You could be Diddy's new assistant!

Sean Combs - aka Diddy - is looking for an assistant. Lucky for you, he just narrowed the applicant pool to only college graduates.

Diddy placed a help-wanted ad onto YouTube, looking for someone to do everything from holding his umbrella in the rain to chaperoning his band.

Don't get too excited just yet - Diddy doesn't want any old resume - he wants a video resume.

"It's a new age, new time, new era," he says in his first posting. "Forget coming into the office and having a meeting with me and being all nervous."

Diddy is onto something here - video resumes are next "new" thing in career advancement. Though usually not be used in place of a traditional paper resume, videos are a great supplement to showcase your personality and strengths on camera - and to put a face to all the faceless resumes.

But, if not executed properly, your 'visume' could end up hurting you, rather than helping you. For example, if you talk to long, get too creative or act unprofessionally, your chances of being brought in for an interview decrease. But, if you're to-the-point, charismatic and professional, you're sure to at least get a viewing.

Joe Turner, career expert, offers nine video resume mistakes to be aware of:

• It runs too long. "Don't bore the hiring managers. Keep it under two minutes; about one minute should get your message across.
• You don't know who you are. "Prepare your 'elevator pitch' before you record. Here is an example: 'I'm a seasoned Sales Manager whose strength in creative sales and marketing techniques generated $500,000 in brand new revenue for my employer in 12 months.'"
• Thinking a video résumé is your résumé on video. "Contrary to its name, a video resume is NOT a resume. It's a 30 to 60 second ad spot to entice your viewers to look at your (digital) résumé and find out more about you."
• Rambling on camera  "Put it on paper first. Think of what you want to say about yourself. Write it down in short sentences and then say it aloud. Replace any syntax problems or phrases that are hard to enunciate with simpler words. You speak differently than you write, so keep it in a conversational tone as if you were speaking to your real-life interviewer a few feet away."
• Too many "ums and ahs." "Don't wing it. Your finished product should be compelling. This is the most professional image you want to present, so prepare ahead of time and memorize your script."
• Severe case of "Serious Face."  "Have a bit of fun with it. You want to project enthusiasm. Think "upbeat" and smile when you look into the camera. Imagine that you are meeting with a flesh and blood hiring manager at a great company who already likes what she sees."
• Giving far too much information. "Remember the KISS formula: Keep it simple stupid."
• Uninviting appearance. "Remember, a video résumé is a type of interview, so dress the part. Give the appearance of someone in the role for which you are applying. You will also have some background showing on the video.  Make sure it's not your dirty laundry or the clutter of your bedroom."
• Too many "Clowns."  "No arms folded or hands on hips. While it's OK to use your hands to accentuate, watch out for those 'clowns.' These are what acting coaches call unnecessary arm movements which, on playback, tend to make you appear like a clown, i.e., humorous. You don't want unintentional laughs. Keep your arms and hands by your side as much as possible."
  

Comments

[Dione Patillo]

Does the assistant tasks include business duties or errand running duties? The entire time I am the assistant, I only want to utilize my brain.

[Robin Thom]

I like working with people.