Lessons from 3,000 On-Camera Interviews

Navigating the world of on-camera interviews: from preparation and thoughtful reflection to confident delivery in front of the lens, capturing your insights and story effectively.

For years, I did a lot of work for CareerBuilder and their clients. That meant traveling all over the country and interviewing a huge variety of professionals, from hourly workers on the factory floor to CEOs in corner offices.

What I learned is that no matter how much experience someone had, being on camera was hard for everyone. Senior executives often struggled just as much as someone doing their first interview. This led me to develop a simple set of principles that can help anyone perform better on video.

1. Prepare, but Don't Overprepare

It sounds counterintuitive, but memorizing a script word-for-word is a recipe for a bad video. You end up sounding stiff and unnatural. The goal is to be so comfortable with your material that you can have a genuine conversation with the camera, not just read a teleprompter. A natural, conversational delivery is what keeps people watching.

2. Don’t Restart When You Make a Mistake

Everyone messes up. Instead of going all the way back to the beginning, just pick up from the last sentence you said. Modern video editing and “jump cuts” make it easy to cut out mistakes and keep the video moving at a good pace. Audiences are used to jump cuts; they don't even notice them. It’s a much more efficient way to get a great final product.

3. Have Fun (Even if It's Work)

Being on camera requires energy. Since you don't have a live audience to feed off of, it’s easy for that energy to drop. But if you remember that you’re talking to a person—not just a lens—that positive energy will shine through. When you're having fun, it's contagious, and your viewers will have a better time watching.

Why It Matters 

Video is such a powerful tool for building trust and creating authentic connections. A recent survey showed that authenticity is a top reason why people engage with a video. My goal is to help you show your genuine self, which makes your message more impactful and memorable.

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