How to Land a Remote Job with a Video Pitch

The truth is….the resume is boring!

What employers really want to see is proof of work, proof of your ability to create value.

On a resume, you list bullet point after bullet point…pretty boring, right? Really, do you look forward to tweaking your resume?

Probably not.

And do hiring managers scream “Heck Yeah, can’t wait for this!” when they go look at a pile of resumes?

Probably not.

In the modern era, are there better ways to show your value?

Absolutely,

Be different. Be creative. Be bold. Show, instead of tell.

One of the best ways to do that? Send a video pitch! Allow me to share more.

Mindsets to Make a Video Pitch

In my experience with both video pitching and working with thousands of job seekers over the past few years, emailing a human a 1-minute video pitch will get you an 80% response rate, (as opposed to a .1% response rate for the resume).

But before we talk through the nuts and bolts, know that video pitching is a mindset. It’s about going above and beyond, and not caring what the “rules” are. Let’s dive deeper into the mindsets necessary to take this approach.

1. Realize the job hunt is not a numbers game. Blasting out hundreds of resumes is a broken system. Instead, focus on just a few companies, ones that you really like. Sift through the Dynamite Jobs job board, for instance, and pick 1-5 companies. Ideally focus on smaller, startup-type companies that are agile and open to creative approaches to job hunting, who will have less red tape in the hiring process.

2. Take 15 minutes to research a company, even just their mission/vision statement on the website. Ideally, go on places like Crunchbase and Owler to learn more, read blog posts they’ve done, and listen to podcasts they’ve made. Sharpen your ax before you cut down the tree!
   

3. At the same time, don’t worry about being perfect. Focus on a mindset of bold, imperfect action. Skip perfectionism. Sending a mediocre video pitch will likely get better results than a polished (boring) resume.

4. Related, know that the bar is low. Almost no one is doing this, so release the pressure to do it “right.” Just do it.
   

5. Have fun! Let go of the belief “job hunting has to be drudgery.”

 

How to Make a Video Pitch

1. Use a tool like Loom.

2. Keep it at about 60 seconds. You don’t need to tell your whole story, just get them interested to learn more!

3. Start by smiling! This helps you relax and be authentic.

4. Avoid scripting if you can. Just list a few bullet points in your head for what you want to say, then shoot the video and speak naturally.

5. After you smile, tell the camera why you love that company. Prove you did your research. Be genuine.

6. Tell them 1-2 tidbits about your accomplishments, your story, or your skills and how they relate to the role you are going for. For example, for an entry-level customer success role, you could say “My experience working at a daycare taught me the patience and empathy needed to work with frustrated customers.”

Check out Isaac Morehouse's advice on how to create a great video pitch

How to Send Your Video Pitch

1. Find a human, e.g. VP of Sales, or Head of Marketing, who will likely be your supervisor in the role. See How to Find the Hiring Manager.
   

2. Email the human your video pitch. There’s no exact way to do this. But here are templates for sending emails.
   

3. Follow up until you get a response. Remember, persistence is polite! (This short Derek Sivers post is a must-read on this).

Just. Do. It.

OK, so you may be feeling pumped to send a video pitch, at least on the surface. But does a part of you feel hesitant or worried to be bold, being different, and putting yourself out there?

Do you think you might procrastinate, because it feels too far out of your comfort zone? Do you have that Capital R Resistance, as Steven Pressfield calls it?

That’s certainly normal. But it’s key to start anyway! Act act act! Like any skill, you’ll get more confident with video pitching the more you do it.

Here’s my favorite quote from Pressfield’s book The War of Art:

“Resistance is directly proportional to love. If you're feeling massive Resistance, the good news is that it means there's tremendous love there too.”
 – Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

Just do it! Your future self will thank you. :)

Joel Bein is CEO at Career Hackers where via the Daily Job Hunt newsletter and 1-1 coaching, he empowers people to discover and do what makes them come alive.