Video interview jitters?

Being in front of a camera is one of those moments when you feel everything: adrenaline, curiosity, and maybe a touch of fear. Whether it's a documentary, a corporate film or a TV interview, handling that moment well is a skill that is worth its weight in gold - and one that can be learned.

Be prepared, but don't learn by heart

Preparation is the basis of everything. Study the topic, read what has recently come out on the subject, familiarize yourself with relevant data. Also try to know something about the interviewer: his style, interviews he has already done, the way he constructs questions. This gives you a huge advantage in anticipating where the conversation might go.

Identify your key messages-two or three concepts you absolutely want to get across-and keep them in your head as reference points. But don't memorize them word for word: If you recite them, it's immediately heard, and you lose all credibility.

The body speaks before you

In a video interview, the visual impact comes before you even open your mouth. Dress as you normally do, choosing something appropriate to the context but in which you really feel comfortable - wearing “stage clothes” is as noticeable as acting. Avoid stripes, checks and aggressive patterns: on video they become an optical nightmare that distracts from everything else.

Keep your back straight but without stiffening, and don't rock - neither sitting nor standing. Before you start, take a look in the mirror: hair, any makeup, animal hair on your clothes or dandruff. These are small details but they make a difference. And smile: a genuine smile creates instant empathy and puts both of you at ease.

Authenticity is not faked

The audience can tell right away when someone is playing a part. Be yourself, speak in your own voice, let your passion for what you are talking about shine through - enthusiasm is contagious. Use direct and understandable language, without unnecessary technicalities, and when you can tell concrete examples or personal episodes: stories stay in the head much more than statistics.

Vary the pace and tone of voice. Always speaking at the same speed and in the same tone tires the listener. Modulate, speed up, slow down - treat your voice like an instrument.

Calm in the face of difficult questions

They will come. An unexpected question, one that challenges you, one you don't know how to answer. Take a few seconds before answering: a pause is not weakness, it is thoughtfulness. If you don't know the answer, say so - honesty builds credibility far more than an improvised answer. If the question is out of line or too personal, you can gently redirect the conversation to what you really want to say, without being abrupt. Don't let yourself be provoked, don't get into controversy: tone control is always your strong point.

Breaks are your allies

When you are nervous you tend to talk nonstop to fill any silence. Resist it. Pauses are powerful tools: a pause before an important concept emphasizes it, a pause afterwards settles it. You don't have to fill every second with words-silence in a conversation is normal, and sometimes says more than a thousand words.

Close so that it remains

The conclusion is where you leave your mark. Summarize in a few sentences the points you touched on, and if you have a strong sentence, a thought you want the audience to take home, this is the right time to say it. Always close by thanking the interviewer sincerely-it's a simple gesture that ends the conversation the right way.

The interview is not an interrogation. It is a conversation-and like all conversations, the more you can be present, authentic and involved, the better it works. With practice, that initial feeling of adrenaline becomes fuel instead of a brake.