As part of a fourth-year business course, Lang students were tasked with developing a 60-second pitch video to showcase their potential to prospective employers.
In an effort to support the professional career preparation of her students, prof Nadège Levallet challenged her MGMT*4000 students to create personal videos that communicate their unique experiences and learning acquired while studying at Lang. The course partnered with Lang’s Business Career Development Centre and U of G Library Services’ Digital Projects and Media Studio to assist students in perfecting their pitch video.
This applied-learning exercise builds off a recent trend in the use of video resumes in the job market, especially among creative fields in business. To differentiate from a large pool of applicants, video resumes are often used to supplement a traditional resume. The provide an opportunity for an applicant to market themselves to an employer and show off personality or elaborate on performance-based experiences and skills.
The top videos, based off the grading rubric, were chosen to be filmed with the Digital Projects and Media Studio.
Eric Taylor
Niki Geladi
Mir Taki Tazwar
Ariana Pirovic
Tips on Creating Your Own Pitch Video
Michelle Reyes, Program Manager at Lang’s Business Career Development Centre, offered some advice and tips for students hoping to put together a video resume.
Dress to Impress: in your video, dress as if you were headed to an interview and maintain a professional demeanor. Be sure the background of your video is tidy and avoid using slang.
Proper Preparation: before filming, practice what you will say. However, avoid coming off as scripted. Be comfortable with your talking points and practice until you feel confident.
Keep it Brief: try not to go over 90 seconds. Ideally, your video should be anywhere between 45 and 90 seconds.
Seek Feedback: before submitting your video to an employer, send it to friends or family for honest feedback. See what they take from the video and compare that to what you hope an employer would take from it. Adjust your messaging as needed.
The Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics values Active Learning [2] as a key pillar in our mission. The Lang School values pedagogies that foster student engagement and is committed to providing a supportive and challenging learning environment, in which students apply theory to real-world problems, work collaboratively with others, and have the opportunity to develop essential and transferrable skills.
