Whether you’re the interviewer or the interviewee, on-camera time doesn’t come naturally to most of us. There are very few Shirley Temples in the world that seem to have been born to be in front of a camera. The rest of us need a little help. Here are some pointers for bringing your A-game to the interview, regardless of which side of the camera you’re on.

Sit Up Straight

Posture is a very strong piece of non-verbal communication that is amplified on camera. In a video interview, there isn’t a lot to distract from obviously bad posture, so if you’re hunched over or letting your head tilt to the side, it is intensely obvious. According to public speaking pro Fred Miller, your posture sends very specific signalsto your audience. Here are a few pointers from Miller that translate the same on video:

• Good, straight Posture indicates leadership and confidence. It tells the audience that you are in control. It conveys the message that you have confidence in your competence.
• Leaning slightly forward shows the audience you care.
• Slouching to one side delivers the opposite message. It shows disinterest.
• Hunched shoulders indicate lack of confidence and possibly low self-esteem.

Smeyes

A silly term coined by super model, Tyra Banks that means, smile with your eyes—smeyes. When you concentrate on maintaining soft eye contact with the camera, you are showing that you are alert and communicative. Looking away frequently and projecting disinterest with your eyes is common in situations where people might become nervous.

Don’t Impersonate Someone

For some reason, when that little green light comes on, many of us will change the tone of our voice, the pitch of  our laughter and even the flow of our normal conversation patterns. Focus on being yourself. Use your normal voice, at a normal volume.

Remember Speech 101

We all had the same speaking points drilled into our brains our freshman year of college, and it sure as heck all flies right out the window when we the camera turns on. Jot down those simple rules as a reminder:

-Don’t talk fast

-Stop saying “um”

-Only gaze at your script and keep the focus on your audience

-Annunciate

-Pretend the camera is naked

Water is the Perfect Prop

Have you ever noticed that on all talk shows there are coffee mugs for the guests and the hosts? Long interviews, nervousness and breaks in the conversation are all the perfect time to take a quick sip of water. The action will calm you down, give you something to do with your self during a pause, and wet your whistle. Have a glass readily available.

Don’t Forget to Breathe

Your nervousness never becomes more apparent than when you have to take a huge breath in the middle of a sentence. Concentrate on maintaining normal breaths. Drinking water actually helps with this as well; it can mask a break for air and get you back on track.

Practice Makes Perfect

Go through the motions several times before you click to start. Review anticipated questions and have the process down. Interviewers can have as many takes at the recorded questions as they like, so be sure to utilize that.

As video interviewing and screening become common practice around the globe, users on both sides of the camera need know what they can do to optimize their time in front of the camera. Organizations have the opportunity to attract talent face-to-face, and candidates get the chance to stand out in a way that doesn’t translate in an email or phone call.

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