Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies
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Stating your name is an important aspect of the video résumé and job search, but the question is how to introduce yourself in a way that’s memorable or unique. Many video résumés start with the standard “Hello, my name is…” approach. This approach isn’t terrible, but it’s not a great way to get someone’s attention, either.

Depending on how bold you want to be, you have two great options for getting your name and other details across without being banal:

  • Simply display your name and details on the screen as you start telling your professional story. You can add details, such as your education and work experience, as subtitles beneath your images on the screen as you progress. Bear in mind that a hiring manager watching your video résumé should also have access to your paper résumé, so you don’t need to belabor these points.

  • Delay bringing in critical details. Tell your story — the most compelling aspect of your video — first. Sometime between 10 and 30 seconds in, pause and say, “My name is _____ and I have five years of experience doing _____.” In this way, you sandwich the critical details between the more interesting narrative elements of your script.

A more advanced technique for presenting your name and relevant details is to deliver them through B-roll — cutting away from the main footage to secondary footage in a way that adds meaning to the sequence. A B-roll delivery of details may look something like this:

An image of you pops up on the screen with you saying, “In 2008, I thought I was going to close the deal of a lifetime.”

The screen then goes blank and your name appears along with other relevant work experience or education you want to include (the text is white against a black background).

You come back on-screen, saying, “What I didn’t know at the time was that the market was on its way to a complete standstill.”

The video cuts to another B-roll with some market facts to support your statement.

You reappear, stating, “But I didn’t let that stop me! My passion for …”

You get the idea. Using this delivery method not only allows you to state your name and details but also sets the stage for you to show off your creativity and ability to create a professional-looking video.

For a wonderful example of B-roll as well as great transitions, check out expert video blogger Dave Kaminski’s one-minute podcast on producing web video. Notice how his voice remains continuous throughout the film despite the frequent transition to other scenery or images. This video took him many takes. The end product looks like a smooth delivery of audio through visually interesting transitions and background changes that tell his story.

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Joshua Waldman, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and the International Business Times. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.

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