Every once in a while, a new fad finds its way into the job market that not only promises to set you apart from your competition, but downright guarantees you a new job full of awesome. The fad of the new millennium is easily the video resume. Probably taking its roots from the reels professionals in the film and video industry would use to showcase their skills and experience, the video resume puts your mug on your employer's video screen, and lets you sell yourself face to virtual face. In theory, this seems like a great way to set yourself apart, especially in such a competitive job market, but there are also many ways in which video resumes can go dramatically (and catastrophically) wrong. Corrupted video files, scratched discs, and incompatible software have probably cost more than one or two candidates an opportunity to land a job. More than that, presenting a DVD is often simply inappropriate and can make you seem like a desperate over-achiever. It is vital to not only know how to build a good video resume, but also when its use will most effectively bolster your employment potential.

The argument for video resumes is that they let employers see you in a very individual way before asking you to come in for an interview, by which point, it's almost as if they've already met you. This way, when you do interview, you're more familiar to the interviewers than any of your competition. But there are a couple of key variables. Your potential employer has to actually put your DVD into his computer (which he could view as extra work for himself), and your DVD has to actually work. So before your video has even begun, there are two ways in which it could go wrong: The person doing the hiring may not have access to a DVD player or a computer, and your DVD file may not work. Add to that the fact that your personality may not come across well in a video at all.

That said, using a video resume may actually be a good idea for positions that not only rely on your skills and experience, but your presence as well. For example, if you're applying for a sales job or a teaching position, it might not be a bad idea to include a short video that displays your presence in a good light. This works especially well for sales jobs because you are, in essence, selling yourself—you are selling your presence. And if you can accomplish that, it's a good bet you can sell the company's product of choice.