the IT job market equation, some employers are now using video for the initial interviews. These aren’t substitutes for a full, face-to-face interview, but conducting first-round interviews over Skype, Google+, or video conferencing services like GoToMeeting saves time and hassle for both the employer and the candidate.
Graphics and social media: Putting some pop in your presentation
Other techniques IT job candidates are using to enhance their resumes include relevant graphics and social media tie-ins.
Graphics that represent responsibilities, skill sets, and more can be incorporated into the traditional resume format, or included as a supplement, to help text-based resumes stand out. Some job seekers are also using the popular infographics format to submit unique, visually interesting resumes.
Social media has been an integral part of the job search process, and its importance is only growing. Nearly every employer checks out job candidates online, and favors those who are active on LinkedIn, IT-specific open source communities like GitHub, and to a lesser extent, other social networks like Google+, Twitter, and Facebook. Recruiters often seek out and contact IT candidates through these networks.
For today’s IT job seekers, diversifying your resume with multimedia can mean the difference between languishing in a pile of maybes, and moving to the top of the short list. How will you enhance your job search submissions? Are you a talented developer looking to work for top Silicon Valley companies? ContactThe Armada Group’s team today.
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