If you're just out of college, you need to read this blog. If you're a parent with a kid that's just out of college, you're going to want to pass this along. If you're looking for a new job, pay attention, because I am about to tell you about the future of the job search.
It's called VloggedIn, a new platform where job seekers can post video cover letters and hiring managers can efficiently sort through candidate applications. The daughter of a friend of mine just started working for the company and I spoke to her about this game-changer for job candidates and recruiters alike.
-Brandon
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Brandon Steiner: Why is VloggedIn a game-changer for job candidates?
Cassandra Nordyke: We are in a unique environment where everyone is in charge of their own brands. Employers are not going to open doors for you. Today those that are most successful don’t sit around and wait for someone else to open a door they do it themselves. Marketers have embraced video at incredible rates because people are so much more likely to remember what they see and here. Why wouldn’t you want to have those same advantages when building your own brand?
It allows them a chance to put their best foot forward and stand out from the crowd of resumes. By including video people are able to tell their story, show their passion, their creativity in a way that is both professional and memorable and allows recruiters to connect with them before ever walking into an interview.
BS: How easy is it to setup a profile as someone searching for a job?
CN: It’s amazingly simple and can be done all from your smart phone.
3 simple steps
- Sign up
- Record and load your video
- Share it
BS: What are some tips and best practices for candidates filming these 30-second elevator pitches?
CN: As Simon Sinek says people by “Why you do it not What you do.” Give people your why don’t just repeat what is on your resume.
Practice your pitch before you begin and do not read from a script. Feel comfortable being yourself and explaining your relevant work experience. If applying for a specific job, tailor your pitch to the position including specifics about the company you are applying and why that is an appealing opportunity. Sometimes a company will have recommended questions to answer on your cover letter – pay attention and address those questions in your video.
BS: Are there concerns that this could be time intensive for recruiters to watch candidate videos? How is that being combatted?
CN: No actually we are excited about the efficiencies that this creates for hiring managers, recruiters and small businesses in general looking to hire talented people. The time saved by getting a better glimpse into candidates from watching a video is tremendous.
Currently recruiters have to go through countless resumes, then conduct phone interviews then bring people in. By adding this simple early step with VloggedIn profiles a recruiters effectiveness will increase dramatically as they can be more confident in who they bring in for final interviews.
Personally as a hiring manager at Nordstrom in my past career I knew sometimes just by someone walking through the door that they didn’t have the right look, sometimes by talking to them I knew not even the right attitude. VloggedIn profiles give you a better chance to get to know your candidates and what excites them in an incredibly efficient way.
BS: What excites you about going to work for VloggedIn everyday?
CN: Working in a startup environment is exciting because everyday is a new opportunity to learn, test and create. It’s a unique experience to say the least. Also, the opportunity to help guide, create, and connect amazingly talented people to exciting opportunities on a daily basis is incredibly rewarding.
In the early stages of a company, every day represents a different set of challenges and opportunities. What excites me about coming to work every day is the ability to influence the direction of the company through informed decisions and strategic "guestimation." We have a great team that shares a vision of assisting job seekers with the tools necessary to put their best foot forward.
BS: How did you hear about the company before starting work there?
CN: A Professor at Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte, NC location) reached out to me about VloggedIn. They had said they were looking for someone to do an intern position for a local start up for a couple months. I decided to take the chance and leave my salary job at Nordstrom as a Manager and try a new role. Soon it turned into a lot more than an internship and luckily I have worked with some amazing people and a company that going to help people that might not have gotten a chance to stand out from the crowd.
BS: What have you learned about the recruiting industry in your experience so far?
CN: There are some amazing people that work incredibly hard to help find talented people and connect them with opportunities on a daily basis. It’s an industry where efficiency and time are incredibly valuable which is why we are so excited about what VloggedIn can do both for candidates and recruiters and others hiring!
BS: What are future plans of expansion for VloggedIn?
CN: Great question, it’s one that is discussed daily by our founders. The VloggedIn platform has already created some very unique opportunities that are helping people daily and disrupting the way we hire people. We are excited about using this platform to do that even more while bringing a story telling platform to more and more talented people looking for opportunities to share their talents. We certainly have our eye on some future iterations of VloggedIn and are constantly looking at opportunities to improve our service.
