What do employers look for in a candidate? Government careers advice in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada gives the same short answer: the right skills or experience for the job, plus general skills like communication, teamwork and a good attitude. Employers also want to know you are reliable and that you will fit into their team. In a self-introduction video you have about one minute, so the trick is to show each of these with one real fact from your work, not a list of nice words.
What employers look for: the official answer
The Australian Government's Your Career site says employers generally look for someone with the right qualifications and/or work experience plus employability skills. Employability skills are the general skills you use in every job. Communication, teamwork and problem-solving are examples, and they move with you from one trade or industry to another.
It gives an example: an employer may hire a checkout operator with no work experience, but will still insist on good teamwork and communication.
New Zealand's government careers service, Tahatū Career Navigator, names 7 key employability skills employers value: positive attitude, communication, teamwork, self-management, willingness to learn, resilience and thinking skills. The UK's National Careers Service calls them soft skills and lists communication, leadership, positivity, flexibility and problem solving. Canada's Job Bank says employers usually want a mix of hard skills (the technical skills of your trade) and soft skills (how you work on your own and with others).
Five things employers look for in a candidate, and how each one shows on camera
1. Skills and experience that match this job
This is the first filter. The employer wants to hear your trade, the kind of work you do every day and how long you have done it. The Australian Government's advice for job seekers says to list both job-specific skills, such as heavy equipment operation, and general skills, such as teamwork and communication.
On camera, be specific. "I have experience in construction" tells the employer very little. "I weld structural steel for factory buildings, mostly MIG and stick" tells them you can do the work in their ad.
2. Reliability and commitment
Your Career says work experience lets you show employers that you are committed to work, reliable and trustworthy.
You cannot prove reliability by saying "I am reliable". Prove it with a fact: how long you stayed with one employer, a shift pattern you kept, or a time you were trusted with keys, tools or a team. Hobbies can help: the Australian Government's advice gives weekend soccer as a sign of commitment and teamwork.
3. Safe and careful work
In trades, how you work matters as much as what you produce. A supervisor watching your video is quietly asking, "Will this person follow the rules on my site?" One calm sentence about a safety habit you really keep answers that question. For example, you check your tools before every shift, or you always isolate power before you open a board. Say only what you actually do.
4. Clear communication
Your video is itself a test of communication. Clear matters more than perfect. In New Zealand, the Human Rights Commission says an employer cannot refuse to hire you because of your accent if you can be clearly understood.
Tahatū Career Navigator advises taking a deep breath first and talking slowly and clearly. Job Bank adds eye contact and a firm, clear, confident voice. On a phone, eye contact means looking at the lens, not at your own face on the screen.
Before you send your video, run it past our list of nine self-introduction video mistakes, from a dark face to claims with no example.
5. Attitude and fit with the team
The Australian Government's advice for job seekers says employers ask "Can you tell me about yourself?" to understand who you are, your experience and skills, and how you will fit into the team. Fit is about attitude: willing to learn and easy to work with.
Show it with your tone and one honest line about why you want the job. A small smile at the start and the end helps more than any speech about being a "team player".
What employers look for in a video resume: a quick check
| Quality | What the employer wants to know | How to show it in your video | Example line to adapt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills and experience | Can you do the work in our ad? | Name your trade, your main tasks and your years of experience | "I am a diesel mechanic with [number] years on trucks and loaders." |
| Reliability | Will you turn up and stay? | Give one fact: time with one employer, shifts, trust given to you | "I worked with the same company for [number] years and ran the night shift." |
| Safe work | Will you follow site rules? | Mention one safety habit you really keep | "Before I start any job, I check my tools and the work area." |
| Communication | Can we understand you and work with you? | Speak slowly, look at the lens, use short sentences | "I explain each job to the customer before I start." |
| Attitude and fit | Will you fit our team and keep learning? | Say why you want this work and what you want to learn | "I enjoy busy teams, and I want to learn your systems." |
What recruiters look for in a video interview
A self-introduction video and a video interview are close cousins. The Australian Government's Job Jumpstart site explains that video interviews are usually either live with an employer or recruiter, or a set of pre-recorded questions you answer on camera. Pre-recorded ones often have a time limit for each answer, and you may get more than one chance to record.
Recruiters look for the same five qualities, plus preparation. Your Career says being punctual, well-presented and prepared still matters in online interviews.
Look at the camera, keep your head and shoulders in the centre of the shot, and dress as you would for an in-person interview. Our guide to recording a self-introduction video on your phone covers the set-up step by step.
How to build a 60-second intro around what employers look for
Tahatū Career Navigator suggests a short talk about yourself that takes no more than 60 seconds to say.
- Read the job ad again. Circle the skills and words the employer uses.
- Pick one job skill and one general skill. For example, "TIG welding on stainless pipe" and "training new apprentices".
- Choose one short story. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Three or four sentences are enough.
- Add one line for reliability or safety. A fact, not an adjective: years with one employer, a shift you ran, a habit you keep.
- Say why you want this job. One honest sentence about the work or the team.
- Finish with thanks. Tahatū advises ending a video CV by thanking the employer and giving your contact information.
- Write key points, then practise out loud. Practise your key points many times so you do not sound like you are reading.
- Record, watch it back and ask for feedback. Do as many takes as you need, and ask a friend whether your voice was clear.
If you want more help with the words, see our tell me about yourself sample answers for tradespeople and the 60-second self introduction scripts for five trades.
An example script that covers all five
An example for a welder (change every detail in brackets to your own facts):
"Hello, my name is [your name]. I am a welder with [number] years of experience in structural steel and pipe work, mostly MIG and TIG. For the last [number] years I have worked for one fabrication company, and I lead a small team on the night shift. Last year a client needed a rush repair on a broken frame. I checked the drawings, set up a safe work area and finished the repair before the deadline, with no rework. I check my gear and my work area before every job. I enjoy working in a team and I am keen to learn your methods. Thank you for watching, and I hope to speak with you soon."
The trade and tasks show skills, the years and the shift show reliability, the repair shows problem-solving, the gear check shows safe work and the last lines show attitude.
Honest beats impressive
Never make your experience sound bigger than it is. New Zealand's Human Rights Commission says job applicants are expected to answer questions truthfully, and an employer can withdraw a job offer if they find exaggerated qualifications or experience.
Your video also works best next to your written CV, not instead of it. Tahatū says a video CV does not replace your written CV, but it shows employers your personality and can help you stand out. Optional: a verified Talent Tabloid profile lets employers check your experience and can help your application stand out.
Common mistakes
- Listing qualities without proof. "I am hard-working, honest and reliable" sounds like everyone else. One real fact does more.
- Criticising a past employer. The Australian Government's advice for job seekers says this can reflect poorly on you, even when the old job was hard.
- Sharing personal details nobody needs. The UK's National Careers Service says not to put your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality on a CV. The same thinking works for a video: talk about your work.
- Reading word for word. Learn your key points and speak them.
- Running too long. The Australian Government's advice says to keep a video resume under 2 minutes because attention drops. Aim for one minute.
How the app can help with this step
SelfIntroVideo writes a short script from your Talent Tabloid profile (your target role, skills and work experience), and its teleprompter lets you practise and record while you look at the camera, with retakes until you are happy. The Android app is not on Google Play yet; you can see how it works now and what employers see on the other side.
Frequently asked questions
What do employers look for in a candidate first?
Most employers first check that you have the right skills, qualifications or experience for the job. Then they look at general skills like communication and teamwork. Australian Government careers advice says employers generally want both together.
What qualities do employers look for in tradespeople?
Beyond your trade skills, employers value a positive attitude, communication, teamwork, willingness to learn and reliability. Show each one with a real example, not just the word.
Does my accent matter in a self-introduction video?
Being understood matters more than your accent. In New Zealand, the Human Rights Commission says an employer cannot refuse to hire you because of your accent if you can be clearly understood. Speak slowly, use short sentences and pause between ideas.
How long should my video be to show what employers look for?
Aim for about one minute. Tahatū Career Navigator suggests a short talk about yourself of no more than 60 seconds, and Australian Government advice says to keep a video resume under 2 minutes.
Can a video replace my CV?
No. Tahatū Career Navigator says a video CV does not replace your written CV, but it can show your personality and help you stand out. Send both when the employer accepts a video, and keep the facts in each one the same.
Key takeaways
- Employers look for the right skills or experience plus general skills like communication and teamwork.
- Reliability, safe work and a good attitude count, but only real facts prove them.
- In one minute, cover your trade, one short story, one reliability or safety line and why you want the job.
- Speak slowly, look at the lens and be clearly understood; a perfect accent is not needed.
- Stay honest and keep your video and CV telling the same story.
