As a video editor, you know the most effective way to show off your skills is by showing instead of telling. While you’ll still need to submit a resume to the jobs you want, you can still use that principle to beat out the competition and get the job.

Your resume needs to show that you’re deliberate, know how to edit together content to tell a story, and that you’ve got great attention to detail. In other words, you need to take all of your video editing skills and throw them into crafting your resume. We know, you edit video, but don’t worry because this guide will take you through everything you need to do step by step.

What this guide will show you:

• Video editor resume examples to get you inspired
• How to get past ATS
• What recruiters will look for in your resume
• The best format for a video editor resume including length and sections to include
• How to list your education
• Why and how to include certifications
• How to highlight your achievements
• The trick to starting with a great objective or summary
• What to do if you don’t have much experience
• Tricks for getting past the interview

Video editor resume template examples

You’ve probably got a favorite film, or scene that you’ve seen a hundred times. Getting inspired by others’ work is a great way to kick off your own project. That’s why we always recommend starting off by checking out some resume template examples to see how others have done it.

These top video editor resume examples can give you an idea of what to shoot for. Try looking them over and creating a list of the elements you like and the ones you don’t so you have something to start off your own resume.

[Examples]

How to write a job-winning video editor resume

Any time you edit a video you’re thinking about the audience, both the client and the people who will eventually see the video. Your resume also has two key audiences you need to always be thinking about when you create your resume. Despite what you may think, the first audience is actually an algorithm.

Why you need to consider ATS when applying

Unless you will only be using your resume to apply to small video editing jobs for tiny companies or individuals, you need to start your resume creation process by thinking about ATS. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are AI-driven algorithms designed to scan and sort large numbers of resumes quickly. For companies that might get hundreds of applications to a single job post, they’ve become essential tools.

If you’re anything other than 100% sure the places you’re applying to aren’t using ATS, you need to be prepared for it. Not just a few, but most otherwise qualified applicants are mistakenly rejected by ATS, meaning if you’re submitting a resume that’s not optimized for it you’ve got little chance of it ever reaching an actual human being. But before you panic, don’t worry because there are three simple steps you need to follow to be ready for ATS.

1. Ensure your resume is in the right file format. This one is easy, you wouldn’t submit a project as an .rmvb file so don’t submit your resume in some strange file format. Stick to .doc, .docx, or .pdf as nearly all ATS are designed to work best with these formats.
2. Use a resume builder to ensure your files are ATS-friendly. If you’ve ever received a broken video file, you have a sense of why this is important. Just because a file is in the right format doesn’t mean the data in it isn’t a total mess. The way the data is structured makes a huge difference in how easily ATS can read it. The easiest way to be certain your files are right for ATS is to use a resume builder specifically designed to do this.
3. Be smart about how you use keywords. The basic way ATS function is by taking a list of skills and experience requirements and trying to determine whether your resume has enough to make the cut. The problem comes with phrasing, you might have the required skill or experience but the ATS can’t figure that out because it doesn’t understand how you worded it. That’s why you should phrase your skills and experience as closely to how they’re written in the job ad as possible. This will give you the best chance of making it through.

How to appeal to recruiters

Once your resume gets past ATS (or doesn’t if it’s not being used) it needs to convince a recruiter that you’re the video editor for the job. The trick to do that is empathy and careful preparation. The empathy is what you should use to put yourself in that recruiter’s shoes. Imagine them looking at your resume after a long and stressful afternoon reviewing applications. How can you make your resume appeal to them at that moment?

The main ways you can do this are first, to have a clean and modern design that makes reading your resume easy on the eyes. Second, you should make sure your resume is tailored to that specific job so it’s easy for the recruiter to see that you meet the requirements, and lastly you should format your resume so the key information is easy to find.

How should you format your resume?

Resume formatting is like so many elements of video editing: subtle but the right people will absolutely notice if it’s not done right. If a recruiter has to struggle to find a key piece of information on your resume, you’ve failed. An annoyed recruiter is far less likely to choose to hire you, so you need to keep them happy and on your side.

But what should you do with your resume formatting to get it right? The principles are simple, put the most important information towards the top and only include information that adds value. Start with reverse chronological order, put your most recent job experience at the top (because it’s more relevant) and ask yourself what the single most important pieces of information you want a recruiter to ingest from the start. Then, make sure it’s up at the top as well (we’ll discuss doing this with an objective or summary later).

How long should a video editor resume be?

That second principle about only including information that adds value is how you should answer this question. Much like a movie, each additional scene you add gets your diminishing returns. Most viewers are not looking for a 5 hour director's cut, just like most recruiters don’t want a 4 page resume. As a general rule, aim for 1-2 pages, but just be sure everything on those pages is telling the recruiter something important.

What are the most important sections to include in your resume?

If you’re wondering which sections you should include on your resume, here are the ones every video editor should consider. Just be aware that you don’t necessarily need all of them, just the ones which emphasize your qualities best.

• Resume objective or summary
• Work experience
• Certifications
• Achievements
• Projects
• Education
• Hard skills
• Soft Skills

How to list education on a resume

The first thing to mention about including education on a video editor resume is that if it’s not related to your work then you don’t need to mention it. This connects back to the rule about only adding information that makes your resume better. If you do have a related degree, only add other details like coursework, your thesis, or your GPA if they’re relevant to the job. Here are two examples to illustrate this.

BA in Chemistry

Central Florida University

1997-2001

3.4 GPA

President of University Film Club

This example shows a degree which shouldn’t be included because it’s unrelated, it’s extremely old, and it includes details like GPA that most recruiters simply do not care about. While this person being president of the film club may seem relevant, considering that was about two decades ago, it’s no longer worth mentioning.

BA in Film Studies

UCLA

2008-2012

Thesis on the evolution of editing techniques in horror from 2000-2010

This example is both more recent and more relevant and so it’s worth including on a resume. This candidate is applying for a position editing a horror film, so mentioning their thesis was important. If they were applying for a position editing corporate videos, for example, it would not be worth mentioning.

Where and how to list additional training and certifications

There’s no getting around the fact that not many professional video editors have degrees in the field. This limits your options for demonstrating your abilities. You can and should provide examples of your work, but listing training and certifications is another way to clearly demonstrate your abilities as an editor.

They also show that you’ve gone above and beyond to make the recruiter’s job easier. Instead of saying “of course I can use After Effects, look at my work!” you’re giving them a simple and easy way to check that box and confirm what you know.

Video editing certifications and courses to consider listing

• Adobe Certified Associate - Premiere Pro
• Apple Certified Professional certification Final Cut Pro X
• Avid Certified Professional: Media Composer
• Adobe Certified Associate in Visual Effects and Motion Graphics Using Adobe After Effects

What are the technical and interpersonal skills needed for a video editor?

The technical skills you’ll need will generally be clearly spelled out in the job ad. So if you use Adobe products and aren’t familiar with Final Cut Pro, that’s not a job you should be applying to. The proper interpersonal skills are a bit less clear. In general, a video editor will be expected to be creative, diligent, and to work well with others. It’s a fine balance between having your own vision and refusing to compromise on something with the project manager, director, etc.

More important than knowing all the skills you’ll need for any video editing job (because they will always vary) is being able to read a job ad and figure out what skills a specific role requires. This is another reason why customizing a unique resume for each role is so important.

How to include skills on your video editor resume

As mentioned above, both ATS and recruiters will want to see that you have very specific skills to even consider your resume. But beyond simply choosing the right skills to include (and wording them correctly), including examples which demonstrate those skills in concrete ways is one method to take your resume to the next level. Let’s look at some examples to see this in action.

Experienced editing with Final Cut Pro X

This is a fairly standard way to list a hard skill and while it’s not terrible, it could be done better.

Apple Certified Professional in Final Cut Pro X with 8 years experience with the software

This version brings in a certification and a quantified experience. A recruiter or director reading this instantly has a far better sense of just how experienced you are with the software. But what about soft skills?

Team player

If the job ad specifically mentions that they’re looking to hire a team player, this is important to include for both ATS and recruiters. However, someone reading this isn’t going to instantly believe that it’s true. Let’s see how adding an example makes this skill more impactful.

Team player

-5 years experience doing collaborative editing on a 4 person team for Video Works Inc.

Now a recruiter reading this will see that if you were able to do collaborative editing for that long, you must have the ability to edit well with others. At the very least, it shows that you have a desire to demonstrate what you can do instead of simply stating you can do it (always a good candidate in a hire).

The best soft skills to include

• Attention to detail
• Creativity
• Reliability
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Working well on teams
• Taking input and direction
• Time management

The best hard skills to include

• Adobe Premier
• Adobe After Effects
• Blender
• Final Cut Pro
• Adobe CS6
• Avid Media Composer
• Specific editing types like documentary, commercial, music video, etc.
• Pro Tools
• Animation

How to highlight your most important achievements

Although it’s often hard to quantify your achievements in video editing, this is a critical section where you can include all kinds of achievements to demonstrate your abilities. This could mean awards, or successfully editing a big project under a tight deadline. 

The best way to come up with ideas for achievements to mention is to begin with the skills you’ve listed. Then ask yourself which of your achievements can best back up those skills. These could be listed under the skills as in the example above or in their own achievements section. Here are two examples to demonstrate what this looks like in practice.

Improved video editing efficiency.

The issue here is that a recruiter won’t have any idea what “improved” means. Sure they might ask you about it in an interview, but with vague language like this you may not make it that far. This is why it’s always best to be specific.

Developed a new system for organizing and transcribing incoming video footage, leading to a 25% reduction in the time needed to turn raw footage into finished videos.

Adding more specifics and details to that achievement transforms it into something which sounds truly impressive. Achievements like this which demonstrate initiative and attention to detail will make your video editor resume stand out.

How to write a resume objective or summary

We mentioned above that the most effective way to start off a video editor resume is with an objective or summary, but what are these and how should you write one? Both are short bits of text which go at the top of your resume and help explain things and give context. For example, if you’re changing careers, this is a good place to mention your motivations. Information like this which doesn’t easily fit into other resume sections is ideal for an objective or summary.

The more specific difference is that a resume objective will be shorter, about a sentence, and focus on what you're aiming to achieve with this application. A resume summary can be up to a few sentences and explain a bit more if needed.

Video editor resume objective example

The key to a great resume objective is to pack a lot of useful information into just a few words.

I’m the best documentary editor in Denver with years of experience to make your project a success.

This example certainly has plenty of information, but probably not the intended kind. It’s heavy on the boasting and light on details. It sounds like this person thinks they’re too important to customize their resume for this specific job. As a result, it makes a bad first impression.

Denver video editor with 4 years TV commercial experience with Premier and After Effects looking to join the team at Experience Media.

This resume objective is written for a job asking for a video editor who’s specifically based in Denver, has experience editing commercials, and uses specific adobe software. In other words, the objective makes it immediately clear to a recruiter that this candidate fits the requirements. Then, to finish off, it shows that the candidate wrote this specifically for one job position, meaning they took the time to do it right (always a good trait in a video editor).

Video editor resume summary example

A resume summary can be a few sentences long but still needs to be concise and packed with useful information. Think of it like a trailer for your resume, showing the key highlights and making the recruiter want to read more.

Video editor who is talented at making ads perform better. Experienced in Adobe Premiere, Adobe Pro Tools, Final Cut Pro X, and After Effects. Reliable, consistent, and able to handle large workloads.

This resume summary reads too much like a list of skills. In other words, it doesn’t add anything because if the recruiter wanted to see a list of your skills, they would skip to that section.

Video editor with an obsessive focus on crafting short videos for online ads which maximize conversions. Boosted conversions from Youtube ads by 23.5% at Orion Products by setting up experiments to test 5 second openings, resulting in a better understanding of customer pain points.

In this case, the job wanted a video editor to help them boost conversions of their online ads. There was no mention of any specific software they wanted, so this wasn’t important enough to include in the summary. This company is laser focused on results, so the summary mirrors that focus.

How to write a video editor resume when you have little or no experience

If you’ve been editing videos at home for years but never had a formal job as a video editor, crafting a resume which shows your skills is extra tricky. This is when you should rely more on your certifications and achievements. Certifications show your abilities in a formal way without a job and you can list things you accomplished on your own under achievements.

Also, don’t pretend you’re more experienced than you are. You can use a summary to explain the kind of experience you have and why you think you’re ready for the role you want.

How to prepare for an interview as a video editor

1. Research the company. You should come into the interview with a sense of the company and their editing needs. Looking at their current videos, social media presence, etc. will help give you a sense of their style, culture, and what they might need from you as a video editor.
2. Based on that research, come to the interview with some questions for the interviewer.
3. Get ahead of questions you’ll likely hear by looking back through your resume with a friend and brainstorming likely questions you’ll be asked. Then, ensure you’re prepared for them by practicing.
4. Prepare some stories about your editing career and accomplishments.

What questions are likely to be asked during the interview process?

• Can you share an example of how you’ve worked on a team?
• How do you think you can improve our current videos?
• How would you improve our video editing process?
• Has there been a time when you had difficulty working with someone, what did you do?
• Can you share an example of a time when your editing substantially transformed or improved a video?
• How do you work under pressure, do you have an example of this?
• What are you looking for in an employer?
• What made you choose to become a video editor?

How to make your resume stand out

The best way for your video editor resume to stand out is for it to match the job. One company might be looking for someone to edit big, bold, and flashy videos while another might want more subtle product demo videos or something similar. Those two companies want very different things from an editor, so they should get very different resumes to reflect that. Your goal is for a recruiter to look at your resume and think “this person seems perfect.” 

But, like with any video editing job, you need the right tools to accomplish this.

Why you should be using a resume builder

You need a video editor resume with elegant, modern design, ATS-friendly formatting, and tools to make it easy to create many customized resumes for different positions. That’s why you need a resume builder. These tools are designed with job-seekers like you in mind, streamlining many of the trickier and more time-consuming elements of creating a great resume so you can apply to more jobs and get hired faster.

Resumebuild.com offers all of this and more. It’s got expert curated video editor resume templates and examples to get you started and powerful tools to carry you through the entire process. You wouldn’t edit your masterpiece on iMovie, so don’t leave something as important as your resume to whatever word-processing software you have lying around.