When to Hit Record: A How-To Guide for Using Video Cover Letters and Job Applications

In today's competitive job market, a standard paper resume and cover letter can often get lost in the shuffle. Video, on the other hand, is a powerful tool for standing out and is a viable option to boost your job application. Knowing when this unique approach becomes a must-have advantage is key to landing your next role.

This guide will walk you through which jobs are best suited for a video submission and provide a simple how-to for making a great impression.

To put it simply, video cover letters maximize your odds most in roles where communication, personality, and the ability to build rapport are central to success. Submitting a video isn't just a creative cover letter idea; it's a direct, relevant sample of your essential job skills.

Roles Requiring Customer Interaction and Communication Skills

If the job involves regular public speaking, client-facing interactions, pitching, or complex explanation, a video is the perfect audition to prove your ability to connect with people.

• Sales and Business Development: Video allows you to immediately demonstrate your pitch skills, energy, and ability to build rapport. It’s the core of any successful sales role.

• Public Relations and Media: Show off your on-camera presence, clarity of speech, and ability to manage a public image or deliver a message with impact.

• Training and Education: Prove your capability to instruct, engage, and connect with an audience, which is fundamental to successful teaching or corporate training.

Showcasing Skills That a Resume Can’t Capture

Video is the ideal medium to showcase dynamic skills that are poorly represented on paper. It allows you to demonstrate your process, energy, and creative instincts.

• Marketing and Social Media: Use the video as a mini-campaign for yourself, demonstrating your creativity, production skills, and understanding of digital platforms.

• UX/UI Design: A brief video walking through your design process, explaining a complex problem, or presenting your portfolio adds a human element and demonstrates your presentation skills.

• Content Creation (Blogger, Vlogger, Journalist): The video serves as a direct, high-quality sample of your work, showing your on-screen persona and storytelling ability.

How-To: Creating an Impactful Video Cover Letter

A great video cover letter is brief, professional, and directly addresses the job requirements.

Step 1: Prepare Your Script and Environment

Keep your video concise. Aim for 60 to 120 seconds, maximum. Your written cover letter has all relevant details and backstory. The video is the hook to demonstrate you’re a great fit for the role.

1. Define Your Hook: Start with a strong opening that names the position you're applying for and highlights your single biggest asset for that role.

2. Focus on Fit: Do not just read your resume. Instead, tell a short story or give two specific examples of how your past experience solves a problem the company is facing (as hinted at in the job description).

3. Use Keywords: Integrate industry-specific and job-specific keywords naturally into your script for relevance.

4. Set the Stage: Film in a well-lit space with a clean, neutral background. Dress as you would for an in-person interview.

Step 2: Record and Edit

Use a good quality camera (a modern smartphone is fine) and ensure clear audio.

• Angle: Position the camera at eye level. Look directly into the lens as if you are making direct eye contact with the viewer.

• Pace: Speak clearly, enthusiastically, and at a moderate pace. Enthusiasm is key for capturing attention.

• Editing: Keep editing simple. No need for complex effects. A simple opening title card with your name and the job title is sufficient.

• Review: Watch your video and confirm the message is clear, the audio is perfect, and there are no distracting elements.

Step 3: Submission and Follow-Up

The times where you needed to send large files via email or send nondescript Dropbox links are over. On coverletter.video, once a video is uploaded, you can share it right away. Additionally: You get to see when the hiring manager watched it! 

Ready to secure that interview? Sign up on coverletter.video today, record the first video cover letter, and send it directly to your dream job!