Beginning of the end for resume tapes
Cory Bergman February 8th, 2007
Seen in a TV news director’s inbox: an email from a reporter looking for a job with a link to his resume tape streamed on YouTube (search=”resume tape”). Great idea, especially as NDs increasingly look for web-savvy reporters and photographers. Says someone in comments below: “I have to tell you, getting a demo reel as a streamed link is a HUGE plus for me as a hiring manager. I won’t say I disqualify tapes, but I am far more patient with click and play.”
11 Comments Add your own
1. its only tv | February 8th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Cory–I have to tell you–getting a demo reel as a streamed link is a HUGE plus for me as a hiring manager.
I won’t say I disqualify tapes–but I am far more patient with click and play.
2. Steve Safran | February 8th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
I imagine it’s so much easier for the process around the newsroom. If I screen it and want the EP to look at it, I just send the link. No more passing around the tape, misplacing it, trying to get everyone in the room at once - this is a terrific idea.
Plus, the prospective employee benefits from the distribution of YT. Maybe station X doesn’t need him - but the ND at station X sends the link to his friend at station Y who does. Nobody sends tapes to their pals. But a link? Easy.
I hadn’t thought about YT for this use, but it’s perfect. In fact - I’d go a step further and put up a bunch of my stuff and invite people to remix it. Make it as silly as they want. Get some attention.
And here I was wondering when people were going to send more DVD reels… excellent observation, CorBerger.
3. invitedmedia | February 8th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
provided you’re not applying for work @ zucker’s nbc, diller’s iac, viacom or anywhere where youtube’s site is blocked by corporate then you’re cool.
4. Jason | February 8th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
I’m afraid to send DVDs, as many ND’s don’t know they can play them on their computers. But, my last ten stories are in the video viewer at my blog. I’d think a hiring manager would get a better idea of my work from checking out what I did over the last couple nights, instead of seeing the greatest hits on an agent-packaged demo tape.
5. Aidian | February 8th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Big issue — rights & clearances.
I almost put my tape on youtube during my last job hunt, but I was worried about sending the message that I didn’t know or didn’t care about the legalities of using my current station’s product, which, despite being my creation is technically “work for hire.”
Yes, it’s obviously fair use to post a 10 minute reporter tape. But what about putting up “last night’s show”? Regardless, it’s not that I’d worry about getting sued (I’ll settle: Here’s both my dollars). I’m worried that posting a newscast would keep me from being considered. And I thought explaining how it’s “actually not illegal” would be the wrong way to start a conversation with a potential employer.
I wound up having my tape stream from a software based server set up on my PC — a major pain, but I thought safer than youtube.
Was I over thinking it? Probably. Waste of effort? Nah, I learned how to set up my own video server!
6. Don | February 8th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
This is pretty common, apparently. I just had a great time on YT after punching in “resume tape.”
7. Donnie MacIntyre | February 9th, 2007 at 12:14 am
But doesn’t posting a resume tape with name, phone number, and email address on YouTube leave these people wide open for pranksters with too much free time on their hands (and there are a lot of them out there I’m sure)?
8. Brad Weaver | February 9th, 2007 at 4:34 am
We need a new name for the resume tape. Resume tape, demo reel, audition tape are so old media.
We’ve pushed students to reinvent the resume tape at Westminster College We’ve tried Google Video and YouTube as well as e-portfolios burned to CDs which can include the video, audio and even the scripts to showcase writing samples and the actual resume. The radio folks have played with MP3 attachments to e-mail (but SPAM filters pose a problem).
9. W | February 9th, 2007 at 6:07 am
We use a similar method to get anchor auditions & the like around the company - makes it a lot easier than it used to be.
10. Geoff Fox | February 9th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
As good as YouTube is, I think I’ve come up with a better solution. It is called AuditionFactory (just add a dot com to that).
What makes it better is the ability to random access audition video and integrate that with the rest of the audition package (resume, cover letter,etc.).
Maybe my pricing isn’t right (especially versus zero), but I think my concept is. My real problem is promoting it - something I’ve been pretty bad at doing.
I would appreciate any feedback or comments.
Geoff Fox
11. Guruchel | September 28th, 2007 at 6:36 am
password for myfreepaysite
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