As a public relations professional, you will probably be called upon to do on-camera interviews at some point in your career. For me that day was Tuesday.

Typically my supervisor serves at UNT’s spokesperson, but when a request came in on Tuesday, he thought it was as good a time as any for me to get my feet wet. Overall, my introduction to on-camera interviews went well, but I did learn a few things from the experience:

1. Know your talking points. Before you get in front of the camera make sure you know what you are going to say. It’s a good idea to brainstorm possible questions the reporter may ask and even role play before the interview.

 

1. Be confident. During my interview my boss was standing behind the reporter, and I had a few moments when I looked to him for guidance. As the spokesperson for your company it’s important to be confident and knowledgeable.

 

1. Don’t assume. If you don’t know the answer to a question, then don’t guess. During my interview the reporter asked if students had camped on campus prior to the Occupy Denton Movement. I knew that students camp out for the annual Shack-a-thon event, but I couldn’t remember details of the event, so I just kept my answer short.

 

1. It’s okay to start over. We all make mistakes. If you say something wrong or garble your words, then start your answer over and make sure the reporter is clear on the correct answer.

 

1. Always be camera ready. Maintaining a professional appearance is important because you never know when you might be called up for an interview. If you often leave the house in a hurry, then you might want to keep some make-up and even a change of clothes at the office.

 

1. Keep a straight face. During my interview I found find myself wincing at the way my words came out a few times, but I had to quickly remind myself that the camera was still rolling. You never know when a reporter may take advantage of a footage capturing you with an awkward or sour facial expression. It’s also important to remember to keep appropriate facial expressions. If you are discussing a happy topic then don’t look overly somber, if you are taking about something more serious then don’t plaster a smile across your face.

 

These are just a few tips that I plan to keep in mind for future interviews. If you want to learn more about doing on-camera interviews, then tune in to the ProfNet’s upcoming #ConnectChat: How to How to Ace On-Camera Interviews.