New wave of shipping recruitment

While growing in popularity among recruiters in many sectors video resumes are still something new in shipping, but this could be changing with Singapore recruitment firm Talent-Merge launching a new app called Virvit.

The Virvit app designed to match jobseekers with open positions offers candidates not only the option to upload the traditional written resume, but also a video version, as well as video testimonials from former employers.

Speaking with Seatrade Maritime News Clarence Khoh, Director of Talent-Merge, explains that the app allows candidates to upload video resumes of one-to-three minutes. “And from there, the employers, when they click on a profile, they can view that minute long video and decide whether that is the candidate that they want to interview.”

Khoh says that video resumes enable an employer to get a flavour of the candidate that they cannot get from the paper version. “This is not meant as an interview, but at least the client can have a view of the one-minute video and say ‘yes, this candidate is what we're looking for in terms of their skill sets and presentation’.”

At a click of a button the employer can then schedule a video interview with the candidate via Zoom or Teams. From the employer side there is also a proprietary AI-powered function that gives a percentage match between the candidate’s skills and the job requirements.

It aims to streamline the process and Khoh cites the experience it has had working with a NASDAQ-listed company. “For instance, in this case the company that we worked with, we give them six video resumes, and they shortlisted three, and they hired one.”

Khoh sees the current recruitment process in shipping as quite traditional most employers posting positions on job portals and receiving a flood of CVs.

The Virvit app has been available in Google and Apple app stores since September and the was soft-launched at the start of this month. As far as Khoh is aware they are first specialist maritime recruitment company to go down the video resume route and he’s sees it as differentiator for the niche Singapore firm.

The use of app and video resumes is seen as most suitable for more junior executive positions such as procurement or accounting. For senior roles, such as c-suite or highly skilled technical positions in shipping, the more traditional executive search Talent-Merge, and other recruiters, offer would likely remain the preferred hiring method.

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New wave of shipping recruitment – the video resume