In terms of resume structure, the sections of your resume always stay the same: contact information, resume summary/resume objective, skills, work experience, and education. Choose from three different
resume formats for these sections: the chronological format, which emphasizes work history, the functional format, which emphasizes skills, and the combination format, which emphasizes both.
Contact information
The header with your contact information belongs at the top of your resume. Include your full name, basic contact information, and any portfolio links (like LinkedIn) that showcase your creative work as a video and film editor. This allows the hiring manager to contact you in several ways and check out your work.
Resume summary or objective
A resume summary is a short paragraph outlining your career background. It needs to be clear and concise while giving a glimpse of your specialties in video and film production. You’ll flesh these specialties out in later sections. A resume objective is a brief statement that communicates your career goals. If you have less experience in video editing, then this may be the better option.
Skills
Your skills section is key to displaying your expertise in dealing with video footage. However, it’s not just about hard skills. You will also need to address the soft (intangible) skills you have that will help in the role. A professional video editor should have plenty of tools in their arsenal, so here’s your opportunity to list your abilities that are relevant to the role. Here are some skills hiring managers look for in a video editor:
- Time management
- Interpersonal skills
- Knowledge of different editing techniques
- Subject-specific knowledge of visual effects, after effects, or voice-overs, for example
- Experience working with various industry programs, such as Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, or Apple’s Final Cut Pro
- Attention to detail
- Efficiency
- Creativity
Remember to highlight skills that are necessary for the role as a priority. You should also give examples of previous video projects where you’ve used these skills. This shows how you can be an asset to an employer’s film and video needs.
Work experience
List your previous relevant experience in reverse chronological order in your experience section. For your work experience section for a video editor, the perfect resume will show that you have a track record of performing duties comparable to the position you are applying for. Using action words, add brief descriptions of your role within previous video projects.
It will be difficult as an entry-level candidate if you don’t have any previous experience as a video editor. However, many video editor jobs do offer on-the-job training. You will need to show that you have at least some training that can act in place of experience working with raw footage and technology.
Education
In your education section, list any relevant training or certifications that give evidence of your suitability for the role. Most video editing jobs do not require a bachelor’s degree. However, if you have a degree in a relevant field, add it here.
An increasing number of professional certifications are available for the programs and software used in video editing, often in the form of online, practical courses. Adding these to your education section is a good way to give evidence of your skills.