Lights, Camera...Resume!

If you're a job seeker without any leads, you might want to tear up that 8 1/2" X 11" sheet of paper, get out your digital camera and find your favorite video-sharing Web site.

At least that's the advice from some experts and people like Trent Willis, who created a clever mock ad to land his dream job in politics. Willis was living and working in Alabama but wanted to get closer to the action in Washington. We interviewed him recently at his new job with an advocacy group just outside the nation's capital. His boss told us that Willis landed the position because Willis's sense of humor, edginess and creativity were on display in his video resume. Without it, he says he wouldn't have even interviewed Willis.

There's plenty of software to help with editing, but you don't have to do it yourself. There are several companies like Vault.com and Reel Biography that will help you find your inner Spielberg. You can then post it on video-sharing sites like YouTube or Veoh, or offer it on a DVD or USB drive.

Video resumes won't work for every type of job, and the key is to match your production to the type of job you're after. For example, if you're applying for something in sales, it's probably OK to show some personality. But that can backfire, too, as with this now infamous case.

Look for more tips on video resumes when this story airs on an upcoming edition of the CBS Early Show. Remember: if a picture is worth a thousand words, then maybe a video is worth a million.