Videotaping – A Highly Effective Interview Preparation Tool

Videotaping one’s self is an effective method being used more commonly for a number of business-related purposes. Even business schools are promoting the use of such a technique when trying to effectively build one’s speaking abilities or presentation style. But this is not the only area in which this technique is used. Career consultants and recruiters will tell you that the best way to see how you come across in an interview is to film yourself, review the tape and continue to film and review until you like what you see (and thus, what the interviewer sees).

While videotaping yourself is a proven method for successful interviewing, it is a little more complex than simply pulling out your camera. In this article, I will provide you with some tricks of the trade, from setting up the camera to what you should discuss to things which you should avoid.

Getting Ready

The first thing you’ll want to do it set up a video camera roughly 5 to 7 feet away from the comfortable chair in which you will be sitting. Pay attention to the backdrop. You do not want to be sitting in front of a window, where the glare reflects into the camera and distorts the image, but you also do not want to have the sun facing onto you, as this will wash out your color. The perfect setting is in a room with a moderate amount of natural light as well as artificial; against a backdrop that complements the color you will be wearing is best. A white wall should always be considered as a last option. As for your attire, wearing navy or black is the best option for film.

Now, begin taping! You want to think of the camera as the interviewer, so keep eye contact at all times. The first time you do this it may seem a little unnatural, but try to relax. This is a tape that should only be seen by you, unless you are asking a friend to review (which is never a bad idea). Be as natural as possible and remember to smile. This method is only as effective as you make it, so try to get over being self-conscious and treat it like the real thing.

What to Discuss

It used to be that you could easily predict the five most likely questions an interviewer was likely to ask. However, times have changed and now companies are leaning more toward questions that are classified as “behavioral.”Instead of asking “Where do you see yourself in five years?” behavioral questions tempt to uncover a person’s core competencies. This is achieved with questions focused on areas such as: problem solving skills, leadership challenges, communication, organization and coordination, assertiveness, creativity, goal orientation, and flexibility.

Consider questions that might be asked with regard to each of these categories. For example, a question attempting to uncover how the candidate copes with leadership challenges might be, “Recount a time when you had to deal with a difficult employee. What tactics did you use and what became of that employee?” Brainstorm questions such as these and consider and practice the answer you would give. Performing a general Internet search using the key phrase “behavioral interview” will provide you with many more potential questions.

Once you have brainstormed on what you would say, carry on a conversation with the camera as if you are being prompted with those potential questions. Ask yourself at least 5 solid questions to which you can provide a comprehensive answer. Once you’ve completed this step, you will also want to ask the interviewer questions in return. Brainstorming these out prior to going on camera is yet another effective preparation technique.

Beware…

Here are just a couple of additional tips that will help you record a successful, videotaped interview:

• When in front of the camera, keep your eye contact with the interviewer.
• Don’t shift your weight too much or fidget. Even as a natural part of your personality, this activity can convey several negative impressions such as insecurity, lack of interest, or inability to maintain focus.
• Try to limit your hand movement. When presenting, you are told that movement of this kind is appealing and captivating to your audience, but when you are in a one-on-one situation, it can be distracting, so try to keep this to a minimum.

Performing the Self-Evaluation

The very last step in this process is the Self-Evaluation. It is crucial, no matter how painful you think it is, to review the video and note areas of improvement. Questions that you might ask include:

• “Did I smile?”
• “Did I maintain eye contact?”
• “Where were my hands? Were they naturally in my lap or were they a featured part of the presentation?”
• “Did I remember to address the interviewer by his/her name?”
• “Was my speech broken? How many times did I say “Uh…?” (You need to get this down to 0).
• And the most important question: “Did I seem like myself or was it a modified version of me?”

Practice Makes Perfect

The key to this method is to continuing to practice so that you get to where you are comfortable presenting yourself and verbalizing your thoughts without being embarrassed or overly self-aware. The answers to the questions are only half the test in interviews. Think about it…if interviews were all about the questions and your answers, then all of them would be conducted by phone. But that’s not the case because the interviewer wants to see how you “handle” the interview. And practicing by video will show you just how well you measure up.