Certify cards

Ability to prioritise

Self-management

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The ability to set your priorities straight is invaluable. We can guarantee you that your future employer is looking for team members that can identify the most important tasks and get to them immediately rather than focusing on tasks of lower importance. Do you think you’re great at prioritising tasks? If so, you should definitely mention that in your video CV. Here’s a couple of questions that might help you get started thinking about how to best demonstrate this skill in your video:

Tell us about a situation where you had too much to do. How did you go through all the tasks?
How do you prioritize goals? Do you have a method, a checklist?
Do you set yourself goals? Do you do so in your professional and in your personal life? You could talk more about a goal that you set yourself and how you achieved it.
Do you set S.M.A.R.T goals?

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Time management

Self-management

"Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan."

Margaret Thatcher

Time management is an important and sought-after skill, and if that’s something you’re good at, you should definitely mention it. How can you demonstrate that you’re well organised? In your video CV, you might answer questions such as:

Do you make to-do lists? Show examples
Do you have a time check? Do you set yourself time limits?
Do you use software tools for time management, for example Pomodoro timer apps?
Do you feel comfortable delegating tasks?
How do you organise your time? Do you focus on one task at a time or do you prefer multitasking?
How do you plan your day? Do you have a routine? What does it look like?

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Don’t have professional equipment to film your video?

Execution

“I don't get tripped up in technology. I use technology as a tool.”

Spike Lee

Even if you do not own a camera and professional editing software, there’s plenty of resources that you consider. Here’s a couple of suggestions:

Visit your local library, Community center, youth center or contact NGOs that help people find employment
You can always rent or borrow equipment
Create a video using alternatives (ppt, online open-source tools, Blender, Google slides, iMovie ...)
Remember you do not have to use professional cameras to create a video, you can always record your video with your phone, tablet or your laptop.

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Script writing and story boarding

Preparation

“To make a great film you need three things - the script, the script and the script.”

Alfred Hitchcock

So by now, you know already what you want to say, but here’s another question: how do you want to realise it in a video, with images and sound? This is the moment to imagine your story! Try to see and hear with your mind’s eyes and ears what you want the viewers to see and hear. Before getting cameras and phones out and recording your video CV, you better prepare. It’s good practice to write a script even if it’s just a simple outline. It will help you focus on what’s important and you won’t forget to mention anything. A script or storyboard should be clear to yourself, but also to the viewer. In fact, the viewer should be able to construct the video you have in mind on the basis of your script or storyboard.

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Dissemination

Review and dissemination

"I think performers are all show-offs anyway, especially musicians. Unless you show off, you're not going to get noticed."

Elton John

You’ve just created a video and you’re excited to share it with the whole world, congratulations! Welcome to the next step – that is trying to get your work seen. It might feel like you’ve done all the hard work already but … this step requires attention and planning as well. After all, if no one, or in fact if your prospective employers, won’t watch your digital story, all the hard work will be fruitless. 🍒 It is important to prepare a publicity plan. Here’s a couple of things to take into account:

Are you planning to attach this video with your application?
Maybe you’d like to circulate it to a wider audience?
Which channels are you going to use to distribute and why?
Where do hiring managers advertise the job? Maybe targeting them on those platforms eg. Linkedin woudl be

If you’re going to be using social media to distribute your video CV, it might be worth doing a relevant hashtag research to discover new opportunities to reach your potential employers. For instance, Tik Tok launched a video CVs programme in 2021 and in order for their resumes to be considered, people were asked to add #TikTokResumes hashtag.

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How well do you adapt to new environments?

Flexibility

“It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same. Even smells the same. You realize what’s changed is you.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Flexibility competence is tested and developed when having to adapt to new environments. Especially if one moves abroad to study/work/live. Demonstrate your ability to adapt to new environments by answering the questions below 👇

Have you lived abroad? How did you adapt to new culture?
What have you learned from living abroad?
Do you like working/living/immersing yourself in multicultural environments? What do you like/don’t like about it?
How do you handle cultural differences?

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Tell us more about your passion project or a hobby!

Creativity

“I draw like other people bite their nails.”

Pablo Picasso

There is no better way to show your creativity than sharing your work and talking about your creative process… even if the creativity skill is not listed as one of the requirements for the position you’re applying for, it is a sought-after competence and could help you differentiate yourself from the competition. Remember you don’t have to be a professional painter, director, designer, photographer or artist to share the projects that you are passionate about with prospective employers. A Video CV is a great way to show off your personality and interests, and can be a great conversation starter. Wonder where to start?

Do you draw, paint, perform, play a musical instrument, take photographs, write … mime? How long have you been doing this?
Could you show some examples of your creative projects? (presentation, video tour, etc…)
What did you learn from arts & crafts?
Have you developed any transversal skills?
Do you consider yourself creative? What incident made you think that?

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Dealing with unwanted emotions

Self-management

“It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.”

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

We all have bad days but not everyone deals with them in the same way. You can be sure that in any workplace, you will have to deal with other people’s unwanted emotions as well as your own. If you pride yourself on being able to manage your emotions and maintain a healthy and pleasant work environment, you can mention this in your video CV. How? Try answering these questions for starters:

How do you deal with unwanted emotions, do you let them get in the way or do you maybe have a strategy how to manage them?
How do you manage unwanted emotions?
How do you deal with angry/agitated colleagues? Do you let their emotions transfer onto you? Or maybe you have methods/strategies how to calm your colleagues and help them?

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