How to Create a Winning Video Resume

How to Create a Winning Video Resume – By Maurice Belote

Many individuals who are deafblind and/or have extensive support needs, are far more capable than they may appear on paper. When seeking work experiences— volunteer, shadowing, training, or paid—some people who are not familiar with disabilities may focus more on limitations than strengths. A video resume is a great way to show potential employers that a person with disabilities has specific skills and abilities that might be a good match for a job. It isn’t just employers who can use the video recording; the video recording might be useful when generating the support of a skeptical administrator, job coach, or teacher. While it is a good idea to start early in an individual’s school career, it is never too late to create a powerful video resume to support that person’s progression from school to work. You are creating one of the most important lasting documents of that individual’s school years.

Here are some tips for creating a winning video resume:

1. Start early. Documenting any training, working, or volunteering that the student was interested in and performed well in, is important. Preferences may change over time, but a compilation of a variety of tasks will help a video resume stand out.
2. Document all experiences. The goal is to document on video the jobs or parts of jobs that showcase the individual’s strengths and skills. These strengths may be in the specific tasks related to the job, or they may be in other key domains such as communication, social, and orientation and mobility skills.
3. Highlight independence and interdependence. If the individual is working independently, or with support, document and highlight that independence or when and how they utilize support. Many people who are deafblind make lifetime use of support service providers on the job and knowing how to use supports effectively is an important and valuable skill.
4. Include the date and other significant information as you record. Include basic information as you record, such as the location of the work experience, a description of the task if it isn’t entirely clear, and a description of how the task positively supports the mission of the company or work environment.
5. Keep the video secure by posting to a personal YouTube or other video sharing site and creating secure link that can only be accessed by people with the link to view.

 

 

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How to Create a Winning Video Resume