Partner Article

Graduate aims to transform CVs

The days of struggling to get your best attributes down on paper, without too much repetition of the phrases like team player, own initiative, enthusiastic and experienced, could be numbered.

For a Sunderland University graduate who has developed a system for creating online video CVs is preparing to launch his business nationally.

As a graduate considering the next step in his own career, John Hudson spotted a gap in the market for a more dynamic and effective way of matching jobseekers with employers than the traditional paper CV.

His experience led him to develop Onlinevideocv ltd, a system creating profiles of prospective employees that projects their personalities as well as providing key information about them – allowing candidates to make a greater impact and employers to reduce interview times.

The cloud technology built into John’s business was developed by Newcastle-based company Inkspot Science and enables large video files and other data to be quickly processed onto an online system.

With additional help from Newcastle Science City in incorporating cloud computing into the company, the business has made a major breakthrough as it can now handle vast quantities of data and launch on a national level.

John said: “Without Inkspot Science technology I could not have made the product scalable or be in a position to take it nationwide. I would have been able to launch on a local level but the market would soon be saturated and so the business would not have been viable.

“The business depends on huge files being compressed. Instead of having to do this manually I now simply click a button and off it goes into the cloud where it is automatically processed and loaded. The fact that this solution has been specifically designed for my business is absolutely marvellous and it will ensure the company takes off.”

The system was devised following trials and market research carried out at Durham and Newcastle universities and a number of regional further education colleges. John already has a number of sales lined up with North East universities which plan to use the system for graduate appointments, international student recruitment, investment opportunities and as a marketing tool.

A number of charities are already using the system – which John runs from his based at the Business and Innovation Centre, Sunderland – to help link disabled learners with employers and improve presentation skills.

John added: “There is potentially an enormous market for this product because it can be used in so many ways. Starting in the North East, I’m aiming to take it nationally as soon as possible, and later even to countries such as China and the US.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .