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New York, If you have trouble landing that dream job, sending a videotaped resume instead of a written one may just do the trick. New research shows that while a written resume highlighting your interests may pique your potential employer’s interest, it is your voice that may actually help you get the job.
“In addition to communicating the contents of one’s mind, like specific thoughts and beliefs, a person’s speech conveys their fundamental capacity to think — the capacity for reasoning, thoughtfulness and intellect,” said Nicholas Epley, professor at University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The researchers found that when hypothetical employers and professional recruiters rated the candidates as more competent, thoughtful and intelligent when they heard the pitch than when they read it — even when the words used were exactly the same.
As a result, they liked the candidate more and were more interested in hiring them.
“When conveying intelligence, it is important for one’s voice to be heard — literally, Epley said.
In a series of experiments, the researchers asked a group of MBA students to develop a short pitch for which they would most like to work. They created written pitches and spoken pitches (videotaped).
Evaluators who heard the pitch reported liking the candidate more and were significantly more likely to hire that person. Even professional recruiters were more likely to hire the candidates whose pitches they could hear than those whose pitches they read.
The study is forthcoming in The Journal of Psychological Science.
