These are some of the general questions we've been asked about our service:
- What is a VisualCV and what's so cool about it?
- What can you tell me about creating, sharing, and managing VisualCVs in 60 seconds or less?
- I'm not looking for a job right now. Why would I want to use a VisualCV?
- How are you guys different from other resume, job, or networking sites?
- How is a VisualCV different from the video resumes already in use?
- I'm no Web guru. How can I possibly create my own VisualCV?
- Will your service cost me anything?
- I don't see any ads. How are you guys going to make money?
- Will your service work internationally?
- Will my computer be able to handle your service?
- How do I sign up?
- What is the VisualCV Marketplace?
- How will VisualCV work with OpenSocial?
What is a VisualCV and what's so cool about it?
Words on paper or on screen can communicate only so much. With a VisualCV, you can enhance the words in your resume with photographs, charts and graphs, video, audio clips, and additional documents (such as letters of recommendation or examples of your work) that paint a richer and more meaningful picture of who you are and the value you offer. A VisualCV also makes it easy for you to add your accomplishments as they occur so you don’t forget about them or face a major rewrite in a rush situation.
In a nutshell, VisualCV is a tool that helps anyone who deals with “about me” kind of information—whether seeking a job or a candidate or just networking—create and view comprehensive, visual, and interactive resumes that stand out from the rest. Tell me more
What can you tell me about creating, sharing, and managing VisualCVs in 60 seconds or less?
Creating, enriching, sharing, and managing your VisualCVs is a simple and fun process. In the 58 seconds you have left after reading this answer, take our "mini tour" for a quick overview of this process. Take me to the tour
I'm not looking for a job right now. Why would I want to use a VisualCV?
A VisualCV isn’t just useful when you’re job hunting. Here are some ideas for using a VisualCV other than for job searching:
- Stay visible. A VisualCV is an invaluable way for anyone in a visible career—including executives, speakers, professors, scientists, independent consultants, and recognized industry experts—to communicate their ongoing "personas" to prospective clients, associates, or peers. Showcase your persona in a compelling, easy-to-update VisualCV that you can link to from your email signature, business cards, and other marketing materials.
- Prepare for performance reviews. Even if your current job is your dream job, wouldn’t it be neat to show your employer a VisualCV of your accomplishments come review time?
- Be ready for future job searches. It’s easy to "silently" register your interest in great companies you may want to work for one day. You can quickly update your VisualCV to reflect major projects you’ve worked on or to add a new work sample you’re proud of so you’ll be ready to go if and when you do start looking for a job.
How are you guys different from other resume, job, or networking sites?
Posting a standard resume on a job board puts professionals in a box where they can quickly become one in millions. Traditional resumes sit indefinitely in a database. They are typically neglected by their authors and they often generate unwanted leads.
Regarding networking sites, it is widely accepted that social networking sites are great for fun, but they are not what professionals use to distinguish themselves and advance their careers, and they lack privacy controls. Most online professional networks allow you to network but they do not allow professionals to completely represent their qualifications.
Unlike any other site, VisualCV offers an online venue for professionals to create an Internet-based, multimedia-rich resume, build and manage an online career portfolio, and securely share professional qualifications with companies, customers, partners, and colleagues—all from the same location. Because a VisualCV is Internet-based, it is easy for VisualCV members to update and add to their VisualCVs, ensuring that people see the most recent version.
How is a VisualCV different from the video resumes already in use?
Although a VisualCV incorporates video and other components, it is more than a video resume. The VisualCV is a tailored tool that our members create to best represent themselves professionally. For some, that will include a video component; others may choose not to use a video at all but to include one of the other options—such as photos, audio clips, graphs, or documents—instead. When our members combine their VisualCV with the other services we offer, they are equipped with a powerful tool for managing their professional career.
I'm no Web guru. How can I possibly create my own VisualCV?
Rest assured that you don’t have to be a Web guru to create and share your own VisualCV. In fact, the VisualCV editor makes it a snap to tweak text, add multimedia elements, and rearrange pieces of your VisualCV. And sharing your VisualCV is as easy as clicking a link and telling us who you want to share with. Tell me more
Will your service cost me anything?
All basic capabilities of VisualCV, including creating and sharing VisualCVs, are free to both professionals and companies. In the near future, we'll be offering subscription levels that provide other services, such as resume writing help and background check certification. Companies can find and attract great professionals with a VisualCV Career Connection Account, which is an affordable and new way to connect with great professionals. Tell me more about a VisualCV Career Connection Account
I don't see any ads. How are you guys going to make money?
You're right—we don't include ads in a professional (individual) member's VisualCV. (We feel that it’s your personal brand, not ours!) As an individual member, VisualCV services are free, and your VisualCVs will always be ad and banner free.
Our revenues will come from additional services we offer to employers, legitimate recruiters acting on their behalf, and other organizations such as professional associations and alumni groups. Tell me more
We also offer a VisualCV Marketplace, where companies or individuals can buy listing space in a career-focused Marketplace area of our website to draw attention to their own VisualCV and the services they provide (for example, boutique recruiting, career counseling, or resume writing). Tell me more
As part of our commitment to members, we will never sell ad space on your VisualCV, and we will never sell your name, contact details, or VisualCV to any organization. As you can see, earning the trust of our members is vitally important to us—and being transparent about our revenue plans is part of our commitment. Show me your commitment statement
Will your service work internationally?
VisualCV is available worldwide. In fact, more than half of the VisualCVs that have been created so far are from members outside of the U.S. and Canada. You can create a VisualCV in your native language, with some limitations—for example, resume sections don't yet fully support special or double-byte characters such as accented or Asian characters. However, we have been making some minor tweaks (such as improving the formatting of phone numbers and introducing time zone preferences) and we will continue to add features to better support our international users.
Will my computer be able to handle your service?
You don’t need to download any software to create or share a VisualCV. To make the best use of VisualCV features, you should have a recent browser version (we've designed and tested VisualCV on Internet Explorer 6.0+, Mozilla Firefox 2.0+, and Safari 3.x+) that is set up to allow VisualCV to run Javascripts and set cookies. We will check your browser when you log in to VisualCV to make sure you are set up appropriately so you can fully experience the VisualCV features.
Also, if you plan to enhance your VisualCV with videos, audio clips, photographs, or documents, you should also have a broadband Internet connection and access to tools that can create multimedia files (for example, a scanner to create an electronic version of a paper work sample or a digital camera to make a photograph or video). Tell me more about your minimum browser requirements
How do I sign up?
As an individual (professional member), all you need to get started is a valid email address. We’ll create an account for you based on your email address and a login name and password that you choose, and we’ll send you a welcome email with a link to activate your account. Once your account is activated, you’ll be ready to create and share your first VisualCV.
If you are a company representative, the registration process is slightly different. Tell me more
What is the VisualCV Marketplace?
The VisualCV Marketplace is an open market resource where members can find service providers who can help improve their VisualCVs or assist in a job search. Here’s a quick peek at the types of service providers the Marketplace offers:
- Career Coaches: A career coach can assist you at all stages of your career…in the job search process and beyond.
- Resume Writers: Writing a powerful resume, one that represents your many skills and talents, is no easy task. Improve your VisualCV's content with assistance from one of our resume writers.
- Videographers and Photographers: Ready for a professional headshot or a well-shot video? The right images or videos can really enhance your VisualCV.
- Certified VisualCV Creators: A Certified VisualCV Creator can help you create a VisualCV that will knock the socks off anyone who views it. Certified by VisualCV, these creators know how to help you stand out in the crowd.
- Recruiters: Looking for some assistance getting your VisualCV in front of your next boss? Get that help from a VisualCV Recruiting service provider.
- Certification and Testing Providers: Prove yourself. Our professional certification, testing service and verification service organizations can set you apart from the competition.
To view the VisualCV Marketplace, log in to VisualCV and click Marketplace under the Get Hired menu at the top of any page.
Interested in advertising your services in the Marketplace? If you are a company or consultant who can offer a relevant service to the VisualCV member community, you can become listed as a service provider in the VisualCV Marketplace. Tell me more
How will VisualCV work with OpenSocial?
OpenSocial is an initiative backed by Google to provide a common set of application programming interfaces (open source APIs, for you tech types) that allow networking sites to play nicely together. VisualCV will support these APIs. Watch for exciting new features based on this initiative.
