Dreading your video interview? Take a breath and read these tips.
Being interviewed on camera can seem intimidating. What do you wear? What do you say? Where do you look?
You’re not alone in feeling stressed out about being on video. Very few people actually enjoy facing the camera. However, it doesn’t have to be as bad as you think if you practice and keep things in perspective. Here are a few of our tips to make your interview great!
How to prepare
First, remember that you are likely being asked to do the interview because you’re the subject matter expert on the video topic. Find confidence in your knowledge base. Sometimes it helps to spend some time getting your thoughts in order. If you receive questions in advance, it doesn’t hurt to jot down some bullet points and practice possible responses. Most of the corporate videos we do aren’t live, giving you a chance to glance down at your notes in between questions if you’d like. This is preferable to using a teleprompter or writing down answers word for word, which tend to generate robotic responses as people focus on reading more than what they’re actually saying. If you’re working with us here at Flex Media, our producers are great at hinting at major points and messages from our pre-production meetings so they can cue you if you forget anything.
BREATHE!
Most people tend to talk more quickly when they’re nervous, leading to more mess-ups and feeling flustered and discouraged. The best thing to do is to take a breath and slow down. When you speak at a more relaxed pace, you give yourself time to gather your thoughts and deliver a more effective, smoother answer. Don’t rush, it’s perfectly fine to take your time!
It’s ok to mess up
That said, don’t get caught up in feeling pressured to deliver perfect answers. Again, most company videos aren’t live streamed. Focus on delivering some smooth sound bites, start an answer over if you have to and remember that responses can be edited in post-production too. Do your best to get through as much as you can in one take. A good producer will work with you to give you honest feedback and help direct you to do your best.
Be aware of your body language
If you’re working with us, we usually have you directly looking at and speaking to one of our producers. Try to focus on having a pleasant, professional conversation with the interviewer rather than all of the equipment or people around you. If you’re recording yourself on your phone, make sure you’re looking at the lens and thinking about speaking directly to your viewers.
We also find that many people are worried about talking with their hands but we encourage you to do whatever feels natural. However, toe tapping, foot shaking, head scratching, finger flicking, swaying and chair spinning are distracting nervous ticks to avoid. We also understand that this behavior is subconscious so please don’t be offended if our producer kindly mentions it. We just want you to look your best on camera!
Keep going
Even though you may feel nervous and uncomfortable, try to find confidence within yourself to push through. You know your stuff, that’s why you are being interviewed! People want to hear what you have to say. Try to think of your video interview as just another sales call or client meeting in which you’re explaining what your company offers. It’s likely the same conversation your team is wanting you to deliver on camera.
Looking for a team that is sure to make you feel comfortable on camera to capture your best possible performance? Contact us today to start planning your next video.