How to Make a Video Resume: Guide & Examples

Putting together a convincing video resume is easy. All you need is a phone and the right approach.

This guide explains how to make a video resume and provides tips and examples to help you get started.

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What is a video resume?

A video resume is a brief video submitted with a job application to demonstrate your skills, personality, and qualifications. If you decide to use a video resume, you should still write a traditional resume and treat it as your primary application document.

When to use a video resume

A video resume can be a valuable additional resource if you’re making a videographer resume and need to demonstrate your editing skills. Video resumes are also useful for showing personality, confidence, and enthusiasm in soft-skilled fields like sales, marketing, and business development.

A video resume isn’t a replacement for your traditional resume, but does help emphasize certain skills that are valuable for careers in creative industries like journalism, acting, broadcasting, or social media management.

However, using a video resume isn’t always a good idea. When made poorly or sent to the wrong employer, video resumes can destroy your chances of landing a job.

Video resumes are best used for job applications in these industries:

Media

Media could be anything from video editing, production, news broadcasting, cinematography or even social media. In a field where video and camera work are necessary, a video is an extra opportunity to illustrate your talents.

Fashion

If you design clothes or model, showcasing your work on film helps sell your skills. Runway footage can be dynamic, and gives you the chance to show your confidence and versatility.

Marketing

In fields where you frequently interface with clients and customers, interpersonal skills and confidence are important skills for your resume. A video helps demonstrate these qualities before you’ve even been invited for an interview, so if a firm seems open to creative applications, a video resume might help emphasize your skill set.

Tech

The tech industry tends to be more relaxed and forward-thinking than other industries, and often more receptive to unique job applications. A resume video might help demonstrate your experience and skills in a visual format (especially if you embed links to your work).

Design

Whether you design interiors, cars, or websites, the additional visual aid of an eye-catching video resume can help illustrate your skills as a designer.

How to make a video resume

Here are all the steps to follow to make an outstanding video resume:

1. Refine your message

First, decide what message you want employers to take away from your video resume.

Do you want to leave them stunned by your design portfolio, or do you want them to see how adept you are at public speaking? Maybe you want to show off your video editing skills, or have the video serve as a professional reference by interviewing coworkers and managers.

Before you start filming anything, you should have a clear idea of what message you want to send employers and how your video resume helps bolster your job application.

2. Decide on a format

There are many different approaches to making a video resume. Hone in on what it is you want to convey with your video, and consider which video format can deliver that message.

Here are a few popular video resume format options:

3. Keep your video structured

Every video resume will be different, depending on your industry and the format you choose. However, all video resumes should include an introduction, qualifications, and a conclusion.

Let’s break each section down.

Introduction

State your full name and job title, and use text to emphasize these details and make them memorable. Then let the viewer know what kind of work you are looking for and why.

Tell the employer why you want to work for them. If you’re not tailoring your video to individual jobs, you should still try to get as specific as possible here.

If you have time, you can also personalize your introduction with some additional information, such as where you’re from, where you went to university or what hobbies you enjoy. However, make sure to keep your introduction concise.

Qualifications

What you include here, and how you choose to include it, will depend on your work experience and what exactly you want to spotlight in your resume video.

Here are some key elements to add:

• Professional experience
• Key accomplishments
• Awards or other professional recognition
• Education
• Technical skills
• Selected works from your portfolio
• Infographics
• References from managers/co-workers
• Links (to your portfolio, LinkedIn profile or other social media accounts)

Conclusion

Your conclusion should be brief and convincing.

Start by quickly restating why a company should hire you and spell out for employers what you have to offer and how you can benefit their company.

Let them know that you’d love to have a formal interview, and tell them how to get in touch with you. This is also a great place to add in some clickable links to your online profile or portfolio.

Ultimately, your conclusion should be clean, professional and memorable.

4. Write your video resume script

Once you’ve decided what you want to include, it’s time to write the script for your video resume.

When writing about your qualifications, pick out some key professional accomplishments and use hard numbers to quantify them.

For example, if you designed a social media campaign for a client that increased sales, here are two possible ways you can quantify this achievement:

• Spearheaded a social media campaign that increased public engagement, generating over 200,000 shares and 635,700 total impressions
• Launched a social media campaign that drove an increase in client sales by 11% over 2 months

Using specific and measurable achievements like these shows an employer that you’re capable of achieving results, and makes your accomplishments more memorable.

While you are writing your script, it’s important to visualize how you want your video to appear throughout. This is where to plan your cutaways, your voiceover segments, your text overlay and your camera shots.

It’s also important to pay attention to your tone. Even if you want your video to have a relatively casual feel, you should still be able to use professional language and conduct yourself as you would in front of a potential employer.

5. Set up for filming

Putting thought into production will help your video resume look polished and professional. Focus on these three essentials:

• Camera: Use a device that records clear, high-quality video without grain. A modern smartphone is usually sufficient, but a DSLR and tripod can create a more polished result.
• Audio: Make sure your voice is clear and easy to understand. Avoid muffled sound, background noise, or music that overpowers your speech.
• Lighting: Use soft, even lighting so you’re clearly visible. Natural light works well, or you can use an affordable ring light for a professional finish.

6. Shoot your video resume

When shooting your video, make sure to do several takes, even if you think the first one went over perfectly. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try out each take from a different angle or with a different background.

The more material you have to work with when you get to the editing process, the happier you’ll be with your options and the final result.

7. Edit

If you’re an editing pro then you already know exactly what to do here. If you don’t know how to edit video though, don’t worry, because there are also plenty of places to download free editing software.

Not only will this help you adjust your lighting, audio, and other visual effects, but it will also allow you to break up your shots and integrate your portfolio showcase or other features.

Video resume dos and don’ts

Here are some important tips to bear in mind when you’re working on a video resume:

✅ Do keep it short

No hiring manager is going to watch a five-minute video when they could scan a traditional resume in seconds.

Aim for 30–90 seconds. Anything longer risks losing your viewer’s attention.

✅ Do show your personality

A good video resume should supplement your paper resume by showing your charisma and highlighting your character fit.

Smile, be friendly, and focus on your positive attributes. Confidence builds trust and makes you look enthusiastic. Show the employer why you love what you do by sharing what motivates you.

✅ Do share it strategically

Posting your video resume on platforms like LinkedIn makes it easier for hiring managers to view and share.

A link is more accessible than a large attachment, especially on mobile devices, and can be particularly effective when networking or requesting referrals.

❌ Don’t skip your written resume

Video resumes are not a substitute for the standard resume format.

Employers need a written summary of your skills and experience because text documents are much easier to evaluate and compare.

Most Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can’t read video files either. If you’ve only submitted a video resume, your application could appear blank or even be filtered out.

Always submit a traditional resume and include a link to your video (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, or your LinkedIn profile) in your resume header.

❌ Don’t get too creative

Make your video memorable and engaging, but don’t forget its purpose. You’re aiming to show professionalism and fit for the job.

Avoid excessive humour or flashy editing choices — both are distracting. Use creative elements like visuals or overlays thoughtfully, ensuring your tone stays polished and aligned with workplace expectations.

7 great video resume examples

Looking for some inspiration before you start shooting your own video resume? Here are seven examples of the best video resumes we’ve found to help you get started:

1. A good hook

Mattias doesn’t start talking about himself until half way through his video, but it’s barely noticeable because he piques the viewer’s curiosity from the beginning with a great hook.

As a cinematographer, his video is more geared towards showcasing his cinematic talent with beautiful shots than discussing past work experience. The viewer comes away with a memorable and lasting impression.

2. An engaging use of visuals

Arthur’s footage itself is very simple, featuring himself standing outside and speaking to the camera. In the editing process, however, Arthur adds in several components that bring the visual elements to life, including text and image overlay, additional audio, and cutaways that show off his previous work.

His video is short, to the point, effectively showcases his work, and maintains the viewer’s interest.

3. A solid mix of footage

As a woman of all trades, and a YouTuber, Isa has a wealth of experience and footage to draw from when creating her video resume.

If your story and experience is similarly varied, it can be hard to know where to start, but Isa does a good job of telling her story and informing viewers about her professional experience and qualifications.

The other great thing about Isa’s video is how clearly viewers get a sense of her personality. She is nothing but herself, adds in some great humor, and manages to maintain a sense of professionalism.

4. An unexpected video resume

You might not expect a geologist to have a video resume, but Bruce’s is very effective.

Bruce’s video offers great insight into what he does, who he is, and his unique approach to his work by using time-lapse videos he’s taken over the course of his career. The content is engaging, informative, and gives employers a good idea of what Bruce can offer them.

5. An expressive resume video

Victoria’s video resume runs on the long side, but does a fantastic job of capturing her unique qualities and personality.

The video gives the viewer a good idea of what motivates Victoria, what inspires her and what she is passionate about.

As a beginner videographer, she showcases some of her creative work effectively and invites potential employers to connect with her.

6. A straightforward pitch

In this example, the candidate gives a great overview of their professional experience, skills, and goals.

The video itself doesn’t use any added visual effects, but instead keeps the focus on the candidate. Their speaking is clear and effectively communicates their qualifications to potential employers. The straightforwardness and simplicity of this video resume is what makes it strong.

7. A TikTok resume

@resumegenius #tiktokresume ♬ original sound – Resume Genius

A good TikTok resume can show your value to an employer in seconds.

This TikTok resume from Justine does a really good job of highlighting her qualifications and experience, and gives viewers a good understanding of Justine’s skill set in just 47 seconds.

She maintains a positive and friendly attitude throughout, and ends on a strong note by inviting potential employers to get in touch.