Video Job Applications Set to Soar, but Will They be Deaf Friendly

According to a News Item released earlier today, the hottest recruitment trend for 2014 is going to be video job applications. What that means, is that in addition to the written application and Curriculem Vitae (CV) that has been used traditionally, job applicants are being encouraged to submit a short video selling themselves.

It all sounds very exciting and I can certainly see the attraction to recruiters who will be able to see far more of a persons personality, energy and charisma through a video application, but a key question for me is whether it will also play to people's prejudices. Following years of work trying to make the recruitment playing field fair and equal, will the new trend to submit a video application, simply provide recruiters with information upon which they will turn people away. In my own case and within my own deaf community, will this new trend work against deaf job applicants who already face discrimination as soon as many employers find out that they are deaf?

We are interested in your thoughts and experiences about this issue. Please drop me a line to sarah@slfirst.co.uk

​News Release - Video accompaniment to traditional CV set to be a key trend in recruitment in 2014 with Marks & Spencer voicing their support • 70% employers admit CVs no longer enough to differentiate.

Millions of Brits will be busily updating their CVs this month as they join the January job hunt, but new research reveals employers no longer see a traditional CV as an effective way of assessing potential candidates. 


Recruitment specialist Hello My Name Is... (HMNI) questioned hundreds of UK business leaders to ascertain what makes one CV more engaging than another and discovered that candidates uploading a video accompaniment alongside their CV that have the edge. “While the technology for video applications has been in place for some time, only now are candidates taking full advantage of this option, which in turn has given recruiters a real appetite for innovative applications,” said Jonathan Flint, joint managing director of HMNI with partner James Hyde. “As such we predict a video accompaniment will be an essential part of applying for a job in 2014.”



Dubbed a “MeVie” the latest video concept, available at www.hellomynameis.co, enables job-seekers to present themselves in a more engaging and personal way by showcasing their personality and personal attributes – something way beyond the capabilities of a written CV.



This direct approach has gained the support of several corporate firms that are inundated with applications, including high street leader Marks and Spencer. The retail giant’s executive director of general merchandise, John Dixon, said: “As an employer, there’s no doubt it can be problematic differentiating between candidates by CV alone. The MeVie allows you to see beyond the CV to the person behind it. The development of the MeVie is going to transform recruitment.”



HMNI founders James Hyde and Jonathan Flint, who have more than 40 years’ combined experience in executive search and recruitment, say that the MeVie comes at a time when employers view the traditional CV alone as a dated recruitment method – especially with an average of 85 applicants per job (Research by The Association of Graduate Recruiters 2012)



And it seems job-seekers themselves agree. Looking into the effectiveness of CVs for both job-seekers and employers the study of both businesses and individuals commissioned by HMNI found that 74 per cent of job-seekers no longer deem a traditional CV, viewed in isolation, to be an effective tool in securing a new job. While many agreed a CV plays an important role because it demonstrates academic achievements and work experience, 83 per cent said it has become outdated as it fails to portray important qualities such as personality and confidence, as well as interpersonal and communication skills.


Indeed the research demonstrated that the majority (85 per cent) of job-seekers believe their personality is equally as important as their qualifications and experience when it comes to being successful at their job, and one in ten believe that in today’s social media-savvy world there needs to be a fresh approach, so employers can see more of what a person has to offer during the initial application process.



James Hyde, co-founder of HMNI, said: “The MeVie is the leading trend in recruitment for 2014 and beyond. It’s set to revolutionise both the way people apply for jobs and the way recruiters shortlist applications, by embracing video as an effective solution to seeing beyond the CV.



“Our research confirms it can be really tricky for recruiters to differentiate between candidates’ written applications but a MeVie gives job-seekers the ability to showcase so much more than their qualifications.

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