Aways enjoyable to speak with the ever-stunning Robin Meade .... Here's what we covered today with some additional notes. Hope helpful.

Last year, seven out of ten college grads posted resumes online Rapid growth in online video has sparked the next big trend: VIDEO RESUMES. There are some clear Do's & Don't, but if you're looking to go the extra mile, it could be a savvy way to stand out.

Check it out ... - R

Do's

• Dress professionally; treat this video resume like you would a first job interview.
• Introduce yourself; let the employer know who you are.
• Be concise; rule of thumb: keep your video between 1-3 minutes long. Time flies by when you are taping it, but not when an employer is watching.
• Make eye contact & be enthusiastic; show off your personality & let employer see how excited you are not in just words, but your tone & body language.
• Focus on results; tell employers what quantifiable results you've delivered for other companies & what you can do for them.
• Be thankful; don't forget to end your video by thanking the employer for their time.
• Practice runs; get used to talking in front of the camera. Try writing down your thoughts and practicing it in front of a mirror to get a feel for your facial expressions.
• Use a Tripod; keep the camera on a level area to avoid bouncing & image streaking.
• Tape a few seconds; then check it out to make sure the lighting, background & sound are ok.

Don'ts

• Dress in casual clothes; this is your first impression – make it a good one.
• Just start right in; take a moment to establish who you are & why they should continue to watch.
• Tell your life story; keep the information relevant to the job & industry you are applying for.
• Read from a script; no one wants to watch you read from a script behind the camera.
• Just read your resume; employers want to know more about than what is on your resume – here's your chance.
• Go overboard; if you are running long on time, take a 2nd look to see what you can leave out. Don't just cut it off without saying a quick summary or thanks.
• Forget to review; take a look at what you've taped to make sure its good on time, sounds and background. We want to see & hear you clearly!
• Hold the camera; no tripod? Get creative with a stack books or boxes.
• Waste your time; Be sure to do a test tape & verify we can see and hear you clearly.

I've long thought there should be eBay for services. Have thrown the idea out there in various brainstorming sessions over the years. It never really stuck & was always told "it's too local" to aggregate. Well ... while was looking the other way, ServiceMagic.com launched.

Free for consumers, ServiceMagic.com, screens remodeling contractors and has made more than 8 million matches between homeowners and members of its nationwide network of 52,000 prescreened contractors and other types of home service professionals, including plumbers, electricians, landscapers, housekeepers, etc. The site's slogan: "We screen 'em. Neighbors Rate 'em. You pick 'em. Makes perfect sense if you're looking for a service or have one to offer & are looking for leads.

To use ServiceMagic.com:

- Select the category of contractor you need and describe your need in detail.
- ServiceMagic matches your request to the appropriate pre-screened professionals (usually 3 or 4) based on their expertise & preferences.
- ServiceMagic Introduces the prescreened professionals to the customer by providing company profiles
and ratings & reviews.
- Connection by customer and contractor are made via e-mail, text message or telephone.

At the completion of your project, ServiceMagic contacts you to find out which contractor your selected and asks you to rate the contractor in a number of areas, including: Timeliness, Cleanliness, Budget, Quality and Value.

You heard it here first ... Here's PRINTABLE OSCARS BALLOT.