Video Editor Resume Example and Advice from HR Pros

Video editing is one of the most in-demand professions of the decade. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States, overall employment for film and video editors and camera operators is forecasted to grow up to 29% by the year of 2030.

With a large number of media companies and a growing need for commercial video content, finding a job for a skilled video editor shouldn't be difficult. However, if you want to get a high-paying job as a video editor, skills and credentials alone aren’t enough. You need to lay them out in a convincing resume and cover letter package so that your potential employer instantly recognizes your value.

In this article, we are looking into how to write a powerful video editor resume.

Sample video editor resume

Let’s start by taking a look at a sample video editor resume to give you an idea of what information you may want to include. Next, we will go over each of the sections of the resume one by one with more tips on how to compose each one.

Video editor job description

As a video editor, you will be mostly in charge of managing footage, dialogue, sound effects, graphics and special effects to produce a final video product. Video editing is the key element of the post-production process and your skills as a video editor will determine the final result. As a video editor, you will be working closely with the people shooting original footage as well as the client who has requested the video product to make sure it meets their expectations.

Video editors can work on a full-time or freelance basis or sign short-term contracts with post-production studios, television companies, corporate employers and more.

Today, video editing requires the knowledge of a variety of digital editing platforms and other tools, which have replaced the manual methods of operating film. In some editing positions you will have more creative freedom while in others you will need to follow specific patterns and use specialized editing tools.

To make good money as a video editor while working comfortable hours, you will need to secure a well-paying job. And to do so, you will first need to work on your resume.

How to write a video editor resume: what sections to include

The first thing you will need to decide when writing a video editor resume is what information you want to include and how you want to structure it. There are three main resume formats that most HR managers are comfortable with. These include the following:

• the reverse-chronological format (where you list work experience starting from the most recent position)
• the skill-based format (where you focus your resume on the skills and qualifications you possess rather than work experience)
• and the hybrid format.

Here, we will be looking at the reverse-chronological resume format. But you can also learn more about Top Resume Formats: Tips and Examples of 3 Common Formats.

Let’s take a look at the key sections of your video editor resume.

Name and contact details

This is the most basic section of your resume — but it’s also absolutely necessary. Make sure you have your name clearly written at the top of the page so that the hiring manager can instantly see whose resume they are looking at.

This section is also a chance to add some extra information about yourself that can get the HR manager interested in going over your resume in more detail.

Consider including the following information in the first section of your resume:

• Your full name + educational or professional credentials. Adding relevant credentials will add extras points to your application before the employer has even gone over your resume.
• Contact details. These can be just your phone number and email. Or, you may also add your address — in most cases, just your city or area will be enough.
• Links to your professional social media. This is a relatively new thing to include in resumes — but it can be very useful, especially when it comes to digital professions such as video editing. If your work is published on YouTube or on other platforms, including a link to your social media can give your employer an easy path to be impressed with your work right away.
• Personal information. The practice of including personal information in your resume differs depending on the country you reside in and the company you are applying for a job in. In some cases, the employer may want to see your photo — and resumes with photos do tend to be more eye-catching, at least initially. However, in most of the United States, adding information about your gender or appearance (attaching a photo) may go against the anti-discriminatory laws. Make sure to adjust your application to the country you are in and check if the information you add is actually required for the position you are applying for.

Resume summary

It’s generally a good idea to start off your resume with a resume summary. This is your professional introduction and an overview of your most valued skills. This is the first section of your resume that your employer will read through. And the best-case scenario is that it will catch their attention and get them interested in reading the rest of your application.

Your resume summary shouldn’t repeat the same information that’s detailed below in your resume. It should be a concentrated presentation of your best qualities. Be specific, include numbers, mention important achievements and more. Try to keep your resume summary down to three to five sentences.

Professional experience

Next up, talk about your work experience. What you include in this section depends entirely on how much work experience you have and — most importantly — how it applies to the position you are applying for now.

When listing your work experience, it’s customary to start with the most recent positions first. However, you can also start with the position that is the most relevant to the new job that you want to get. For instance, if you are applying for a position that will require you edit videos for a YouTube vlog, you may want to start with the experience you’ve had in this field first.

When describing your experience, mention your position, the company you worked for, the amount of time you spent there and go into a bit more detail about your responsibilities. You can also mention your professional accomplishments, most challenging projects, awards and acclaims and more.

Education

The Education section of your resume should include information about your highest degree as well as other qualifications and relevant courses. What you include here naturally depends on what education you have.

You should start by mentioning your highest degree. However, if the job you are applying for requires specific expertise, you will need to include additional qualifications, courses, digital editing platform certifications and more.

Additional information

This is an extra section you can include in your resume. It makes sense to include it if you have anything left “unsaid”. You can list any research you’ve published, foreign languages you speak, commendations or awards you have received and so on.

However, if you want to keep your resume clean and short, not including the Additional information section is totally acceptable as well.

A few extra tips for writing your video editor resume

Here are a few handy extras you may want to take into account when writing your resume.

• Do your best to keep your resume to one page. According to Monster.com, unless you have a lot of relevant work experience or are applying for a job in academics, it’s best to keep your resume concise.
• Take the time to structure and format your resume for maximum readability. Hiring managers are typically very busy people and they will appreciate a concise one-page document that is well-structured, with important details highlighted.
• An ideal resume should include easily readable content and ATS-friendly keywording. Try to make your resume an easy read for both robots and humans.
• Add a cover letter. A resume is focused on your work experience and process tonal credentials. A cover letter, on the other hand, is a chance for your personality to come through. It’s a great opportunity to talk about your motivation and passion for the job and make your application stand out.

Learn how to write a cover letter for creative professions in Video Editor Cover Letter Example and Advice from HR Pros.