Video resumes have exploded onto the employment search scene in the past few years, as savvy job hunters have discovered the many advantages they offer over the traditional written resume and cover letter. For an international job search, a video resume is virtually a requirement today, to demonstrate language mastery and cultural fit. You can improve your chances by utilizing the services of a translation and localization specialist, to infuse your video with the cultural nuances that will land you the job.
Why Video Resumes Are the Wave of the Future
Around the world, people are turning more and more to multimedia for all sorts of purposes. You can see proof of this trend on news outlets and business websites, many of which offer video as the dominant form of sharing information. This is even more true when it comes to hiring, both domestically and overseas. A traditional paper resume provides information about your education and experience, but it’s a poor representation of who you are as a person and potential employee. When potential employers can see your face and hear your voice, they are better able to evaluate your possible fit into their organization. This is critical for jobs overseas, where an in-person interview won’t take place until much later in the process.
Building Your Internationally Targeted Video Resume
To land your ideal overseas job, you will likely need to demonstrate mastery of the local language in your target region. Demonstrating your skills on video will allow the potential employer to evaluate your level of fluency and ability to communicate. Most international employment search firms recommend using both a video and a traditional resume.
Your video must be short and concise, more of an introduction and overview than a vehicle for listing every detail of your experience. Tailor your presentation to your target market. For example, telling a funny story or anecdote may score you bonus points in many Western cultures. But if you seek a job in an Eastern culture, your approach will likely be more formal and respectful than casual and conversational. It isn’t necessary to have your video professionally made if you have the right equipment and basic knowledge of the medium, but do try to avoid having the dog bark in the background or a family member ducking through the frame behind you.
Localizing Your Video Resume
There is more to this equation than simply demonstrating your prowess with grammar and pronunciation, however. You will also need to be a good fit culturally. You may be competing for this job with people who are native to the region, so you must demonstrate that you would be as competent working within their culture as local candidates. For this reason, it is critical that you localize your video resume. French-speaking countries are a great example, as the culture can change drastically between regions that share a common language.
If you haven’t spent time in your target country, consider hiring a translation and localization service to help you with this aspect of your presentation. A professional translator can work with you to localize your written resume as well as your video resume script. He or she can help you work in small details and nuances that will demonstrate to your potential employer that you can fit right into their organization.
Verbatim Solutions offers a full suite of translation and localization services. If you plan to seek a job abroad, contact them for assistance with all of the components of your search. Their experienced localization experts can help with correspondence, emails and even traditional and video resumes.
