Overview

Our Clients LOVE our Video Intros…they’re our secret weapon!

They save them a lot of time and help to quickly identify the best Candidates.

Always try to get them done for Candidates you decide to present.

Sometimes it’s not feasible to get footage and that’s okay…don’t let that prevent you from submitting a strong Candidate.

They’re easy to record so don’t sweat this.  The more you do, the better you’ll get.

Remember, this is probably the first time most Candidates will ever have a camera recording and be asked to talk about themselves.

It can be nerve-racking and a difficult task.

Your job is to put the Candidates at ease and help them relax and present at their best.

Recording Tips

Try to limit the recording to less than 8 minutes.  Remember, our video editor has to watch every second of your recording and it’s not fair to make them sit through a 20-minute recording.  We need them to edit quickly!

The final edited video will be roughly 2 minutes (optimal)…though some are as a short as 30 seconds and some as long at 4 minutes.  It all depends on how many good sound bites as you can get from the Candidate.

Hit the “Record” button right before you ask the first question.  You don’t need to record the several minutes of your instructions.

After the Candidate answers each question, hit the “Pause” button.  Ask your next question and then hit the “Record” button again when the Candidate is getting ready to start speaking.

Use “Gallery View” — button in top right corner — so your pictures are side by side.  Do not have it on Toggle View.  The editor will crop you out so you won’t be seen or heard.

If you ever notice the Candidate reading a script…maybe the eyes going back and forth — stop him/her immediately.

If the Candidate is simply repeating what’s on his/her resume — i.e. “in 2015 I worked at Tesla for two years, then in 2017 I went to Audi…”, stop him/her and suggest they just talk more casually. 

The result you want is roughly 5 good sound bites….where the Candidate says great content that you feel will impress the hiring manager.  If you’re not getting it, you may have to lead the Candidate with specific ideas to talk about…i.e. “Why don’t you tell me about your leadership experience from serving in the Army?   Maybe mention how you supervised 27 soldiers, were awarded three promotions, and advanced to the rank of Sergeant for your outstanding performance.”

Every now and then, you’ll record a Candidate who is extremely nervous and can’t string two words together.  For these, you’ll need to feed the exact lines and just ask them to repeat them verbatum.  Keep these videos to 30-45 seconds total.

Offer positive encouragement after each answer …i.e. 

“Great job!”, or “That was perfect!”, or “You’re doing awesome.”

If you feel like you did not get enough content after asking the four questions below, feel free to ask additional ones.  These here are just to help guide you.

Connecting

If the Candidate is having trouble getting Zoom to work on their computer, suggest he/she use a cell phone.  Connecting is usually easier and better quality with a cell phone.

You will Host the meeting, not the Candidate.

Use Zoom, not FaceTime or Google Meet, because Zoom offers the ability to record.

Stage the Room

It’s your job to be a director to make sure the video looks great. 

If you notice the Candidate doing something wrong, you MUST stop recording and offer advice to fix the problem.  Avoid situations where you’ve finished the video and then say to yourself, “I wish I told him to change the camera angle.  The view is looking right up his nose.”

Camera position 

Candidate should position the camera at eye level.  A common mistake is having the camera below the face…not good!  Get their full head in the frame. Many Candidates set the position so it cuts off at the forehead or chin.  

Tell the Candidate to prop the camera on a bookshelf so they are not holding it with an outstretched hand.  It’s very distracting when the camera shakes.

Lighting

Position the Candidate behind the light source so it’s a clear picture.  You don’t want a dark video or one with lots of shadows.  Often just telling the Candidate to swivel the camera a little to one side fixes the problem.

Background wall 

A solid or uncluttered wall behind the Candidate is best.  If you spot dirty dishes, laundry, or a cat in the background, ask the Candidate to set up in a new location.

Noise

Tell the Candidate to turn off any music in the background or shut a door if you can hear others.

Dress

If necessary, ask the Candidate to change to a more professional interview-style shirt.  Say, 

“I want you to make a great first impression.  Do you have a button down you can throw on so you look sharp?  I don’t mind waiting.”  

Also, no baseball hats.

Eye Contact

It looks terrible when Candidates do not make eye contact with the lens while speaking.  Their eyes are either looking up, down, or to the side.  You MUST correct this when you notice it. Say 

“Please look directly at the lens when you’re speaking.  

You can slide my Zoom picture next to your lens if that helps.”

Energy

Dull Candidates rarely get hired.  Encourage them to have enthusiasm in their voice and body movements. Say, 

“Relax — pretend like you’re having a chat with a good buddy. 

I want to see more energy and enthusiasm so you make a great impression.”

Voice — Soft spoken and monotone speakers do not impress hiring managers.  Say, 

“Please speak a little louder and have some inflection in your voice so it’s not so monotone.  

I want you to project with confidence so you make a great impression.”

Internet Connection

If the signal is choppy and freezing, ask the Candidate to connect on a different device with a faster processor.  If that doesn’t work, ask the Candidate to log off and log back on.  Sometimes connecting a second time is better.  You can also mute your video.  You don’t need to be visible.  If nothing is working, just reschedule for a different time and location.

Smile

It’s crucial that the Candidate smiles every so often.  If they laugh or look like they’re having fun, even better!

Upload Footage

When you’re done, save the footage to the Cloud or your Desktop (Preferred).

Label your footage with the Candidate’s Full Name and Job ID#.  i.e., Bill Smith #721.  That way the Editor can easily match it to the job.

Complete the Video Intro Form in the Toolbox so our Editor knows to start.

We have two video editors who will take over once you load the raw footage to our shared drive.

Videos should be edited in 24 business hours.  If not, nudge the editor.  Remember time kills all deals!

Questions

Most of the time, you’ll ask just four questions.  You can add additional ones if you feel it’s necessary.

Start with Instructions: 

“Just be yourself and pretend like you’re having a casual chat with your buddy.  

Make sure to maintain eye contact with the camera lens.  

We can redo any question you’d like so don’t worry about having to memorize anything or sound perfect.  

It’s okay to take a minute to gather your thoughts before you answer each question.  

Question #1

“Start out with a big smile, look at the lens, introduce yourself — first name is fine — and tell me briefly about your military experience.  Talk at a high level and imagine you’re talking to a civilian.  About 30 seconds is fine.  I’m going to start recording now.  (Hit “Record”).”Go when you’re ready.”

Question #2

“What makes you a great employee? 

Mention some of your best characteristics and personality traits.  

If you can tailor them to ones that you feel line up with the job requirements, even better.  

You can also mention any schooling or certifications you have. 

Talk for about a minute or so”  

Be smart if you want the client wants to hear.

Example:  If you know that job requires the new employee to travel 90% of the time, make sure you encourage him/her to talk about their willingness to be on the road and get the job done. 

If the Candidate is struggling to come up with good content, say, 

“Why don’t you talk about your work ethic, and how nobody outworks you and how much pride you take in your performance?” 

Other characteristics to suggest:  leadership, dedication, teamwork, coachability, persistence, mission-focus, “can-do” attitude, desire to learn new skills, etc.  

Question #3

If you’re recoding the Candidate for a specific company and want to tailor the video to really impress, you can say, 

“Start this sentence with: When I heard about this opportunity to join the team at ___(Company Name) as a ____(Title), I was so excited because….and then talk about what interests you about this company.  

Discuss why this you feel this is a great long term career opportunity where you can add enormous value.  

It’s important too that you mention how you satisfy their “Must-Have” requirements (remind Candidate what they are). 

Talk for about a minute or so.”

If you anticipate presenting the Candidate to numerous companies, then do NOT have him/her mention a specific company or job title.

Question #4

“Last question.  Start this question with:  When I’m not working, I like to…and then tell me about a hobby or interest.  

Maybe spending time with your family, playing a sport, or volunteering?  Talk for about 15 seconds.”

Next Steps

Congratulate the Candidate:  

“Great job…you nailed it!  

It’s not easy talking about yourself when the camera is rolling, but you did a amazing job.  

You came across confident and professional.

We’re going to edit the video and only share it with the hiring managers.

It won’t be viewable to the public.

As soon as I get feedback from our Client, I’ll be in touch to discuss the next steps.

If you don’t hear from me, that only means I haven’t heard from them yet. 

Sometimes this process can move a little slower than we like we are forced to go at the the hiring company’s pace.

As I mentioned earlier, when the hiring company does respond, they’ll expect a quick answer from me, so when I do reach out to you by phone, text, or email, please respond as soon as you can.

Clients take a lack of response from you as a sign of non-interest and we never want that. 

One last thing.  

I like to plan on success so let’s anticipate that the Client is going to want to interview you. 

I’m confident that that they will be as impressed with you as I have been. 

I’m going to email you a link to a page featuring interview tips. 

It’s just 18 minutes of suggestions all geared to help you ace the interview and get hired fast.  

I’m sure you know a lot of the advice already, but it makes me feel better knowing that I’ve shared it with you.  

Can you check them out in the next day or two? 

We’ve received some really good feedback from other Veterans so I’m sure you’ll get something positive out of it.”

Email the template message to the Candidate when you hang up.