Battle of the CVs: video CV versus traditional CV

Have you ever thought of applying for a job with a video CV? The trend is growing, thanks to platforms like TikTok, but is it helping applicants to land jobs? Which type of CV is likely to dominate recruitment in the future? Delve deeper into the pros and cons and find out how you can present the very best version of you – whichever method you choose.

What is a video CV?

A video CV features you as the star! It’s a brief clip in which you present a compelling case for a business to hire you, based on a film that you script, perform and edit yourself.

What is a traditional CV?

A traditional CV is a document detailing your skills, experience and qualifications in written format, usually in a bit more detail than you’d include on a video CV. This type of CV is generally what most recruiters would expect to receive.

Why are video CVs gaining in popularity?

It seems that young people overwhelmingly prefer to consume, and create, video content. Users of TikTok are predicted to rise to 16.8million in the UK by 2024, with the majority of users being under 30, and there are now over 50million UK users of YouTube, with 24% of those being under 25.

Such sites opened the door for video CVs – anyone can create them and anyone can share them. The new generation of jobseekers uses video as its go-to choice when consuming content - and many have grown up making video content of their own - so it’s only natural that this trend would spill over into the workplace. Video is where many people feel most comfortable.

It’s debatable who created the first video CV, but no-one can argue that they’re becoming increasingly popular as a new way to promote yourself to potential employers. And for employers looking to recruit young people, it's a trend that can’t be ignored. At the moment, however, they remain relatively uncommon and there are no statistics available to show their success rate in securing interviews.  

But are video CVs better than traditional CVs? Well, that depends a lot on your personality and the expectations of the recruiter or hiring manager, but there are some pros and cons to bear in mind:

Pros of a video CV

• They can show off your personality: You can let your personality really shine through in a video CV. If you’re naturally enthusiastic, bubbly and outgoing, it’s the perfect way of conveying that to a recruiter.

• They’re authentic: The hiring manager will be able to see your authentic self, rather than the super-polished version that a well-prepared CV or application form can present.

• They’re modern: For those looking to work in certain fields, using a video CV can show off your technical skills and your willingness to embrace new concepts and trends.  

• They can prove additional skills: It’s much easier to convey certain skills in a video CV – such as verbal communication, creativity, confidence, originality and more.

• You can include a portfolio: If you’re in a creative industry, such as graphic design, writing or film, you have the option of including samples of your work in a video CV. With a traditional CV, you’re limited to a hyperlink to your portfolio at best.

• They stand out: In a world where traditional CVs are still very much the norm, you’ll certainly be noticed and remembered for submitting a video CV.

• You can expand on life experience: For those that are short on work experience, the video CV is a lot more flexible when it comes to bringing life experiences into the mix. There’s no need to focus solely on professional, paid work.

Cons of a video CV

• They can be discriminatory: Potentially discriminating information, that would never be included on a traditional CV, is placed front and centre of a video CV. If a hiring manager has biases, they could be making judgements about your gender, race, disability, religion and even your haircut before you’ve opened your mouth. As well as opening candidates up to discrimination, companies accepting video CVs are also risking claims of discrimination from rejected candidates.

• They’re not inclusive: A traditional CV levels the playing field by presenting a standard format for key information regardless of personality type. Extroverts are necessarily favoured by a hiring process based on video CVs – if you’re shy, introverted or just communicate better in writing, you’re starting off on the back foot with a video CV.

• They can be inconvenient: From the perspective of an interviewer, it’s much easier to grab a traditional CV to discuss in the interview than it is to take a video in with them. They’re also more time-consuming to review – the initial scan of a traditional CV is usually under 10 seconds; it’s much harder to skim through a video.

• They’re not widely accepted: Despite becoming more popular, the vast majority of jobs still request a traditional CV or application form, rather than a video CV.

• They’re informal: If you’re applying for a very traditional role or in a very traditional industry, the video CV may come off as rather too informal.

• They’re hard to tailor: We all know that a CV should be tailored to the role you’re applying for. That’s easy with a traditional CV – a handful of tweaks and you’re done. You can even do it while you commute to work! With a video CV, not only do you need to rework the script, you need to get dressed up appropriately, find a suitable location, spend time editing – it’s just not the best use of your time if you need to make a new video for each application.

Pros of a traditional CV

• They’re inclusive: By eliminating characteristics protected under the Equality Act and creating a level playing field regardless of personality, the traditional CV is a much fairer way of recruiting.

• They’re keyword friendly: A traditional CV can be easily skim-read for keywords by a recruiter and can also be easily searched by ATSs.

• They’re expected: Most businesses are familiar with, and are able to receive, store and sort, traditional CVs – they’re a universally-accepted recruitment and job-search tool. That’s not always the case with video CVs.

• They save recruiters’ time: A traditional CV can be quickly skim-read, scanned and filed. In a competitive job market, making the recruiter’s job easier can only be a point in your favour.

• They give you confidence: A well-written CV that clearly articulates your successes and achievements should make you feel good about yourself and confident enough to walk into an interview knowing that you’re well equipped to do the job.

Cons of a traditional CV

• They favour writing skills: If you’re more of a speaker than a writer, you may find it a challenge to create a strong traditional CV – but hey, that’s what professional CV writers are for!

• They can’t gauge culture fit: A traditional CV can be quite dry – and while that’s great for reducing bias, it doesn’t give the recruiter any way to assess how a candidate might fit into the work environment or company culture.

How to create a video CV

Just because a video CV is less formal, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t put the same thought and planning into it as you’d put into a traditional CV. Take these steps to make sure that your video CV is remembered for all the right reasons:

• Write a script and practice before you start recording – plan exactly what you need to say to sell yourself to the viewer.

• Make sure that your background is professional – it could be plain, have samples of your work or include logos of companies you’ve worked for. Piles of washing and dirty plates aren’t the right look!

• Dress up – wear clothing appropriate to the role you’re applying for.

• Engage your audience – give them something interesting to look at beyond you staring into the camera from one angle.

• Time yourself – video CVs shouldn’t be longer than a couple of minutes long.

• Leave them wanting more – tease your top selling points and most desirable attributes and give the recruiter a reason to contact you.

• Get feedback – ask your friends, family or colleagues to review your video and share their constructive opinions.

How to create a traditional CV

There’s lots of advice online about how to create the perfect traditional CV, but the basic ground rules are:

• Choose an eye-catching, ATS-friendly layout – first impressions still count!

• Use sub-headings based on your skills, experience and qualifications – don’t forget to add an introductory profile, to act as your elevator pitch.

• Show your value - focus your CV on achievements, successes and the value you’ll bring to a role, rather than on previous responsibilities and what you want from a job.

• Write concisely, using bullet points – a solid wall of text is off-putting, especially to someone pressed for time.

• Get feedback – the same rule applies here as for video CVs. A second pair of eyes not only helps you to spot those final typos, but can also help you to fine-tune your document to make sure it conveys the message you’re aiming for.

What is the future of the CV?

While the video CV certainly has its advantages – especially for those creative or outgoing types – the traditional CV will be here to stay for some time yet. That’s not to say there’s no future for the video CV though – it may not be a replacement for the traditional CV, but think of it as an additional weapon in your job-search armoury. If you’re feeling confident – go for it!

When you’ve written your traditional CV and filmed your video CV, why not consider the upcoming trends of infographic CVs, website CVs and truly unique, one-of-a-kind CVs? We’ll save those for another blog post…

Get your job search off to a great start

If you’re hitting the job search and need a traditional CV to catapult your application to the next level, why not ask CV Shed to help? With options for all budgets, ranging from a free review to a CV written for you from scratch, you’re bound to find a service to meet your needs. And, as an additional bonus, a professionally-written CV can boost your confidence – you may even find that you’re brave enough to create that video CV too!