Your career needs you to do this…
The year is 2020.
The human race has been brought to its knees by a microscopic virus.
Businesses around the world are shutting down; losing hope.
When suddenly, a glimmer of new hope shines through:
a bright red blinking dot, a camera, and a button that says “join the call”…
Is video conferencing the action movie hero that’ll save us all? Probably not.
But it HAS been the hero for hundreds of thousands of businesses around the world.
After the pandemic forced business leaders to pivot their goals and operations, there was an almost ubiquitous movement towards adopting video as part of their everyday business practices.
Even in mostly face-to-face industries like food and hospitality, video interviews have become part of the typical hiring process.
Which means that for any modern day job seeker, their career needs them to get comfortable on camera.
In today’s article, we’ll explore why you should be camera-ready, too — so that you can turn “lights, camera, action!” into some action for your career!
Lights:
What does the camera craze look like?
As reported by Flexjobs, 80% of company leaders fully intend to allow some amount of remote work even after the pandemic ends.
The flexibility attracts top talent (such as yourself), but it also affords businesses a better way to stay connected. It allows for more diverse teams, and can reduce overhead costs for shared office spaces.
47% of leaders also said they will allow employees to work from home full-time. And 78% believe that remote collaboration is a permanent change to how we work.
Even big name brands and companies like Facebook and Twitter announced that they are going to remain remote post-pandemic.
All these changes happened within a year. Imagine what the workplace will look like in another year? Or 5? Or 10?
Your entire career could take place on camera. So it’s more important than ever to get comfortable with it today!
Camera:
How to look like a star on video
Looking good on camera doesn’t take hours of hair, makeup, and wardrobe prep. In fact, you can become photogenic with just a few basic principles!
First of all, get a good quality microphone. A huge part of looking good is SOUNDING good! If people have trouble hearing you or understanding what you’re saying because of your audio quality, then the quality of your camera won’t even matter.
Next, set up a neutral space free of distractions, clutter, and people or pets in the background. If you need notes on hand, keep them next to your screen and camera setup so you don’t have to look away or move off screen while you’re talking.
It’s also important to have a lot of light. You can even invest in a ring light to help you stay sharp. Just make sure all your light sources (even natural ones) are shining on you from behind the camera, or else they can cause glare for your viewers.
Lastly, keep yourself well-framed. This means moving the camera as far away from you as it takes to look like a portrait. You don’t want to be too close, and fill the whole screen. But you don’t want to be too far away and have too much negative space around you. Just imagine you’re the Mona Lisa, filling just the right amount of the frame!
Action:
It’s your time to shine!
Through the magic of Hollywood, we can make just about anything appear on film.
And thanks to the magic of video conferencing, you can make just about anything happen with your career!
Some professionals have built their entire reputation on video. Think of YouTube and TikTok content creators. Think of international companies that stay ahead by staying in touch. Or concerned managers who always check in with their team, even when they’re away.
They all use video to stay relevant. So in order for your career to stay relevant, you should not only accept video — but make the most of it!
Building your personal brand? Share it as a video!
Setting up an informational interview? Offer a video call!
Want to start your own business and build your own team? Build a remote team today!
Video isn’t just the new ‘normal’, it’s the new ‘exceptional’, as well. Being comfortable on camera will not only help you stay in the race, but those who embrace it will have a head start, too!
Conclusion
As a professional, there’s almost a 100% chance that you are going to be on camera at some point in your career, moving forward.
So why not get comfortable on camera to improve your chances at better opportunities, as well?
If you’re looking for more help preparing for video interviews or any other type of remote work, why not video chat with one of our staff today!
Belleville Office
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Belleville, ON K8P 1K2
Phone: 613-966-9069
Toll Free: 1-888-401-9636
Fax: 613-966-7357
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Bancroft ON
Office: 613-332-3115 ext 202
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