How to Shoot a Great LinkedIn Video Cover Story
LinkedIn is launching a brand new tool with which you can impress those who want to hire you. The service’s new ” Cover Videos ” are just another lever you’ll have to pull to become as competitive as everyone else, so you can start planning now.
Videos are likely to become a new way of fussing around to look a little more interesting than everyone else on LinkedIn, and they will take many forms: some people will shoot horrible videos that will actually hurt their chances; Most people will shoot mediocre videos that simply say exactly what their LinkedIn profiles have already said. and some will skip their videos, turning their résumés into a Michael Bay creation that will either get them the jobs they’re looking for (especially if they’re influencers or social media) or get them ridiculed on the subreddit.
If you’re thinking about using this feature when it debuts – and you should – take your time. How you present yourself to a potential recruiter or hiring manager is just as important digitally as it is in person. You couldn’t just walk up to someone and start chatting about your professional life without a little preparation, right? And you definitely won’t do that without making yourself presentable.
Feel free to script your intro, but make it natural
First, you want to think about what you are going to say before you say it. If you feel more natural walking impromptu, great, but you still benefit by writing down your common conversation topics – perhaps even placing them on the screen in giant print so you can get a quick glimpse at them if needed. And if you speak informally, that’s not your forte, you can write the script.
When you’re writing what you’ll be broadcasting to your LinkedIn audience, keep the conversation going. You are not trying to surprise someone with perfectly composed sentences. If you do that, great, but generally speaking, make the mistake of sounding like a person and not a person reading something that doesn’t sound like the way people actually talk in real life. The fun of a video presentation is that you have the opportunity to show someone who you are . The real you is not the one who reads the edited text off the sheet of paper. The real you have a personality. This is your script, which you may not even have to go to when you make a few changes and start noticing that your phrases and theses of the conversation are starting to stick to you.
A professional intro video is not a selfie
Even if you sound a little more timid in your intro video, it’s forgivable if your video has a high-quality look and feel. What does it mean? Two words: light and sound. Make sure whichever lighting setting is used, you look good and don’t shoot a quick Snapchat for your friends. As a general rule, I recommend shooting using outdoor lighting whenever possible (not outdoors per se, but position yourself near a source of sunlight to look good during a conversation).
Likewise, if you are using a poor quality webcam or smartphone, you may want to get your hands on one of these. Grainy, pixelated video won’t help you sell yourself the best you can. Also, don’t use your smartphone’s selfie camera if you can avoid it and place your phone on top of something or buy a cheap tripod. (You could even let a friend or loved one take pictures of you, but they will need a steady hand.)
In terms of audio, do not shoot a video in a location with distracting background noise (be it a small hum or passing cars in the background) or echoes. Empty rooms and bathrooms are not your friends. If your voice sounds muffled, muffled, or for other reasons, you will need to adjust the setting or perhaps consider purchasing a cheap lavalier microphone for your recording device.
I know this is a bit overkill, but if a professionally designed video intro helps you get your next gig, who cares?
Self-assess your video and be critical
You will want to watch your introduction in the video. Don’t be afraid to shoot as many re-shots as you need, and check the obvious things that might seem odd to someone watching your video for the first time. For example, do you look through the lens all the time, or are your eyes wandering? Does it seem like you are reading the script from a screen outside the center of your camera?
What does your face look like? If a lot of light is reflecting off your skin, change the environment or reconsider your makeup choices. Regardless of gender, applying even a small amount of face powder will not kill you. Use a foundation or concealer to smooth out any blemishes. Moisturize those lips. Trim those eyebrows. I won’t go into a full beauty regimen, but if I had only one chance to impress someone who could give me a better career, you bet I’d use every tool I can to look my best.
Are your clothes rumpled? Must not be. Does your outfit match the background and lighting? Are you mixing too much? Standing out too much? Be as critical as possible.
Watch other people’s videos once LinkedIn launches and see what yours look like. Do you stand out from the crowd? You’re boring? Are you speaking authentic? Does your monologue sound strange? Do you provide new information about yourself in a fun introductory form or repeat catch phrases from your resume? If you’ve done a great job, I’m happy for you; if you’re worried that your video is now looking flimsy, you know what? You can fix this. Shoot a new video.
Don’t assume you’ll only do one video intro
If you have something to say about yourself, consider changing your intro video. Have you just reached a new achievement? Re-film the new introduction, in which this information is set out in advance. Have you moved and now have a great natural setting to use as a background for your video? Why not film something else? Are you targeting a different type of job in your endless search? Shoot more targeted videos rather than risk sounding universal.
A LinkedIn video cover is not a TikTok, but even so, the quality attracts popularity. Offer your professional audience a great looking introductory video, and this may be just the little extra you need to take your first steps into amazing new opportunities. At the very least, you can add a “video producer” to your LinkedIn skill list.