Videos will soon become commonplace in job applications, with job seekers able to use technology to set themselves apart from the pack.

That’s according to FaceCruit founder Nick Thompson who says with people around the world becoming more accustomed to using technologies such as video conferencing tools due to the ongoing pandemic, this will also be felt in the recruitment area.

The resume has remained the same for decades now, but change is on the way, Thompson said.

“The recruitment industry has always accepted resumes, but that’s a bit outdated,” Thompson told Information Age.

“It’s like saying the wheel is not broken so it doesn’t need fixing, but they’re sometimes running on a stone wheel and there’s a pneumatic wheel out there.

“Employers need to be a bit more open and let people apply for positions on video. All they’re doing is adding links to a resume, and that may give them an extra 5-10 percent edge. It actually gives them an advantage. It’s putting in that extra effort that may get an opportunity to get to the first interview.”

FaceCruit is a South Australian-based tech startup offering a cloud-based platform where job seekers can create their own video presentations for a job application when applying online. The platform also allows employers to integrate video into job applications and the recruitment process.

Using the platform, those looking for work can create a profile and then answer a series of sample or unique questions in separate videos. They can also ask their work references to provide a video reference for them.

“The end result is they get one link, and all this information is there,” Thompson said. “It’s something really different that you wouldn’t find in a resume. Our objective is to really give that opportunity for job seekers to get that interview.”

With the jobs market becoming increasingly dire and competitive due to the ongoing pandemic, something like using videos in a job application could set someone apart.

“It’s a huge advantage, and it means you get to see people’s communication skills,” he said. “The whole video is there to talk about things you can’t really explain in your resume.

“People are competing against each other in the pandemic.

“I think they need to be able to express their skills and attributes to the employer and explain what they’re looking for.

“For a lot of frontline positions such as hospitality, presentation and communication is really important. They might not be able to write the best resume but they may be able to effectively communicate with people, and that’s what a lot of employers may be looking for.”

FaceCruit is now offering its platform for free for anyone who has lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic to help them return to the workplace.

Thompson used to work in sales and said the biggest challenge he faced in finding a job was getting to that first interview.

“I couldn’t express my achievements, my desire and how good I am at my job just through my resume,” he said.

“When I got in front of people I generally got the position.

“I believe you can say things that aren’t necessarily in a resume, like how you got a large client or talking about vertical markets. You can’t really describe that in a resume. It’s a huge advantage, especially now more and more people are using video, and COVID-19 has really exposed people to a lot more video now.”

The platform also provides an advantage to employers, Thompson said, with the ability to ask shortlisted candidates to answer some questions via video rather than conducting separate pre-screening calls.

“You can do eight videos to one telephone pre-screen call,” he said. “That saves heaps of hours and gives a better insight into the individual. More and more companies are asking for pre-recorded video interviews.”

And this is becoming increasingly common among job applicants, he said.

“All job seekers need to understand video and how to present yourself, where to look at the camera and how to be good with video, because eventually a job seeker or candidate will be asked to do a video,” Thompson said.

“A lot of graduates I talk to say they’d been asked to do video interviews, and I get amazing feedback from people.”