Is the Traditional Cover Letter Dead? Why Jobseekers Should Embrace the Power of Video

When you apply to a job there is a sense that your resume is floating among a sea of applicants. As a job seeker, the challenge is finding ways to make sure your application swims to the top of the pile. In order to gain the attention of both recruiters and hiring managers, recent reports indicate that advanced video technology will make sure your application will get you noticed and make some waves.

You know the drill, go to an employer’s career site, upload your resume and cover letter, answer a few screening questions and send off your application to a software database. However, you may have recently encountered another layer to the application process, something new and different; the opportunity to record a Video Cover Letter.

Video Cover Letters are short video clips recorded on a smart phone, tablet, or desktop-mounted webcam during the application process. In less than two minutes, you can introduce yourself and explain why you are the best fit for the job. The benefit for you as the candidate is now having the opportunity to showcase your personality, presentation skills, and creativity in a way that a traditional cover letter simply cannot. Think of it this way, with a Video Cover Letter you are guaranteed the recruiter’s undivided attention for the length of the video, compared to the six seconds it takes them to review a traditional resume, according to a recent study released by TheLadders.

Although it may seem unconventional, video screening is now one of the most powerful recruitment tools available today.  In fact, a recent Aberdeen report states that 32% of organizations are investing in video screening tools to help streamline their recruiting process and efficiently find candidates that are the best match for their open positions. Video capabilities are redesigning the landscape of the candidate screening, and many of the most progressive companies are already taking advantage of the technology.

iCIMS, Inc., a 275-person talent acquisition software company headquartered in Matawan, NJ,  joined the ranks of organizations using video screening by putting a beta version of its own product to the test for its hiring needs. As a high-growth, small business company, iCIMS is already reaping the benefits of candidate screening using Video Cover Letters and so are their candidates. Since the company started using the beta version of Video Cover Letter in July 2013, about 27% of the newest hires to the organization have been candidates who submitted Video Cover Letters. “When I applied to iCIMS it was my first time using Video Cover Letter,” said Matt Gloth, iCIMS Opportunity Consultant. “I think recording a Video Cover Letter gave me an edge because I was able to highlight specific skills related to the job I was applying for, and it caught the attention of the recruiter and hiring manager. Some candidates might be intimidated by submitting a video, but it definitely helped me land the job.”

What does this mean for you? Well, it means video technology is gradually becoming the rule rather than the exception. In this competitive job market, you should not only embrace Video Cover Letters, but also perfect them. If you want to master the screening process, you should prepare for your close-up now.

About iCIMS, Inc:

“iCIMS, a leading provider of innovative Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) talent acquisition solutions, is an Inc. 500 and Software Satisfaction honoree focused on solving corporate business issues through the implementation of easy-to-use, scalable solutions that are backed by award-winning customer service. iCIMS’ Talent Platform, the industry’s premier candidate management solution, enables organizations to manage their entire talent acquisition lifecycle from sourcing, to recruiting, to onboarding all within a single web-based application. With more than 1,700 clients worldwide, iCIMS is one of the largest and fastest-growing talent acquisition system providers with offices in North America, UK, and China. To learn more about how iCIMS can help your organization, visit http://www.icims.com or view a free online demo of the iCIMS Talent Platform.”