Browsing through YouTube earlier, I happened upon the above video resume of a freelance writer. My first thought was, “What a stupid idea!” Then I reconsidered. I started seriously thinking about the concept of the video resume and ways it could be used for freelance writers and bloggers.
My roadblock with the video resume is that it seems like a waste of time for all involved. Maybe it’s because I spent too many of my paralegal days chained up in practice group video conferences watching senior partners in Baltimore eat spaghetti when we could have passed around a nice memo. But the big question I have is: what can video do that paper can’t? A few things come to mind.
Demonstrate presentation skills.
A good majority of freelance writers and bloggers will never have to do a presentation. However, if you work in the corporate world, your ability to PowerPoint may score you points. I’ve ghostwritten several corporate PowerPoint presentations. Beyond that, a freelance writer’s video resume can give a potential client a glimpse into your ability to interact with his clients or customers. That’s not part of your job either, you say? Then maybe the concept of simply demonstrating your confidence and ability to sell yourself, as you would have in the old fashioned in-person interview days, might appeal to you.
Save yourself a trip.
Speaking of interviews, I’ve spent too much time during my freelance writing career doing presentations. Because blogging for lawyers is my big niche, I find myself presenting the same “this is what I can do for you and how I do it” pitch over and over. I honestly do have a Power Point presentation for this that I send to non-local clients — the ones who don’t insist I fly to their offices. I’m thinking video could work here, although I wouldn’t be YouTubing this particular video. More than a resume, perhaps, but it’s the same concept.
Hook interest.
Reading paper resumes and scanning online portfolios can get boring. Adding a video resume to your freelance writing website, along with the text version, gives your prospective client the opportunity to get to know you and gain some insight into what you could do for them. Your enthusiasm can shine through in body language and voice tone in ways it can’t on paper.
Have you ever used a video resume? Can you think of any ways you could use a video pitch or presentation to gain clients, or to make your freelance writing business a bit easier? I would love to know your thoughts!
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Ooh! I think the video resume is brilliant. In fact, I love this idea, especially for freelancers who work mostly online. It offers a whole new way to pitch services. Hmm, I’ll have to add this to my to do list
Thanks for the tip!
Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..A is for Apple
Melissa — if you do one, I would love to see it.
Wow, I have never thought of doing a video resume! Funny thing is, viewers would be more captivated by my accent than what I had to say. Ha!
I’d love to see the different freelance video resumes, too.
*smiles*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Juice Fasting Cleanse: Do You Eat Processed Meat?
Michele — You have to do one now, just so I can hear your accent! (I have family not too far from you, so I don’t think I’d be too shocked, but you know… just in case. Hehe.)
Amy, I’ve been planning on doing podcasting on my blog - whenever I make time to figure it all out! Ha! Not the video, though, just the talking. I don’t think I could do the video, really. Seriously.
Michele’s last blog post..Why You SHOULD Use Free E-mail
Amy,
I just watched a video on another blog that had me seriously thing about it, and now this.
Not to critique it too much since that wasn’t the point, but this one is abit of an example of how not to do it—dizzying effects, *all* the effects in the PP palette, light type on dark, and most importantly—if you’re going to do a video, show yourself!
I think showing your poise and presentation skills could be great in a video résumé or other video. Even though I didn’t think much of this one, I did pay attention to it.
YouTube? It had better be great if you’re going to leave it hanging out for the world to see…
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Inspiration Points: Would You Laugh More Today If You Didn’t Need the Money?
Michele — I think podcasting would be fun. I have no idea how to make one, but I listen to a bunch of them. I don’t think I’m a confident enough speaker to do a podcast on a regular basis, but I would listen to yours if you did one.
Kelly — I agree with you. This isn’t the way I would do it either. It’s just the one I happened to stumble upon that got my thoughts going. I’m curious, do you see many video resumes in your business? You seem like the type that should have one.
Amy,
I stay far away from video–heck I can’t stand having my photo taken! I admit I’m intrigued but it’s a big hurdle for me.
I’ve heard friends saying they’re getting video sent from applicants, but I haven’t gotten any yet.
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Inspiration Points: Would You Laugh More Today If You Didn’t Need the Money?
Kelly — I recall recently seeing a series of about 50 self-shot Kelly mugshots on your blog. Put them together, stream a video. Presto.
Your friends who have received video resumes — were they impressed or put off by this?
Amy,
Two friends I had lunch with about a month ago got them in the same week. Odd. Both agreed they were Instant Tossers, i.e. they hated the newfangled idea. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I guess I’m more open to a newfangled idea if it’s well done.
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Inspiration Points: Would You Laugh More Today If You Didn’t Need the Money?
Kelly — Interesting! The reason I asked is because I figured that would be the way video resumes would be received if sent to a potential employer (at least MY potential employers). But I’m thinking it would be a good thing to add to a website, like a freelance writing resume/portfolio website, as an extra rather than as a supplement. (Those so intrigued could watch, but it wouldn’t be necessary.) I think it will be a while before someone can simply respond to a job posting and say, “Attached is the link to my video resume.”
I think the idea has some real potential, but I don’t this writer has done herself any favors. It’s way too blah. Who’s going to want to hire you to write their content if you can’t even make yourself sound interesting? I’ve always thought I could do a better job of writing those multimillion-dollar Super Bowl ads than the advertising bigwigs who do. I guess something like this would afford me the opportunity to prove it, eh?
IrreverentFreelancer’s last blog post..Freelance Quote of the Day
Wow! What an intriguing idea. I’ve managed to avoid video so far, but it raises some interesting points about presenting yourself. I don’t know whether I would put it on YouTube, but I might put it on my site. One more thing for the ‘must do some day’ list - sigh
Sharon Hurley Hall’s last blog post..Blogging Start Group Writing Project
I LOVE this idea! One other HUGE plus is that it shows potential clients how Web 2.0 (3.0?) you are. Moving with the online trends can be important as business grows. Many employers love knowing their freelancers are on the pulse of new media so a video resume or presentation is a great way to showcase your web savvy!
Of course, I’d be another whose accent would captivate viewers. lol Then again, maybe that’s a great way to hook them.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith’s last blog post..Blog Review: David Bridger’s How To Get Your Novel Published
Kathy — Agreed. If you do one, I would love to see it. I played around with making one myself, but the video quality is just so bad. I think I would need a more high end movie recorder to do something like this.
Note to all: I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who owns a relatively affordable (and practically idiot-proof) digital video camera. Recommendations anyone??
Rebecca — I keep waiting for the web 3.0 wave. LOL I agree with you about that!! Do folks across different parts of Australia have different types of accents? (Does that show off my ignorance, or what?)
I think there is a slight range. There is a deep country Australian accent that is richer than the city accent. I LOVE hearing Australian’s who are True Blue Aussie. Outback kind of Aussie.
But then, I can’t hear the accents so much since I’ve lived around them all my life. lol So, we’ll have to round up a bunch of Aussies from each of the states and territories, do a sound check on them to be sure.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith’s last blog post..Blog Review: David Bridger’s How To Get Your Novel Published
Rebecca — I can see it now… “The Aussie Roundup, coming to a video podcast near you.”
Hmmm…. maybe we should all just do at least one podcast so we don’t have to keep wondering about all the different accents. It doesn’t even have to be video.
Michele’s last blog post..School Days and Reading Rockets
I’m leery of posting too much information about myself on the Internet, for the whole world to see.
I guess I’m a shy, retiring Friar.
But on a more serious note, there are a lot of whack-jobs out there.
I had some friends who ended up with an Internet stalker they met on a chat line, who made their lives difficult for a year.
I like how Wordpress allows you option of screening comments, and seeing the email from the person contacting you. Can you get that with You-Tube?
Friar’s last blog post..Friar’s Random Rants (Part III)
Friar — I am not sure. I have never used youtube to make a video, only to watch videos. And you’re right. I have a few online stalkers. None that disrupt my life though luckily.
Friar,
I have my real name, business telephone number, address (okay, it’s a P.O. Box), email, and photo posted online. I talk about my family on occasion, and even link to my parents’ place of business now and then, which of course has all their info.
I read someplace a good quote that if Robert Scoble can print his phone number, we’ll all be fine (not sure if he still does, but he used to on the homepage of his blog).
Anyway, I’ve never gotten one single call that wasn’t from a prospective customer, no mail, and as Amy knows, I can’t even get a stalker in spite of the fact that I have two in real life.
(BTW, not looking for a REAL stalker, because I have filled my quota on them. That part’s a joke.)
Nothing against overly cautious folks and certainly if you have something horrid happen to you online it doesn’t matter to you if it’s rare, but I think that stalkers are a sad, though frightening anomaly in the online world as they are in RL. The ‘net makes the sharing of the scary stories too easy, so that it seems more dangerous than it is.
(I suspect you are as cautious in RL as you are out here in the ether, so you’re just being you.)
My 2¢ on being shy and retiring.
Until later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: This One’s for the Boys
Kelly — I understand your points, but I also wonder if there is really a good reason for someone who does NOT do business online (as we do) to put their personal information out there. I mean, as far as I know, Friar isn’t in a position where he is looking for customers or clients (only a fictitious wife). Is there any real reason he should want to come out of hiding and set himself up for the attack of the morons? (The spam I get alone is enough to make me glad I have gmail’s filters.) I’m not saying that everyone should be paranoid and never use their real names online except for business purposes, just that it works out well for Friar.
Michele — Somehow I missed the notification on your comment, and I just now saw it. Sorry.
I don’t know how to do a podcast, sadly. But if you do one, I will listen to it. 
Sharon — Somehow your comment ended up in my spam folder. Sorry about that!! (This is what happens when I take a few days away from the computer; wordpress starts eating things!)
Anyway, back to the video resumes… I don’t think I would put mine on youtube either. I definitely think one would go well on your writing website though. You have such a good writing resume online already, but I think a video would make it much more interesting. Now that we’ve all been talking about accents, I wonder what yours is like. 
Amy,
Remembering that we were originally talking about résumés or video portfolios, umm, contact info is good. Lots of it.
When discussing Friars with no desire to be contacted, I think an email address only, no real name, whatever barriers make him feel comfortable, that’s fine. I suspect it matches his reserve in real life.
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: This One’s for the Boys
Forgot to say: My point was that being leery is not as necessary as it might seem.
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: This One’s for the Boys
Kelly — Certainly for an online resume, I agree the contact info should be there. LOL I assumed Friar was going to do a video for a fictitious wife or something like that. “Must Carry Canoe on Head” coming to a youtube near you, by Friar.
@Kelly and Amy
Well, I guess my shyness comes from the fact that I live in a small town, where there is only one chief employer. I don’t want the stuff I write about to come back to haunt me.
I think the difference here is that you guys are your own bosses, and it’s to your advantage to use your blog to advertise yourself and generate more customers.
While for me, blogging is just a hobby. My day-job “customer” is the Widget Factory, who might not always like what they see in the Deep Friar. (Managers have zero sense of humor here). So advertising myself to the world might not be the best thing for me.
(Not to mention the townsfolk, some who still are ticked off at me for writing editorials in the paper MONTHS ago).
Actually, in real life, when I know there’s no “spies” listening to me, I’m quite the loud shit-disturber and stand-up comic.
Not that I don’t trust you guys…It’s mainly the Splat Creek environment that I worry about.
OH well, the Blog thing is new to me. I find myself slowly coming out of my shell, though. Perhaps give me time…:-)
Friar’s last blog post..Friar’s Random Rants (Part III)
I just came across Freelance Writer TV and thought you might like to check it out, Amy. It’s similar to the youtube video resume idea, in a way.
Michele’s last blog post..Farmer’s Markets: Making “Green” Juices and Smoothies
Friar — I don’t blame you for not wanting what you write to come back and haunt you. As I said to Kelly above, I don’t see any real reason for you to put your real name out there. I am curious though — do you plan to eventually publish your children’s book under your own name? Maybe at that point you’ll unmask your true identity?
Michelle — Funny, I just came across that too… after I wrote this post! Oh and speaking of books, I just received your book in the mail and am looking forward to reading it.
Yay! I hope you like it.
Michele’s last blog post..Farmer’s Markets: Making “Green” Juices and Smoothies
I’m sure I will.
(I just emailed you!)
Michele’s last blog post..Farmer’s Markets: Making “Green” Juices and Smoothies
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