If you’re looking for a job in 2024, you’ve probably read a lot of job-hunting advice that goes something like this:

 

• Make sure your resume has the right keywords so it can be read by AI screening tools, but also make sure it’s well-written and includes tangible, quantifiable achievements

• Update your LinkedIn profile with the skills recruiters are looking for, but don’t turn on the “Open to Work” sign because it’s “desperate”

• But also don’t rely on your resume or job applications; tap into your network, because 60% of jobs aren’t even posted

• Follow up to day thank you after an interview, but don’t expect any information or feedback from recruiters

 

Frustrated yet? The #1 thing that usually goes unsaid is: why does it have to be this complicated?

How job applications evolved to be more complex than ever

 

Part of this complexity stems from the fact that the standard one-page resume has been a mainstay for centuries as the world has evolved around it. It’s a useful summary and a starting point for a larger discussion – but there are some significant downsides to starting with a traditional resume for screening candidates:

 

• Resumes only give employers info about what candidates say they’re good at (not about their actual skills)

• Applicant tracking systems often screen for candidates who are good at writing resumes, but might overlook people who would be good at the actual job

• Resumes don’t give employers insight into what someone would be like to work with day-to-day

 

Instead of doing away with the resume altogether, employers try to bridge this knowledge gap by adding to the complexity of online applications and interviews. Candidates often need to do skills testing, personality assessments, and quizzes to make up for the lack of information on their resume.

 

But what if there was a way to tweak the resume itself?

Introducing the era of video resumes

 

Video resumes have already begun to reshape the hiring landscape, for good reason. On KnowMe, candidates and hiring managers can both post short videos and turn the traditional application process on its head. 

 

Here’s how that helps:

 

Personality over paper: Video resumes help capture the person behind the qualifications – which is really what all the other elaborate strategies try to do poorly. They give employers an instant glimpse into the parts of who you are that don’t translate well on paper.

 

Efficiency for everyone: Hiring managers can quickly gauge if you would be a good cultural fit, saving hours they’d otherwise spend reading resumes and conducting initial interviews. And when you watch their video, you can screen them the exact same way.

 

Expanding your network: Video resumes help you break out of your existing network to show your personality to employers that don’t already know you. Rather than just ticking boxes, you can build connections even if you don’t already have a leg up in your industry.

 

Video resumes are a step towards a more inclusive, efficient, and personal hiring process. They address the fundamental flaw in the traditional job-hunting advice: the lack of human connection.

 

Back to our original question: why does job hunting have to be this complicated? Our answer: it doesn’t have to be.