2021 is shaping up to be a year of fresh starts. Whether you’ve been laid off of your previous work, or looking to transfer to a place with better opportunities, the need to bounce back after the turbulence of 2020 is real.
As if to reflect the growing emphasis on the future, video technology has gotten bigger over the past year. It’s made a lot of things possible, from communication and education to public awareness-building and business innovations.
This technology can work to your favor as well! Here are some of the best ways to use it to help you get your next career jumpstart.
Watch content that can help you learn and grow.
This one should already be obvious. You’ll as many possible advantages so that you can present yourself as an asset to your prospect employer. There are many ways to upskill, and you should definitely take advantage of them all. That includes watching tutorial and how-to videos, or clips that contain valuable advice. Is there a skill that you’ve always wanted to learn because it can help you with your chosen field or line of work? Try adding video technology to your learning aids.
Learn a few video editing tricks.
Video will be the default medium of the future. The need for remote visibility makes it an essential tool, along with photography technology. Other technologies like virtual reality are far too young and costly to sustain for them to be universally accessible right now, so video technology will be the way to go. And you’ll need to be able to produce content through it, whether for personal or professional use. There are lots of digital apps that can help you record, edit, and publish video content. Whether you’re using free or purchased apps, try to attain a level of mastery of them so you can create videos for almost any simple scenario.
Get comfortable with being on live video.
Like it or not, remote interviews will be the way to go for most recruitment activities moving forward. They can be done over a simple phone call, but there will be times that an interviewer will ask for a video interview. And you might not realize it, but that can make you nervous on at least a minimal level because it’s different from Zooming with family and friends. As ever, practice takes some of the nervousness away. Record video of yourself practicing answers to interview questions, and watch it frequently so you’ll be familiar with how you naturally look and sound. This also helps with minimizing some bad habits and mannerisms when in front of the camera.
Create your best professional video backdrop at home.
This may seem like a small thing, but it’s more important than you think. The small bit of your room and home environment that is visible during a video call can say a lot about you, especially if you’re living on your own. Your professional vibe can be greatly improved the tidier your backdrop is. Consider positioning your work desk and your laptop or webcam so that you’re sitting in front of something that conveys a productive attitude, like a bookshelf or work-related equipment. If this isn’t possible, try to show a clean, blank wall instead. Avoid showing the trappings of home living, like unwashed dishes, overflowing laundry baskets or open (and disorganized) closets.
And no TikTok, please.
At least, not while at work. Looking for your next career opportunity is certainly considered “being at work”; it’s that important and should be taken seriously. There’s a time and place for leisure, during which going on TikTok or other entertainment-oriented video tools is okay. But it should certainly not intrude on your time for work-related activities, whether you’re looking for employment or already employed. In other words, this is about developing the correct attitude for using video technology – use the right video tools at the right time and in the right place.
Do you have other suggestions for maximizing video technology to breathe new life into your career? Shoot us a message here or on Facebook!
—