Why A Bio Video Is More Effective Than A Resume

March 6, 2018

The bio video: resume of the future.

One of the projects we worked on during boot camp was creating our own flashy resume. Now as a big-ass design nerd, I love working with Photoshop and InDesign no matter what the occasion is. Also, there is still much to be said for having an updated resume on hand. In this day and age, however, it is definitely not the only way to Rome. Here’s why bio videos are the resumes of the future:

Don’t become part of the pile on the desk.

Unless someone specifically asks you to send them your stylishly designed and spell-checked resume, don’t bother sending it. Because no matter how well designed, in the end a resume is just a page with a brief summary of your experiences and your skills. It would take a very attentive reader to digest the full breadth of one’s personality based on just that. Nobody has time to read your resume that carefully. Now a bio video on the other hand gives you way more wiggle room to be your charming self. You can laugh, joke and even dance if you want to, which brings me to my next point. Resumes are generally rather boring to read, whereas bio videos can be fun to watch

Bios are fun to watch.

Have you ever heard someone say: “I think I’m going to stay in tonight, have a beer or two, and read me a few dozen resumes.” Me neither. We do consume a large amount of visual content such as vlogs, cat videos and Jimmy Kimmel reruns. So why not a bio video or two?

Some tips from Professor Corey Takahashi:

Even if you’ve never held a camera before, you can still make a decent bio video. Here are a few tips on how to do that best.

If you are the main narrator in a story (vs. being a source who’s getting interviewed in a documentary), then it’s actually OK to look straight into the camera and to be positioned in the center of the frame (i.e. vlog style, or how you see a reporter or anchor on TV). People should be off to one side of the frame just when they’re being interviewed by someone else.
When speaking to the camera/audience, try to shoot “eye-level” unless there’s a compelling or artistic reason for the camera to be shooting from a low angle, at your chin, or from a high angle, down at your forehead.
The cameras in phones are generally much higher quality than the cameras installed in laptops – when there’s a choice, you’ll usually want to shoot with a phone camera vs. a low-quality computer webcam.
Keep a glass of water nearby so your voiceover doesn’t sound “thirsty.”
Pay attention to uneven audio levels – it’s jarring when the audio goes from high to low, or vice versa, within the same story.
Consider posting your bio video to social media, you never know who might end up watching.
Do be careful about using music or visuals that aren’t your own when your content is public or on social media, unless it’s “royalty-free” or fits one of the following fair use categories: YouTube Copyright Basics https://youtu.be/Cp1Jn4Q0j6E

Good luck with your bio videos. Camera ready? Sound ready? Action!