By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

Video cover letters are a growing trend. Should you use one as part of your job hunting?

Hi, I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter. I’m the head coach of JobSearch.Community. And the question is, “Should I use a video cover letter in order to stand out?”

Well, like many pieces of advice, the answer is yes, or maybe no. I don’t know enough to really judge. Here’s the reluctance I have. Most of you are not great actors and actresses. You think you are. You think you put on a good performance, but most of you stink.

Years ago, many years ago, when video was a relatively new phenomenon, I remember getting a VHS tape from a job hunter who basically read his resume in front of a backdrop, and it was the most boring treatise imaginable.

Most of you don’t talk to the camera well. You can read the speech, but do you think that’s going to be exciting to someone? Like if you sat in the audience in a theater, and someone said—I’m just going to pick something up at random—and read to you, “So…” See, I’ve got something I’m reading. “So…” And they read to you exactly what was on the piece of paper, and every once in a while looked up, like someone reading from a teleprompter, does that seem real exciting? No. Is there any personality that’s coming out from this? Probably not.

See, it really depends upon who you are and how well you communicate. There are many, many people who are sensational communicators. They’ve got a lot of energy and passion. They’ll deliver a cover letter that speaks to the listener and says, “You know, this is how you describe the job. Let me tell you what I’ve done that’s relevant.” And they’ll actually speak to that extemporaneously and sound phenomenal.

And then there’s most of you, who will write a speech, you’ll tape it up on your monitor, or, you know, you’re going to be holding your phone there in front of you, and you’re going to be looking like this, and then you’re going to look down at what you wrote, and then you’re going to look up again, and you’re going to be awful.

So, you know, the right answer is the one that’s right for you. I don’t want to give a general rule. But the reality is most people, most people are absolutely atrocious in front of the camera because you’re not well practiced enough. I’ve done more than 2,000 YouTube videos. You know, I host podcasts. I’m relatively glib at this point. I spent most of my career as a headhunter. I’m talking to people off-script for a long time. Most of you don’t need to do that, and haven’t translate—and if you have that experience, you haven’t learned how to translate that to an audience. And the result winds up being you are far better in writing than you are in person.

Now, that’s the general statement. Now let me go into one extra layer. Unfortunately in this world, there’s also a lot of discrimination. And by seeing someone, you open yourself up to number one, discrimination, number two, mockery. So for example, you can mock me for wearing this coach hat, and that’s fine. But if you’re looking for a job and someone’s sitting there going, “Hey, what the hell’s with that coach hat he’s wearing?” or “What’s with that shirt he’s got on?” or “Gee, she comes across like an idiot,” well, they’re not evaluating you for who you are; they’re distracted by something. So, that’s the other reluctance. Unless you have that great delivery that’s completely captivating, you expose yourself to rejection on the basis of of bias and distraction that’s completely unnecessary.

So as always, you know, it can work, it can’t work. You really have to know yourself. Hope you found this helpful, and have a great day!

Networking Like a Leader

ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER

People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers

He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3100 episodes. 

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You will find great info to help with your job search at my new site, ⁠⁠JobSearch.Community⁠⁠ Besides the video courses, books and guides, I answer questions from members daily about their job search. Leave job search questions and I will respond daily. Become an Insider+ member and you get everything you’d get as an Insider PLUS you can get me on Zoom calls to get questions answered. Become an Insider Premium member and we do individual and group coaching.