Let's just take a look back at last year when COVID-19 made entire workforces virtual. Chances are that to effectively do their jobs, many professionals had to be on video to meet with colleagues and work on projects.
That's just a basic example. Folks, the world is changing and it's time to get comfortable being on camera. Here's why:
Being On Camera Is Going To Be Part Of The Professional Experience
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As I briefly referenced above, we know that COVID-19 drastically shifted the workforce to remote in 2020 and that shift will continue in the years to come. It may still be a few years before we get a good idea of the total impact of this shift, but it's safe to say that the way we all work is going to be drastically different.
Late last year, Flexjobs published information from multiple remote work surveys and a few numbers stood out to me. One survey said that 80% of company leaders plan to allow employees to work remotely at least part-time after the pandemic, and 47% will allow employees to work from home full-time. Another survey indicated that 78% of CEOs believe that remote collaboration is here to stay for the long term.
Couple those survey results with the fact that some big-name companies like Shopify, Zillow, Square, Facebook, and Twitter have already announced that their workforces are going to remain remote, and you can start to envision a scenario in 10 years where the majority of companies and job opportunities are remote.
This means that a professional's entire employee experience could be remote and in front of a camera.
Think about that for a second!
The process starts with multiple rounds of virtual job interviews. From there, professionals will onboard virtually and then need to communicate with co-workers, and sometimes clients, through video conferencing.
Suddenly, the way you handle yourself on camera becomes part of your core skill sets and the value you add to a company. Being on camera is essential to your career growth and ultimate success.There's Great Opportunity Being On Camera
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Yes, there are practical reasons why professionals should get comfortable being on camera, but beyond those reasons, I believe that all professionals should want to get on camera because video provides a whole new world of opportunities.
I built my business, Work It Daily, on video. In the early days of the business, it was YouTube and video courses that helped us provide the best online career advice. We grew the business more with live streams and live career coaching events, and now we're using short TikTok videos, the business and myself, to bring career advice to an even wider audience.
I don't know what the future holds, but I know the continued growth of my business will include my staff and myself in front of a camera as we continue to work remotely and build new content.
Look at it this way: Businesses use video to grow and reach a wider audience. Every professional is a business-of-one, therefore YOU can also use video to grow your personal brand and reach a wider audience.
How To Incorporate Video Into Your Personal Brand
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Some amazing video influencers have built business empires on their online content, and while we may not all be cut out to be the next great YouTube or TikTok influencers, we can still create content that matters and moves the needle on our careers.
I'm always telling people to focus on their personal brand because it's their chance to control how they want people to view them as professionals. Your brand goes with you during all steps of the career journey, whether you're looking to advance in your current career, find a new job, or make a career change.
One of the best ways to build your personal brand is to focus on a few areas of expertise and experience, build content around those experiences, and share that content online with your professional network and others.
This article is a small part of my personal brand, as I'm talking about the changing workforce and my take on it as a career coach. While I still love the written word, I can tell you from my personal experience that once you get used to being on camera, it allows you to create even more content at a faster pace.
You never know when a 60-second TikTok, two-minute Facebook post, or 10-minute YouTube video could go viral and reach the right person. You could have a recruiter calling to interview for the dream job that you didn't even know you wanted.
The Basics Of Being On Camera
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Since we've established the importance of being on camera and its potential impact on careers, here are some basic tips to help you get comfortable in front of the camera.
- 3-finger rule: Always make sure that there are three fingers between you and the camera to ensure that you're in the frame. It's not very professional in an interview or a meeting if others are speaking to your shoulder or half a face.
- Lots of light: You want to be in a room with a lot of light and a natural background. I recommend investing in a ring light. Things can sometimes come across extra dark on camera, so if you don't have enough lighting, it can make it look like you're working in a cave.
- Invest in a microphone: You have important things to say and people should hear you. Investing in a microphone ensures the best audio quality possible.
The more you're on camera, the better you'll get! The key for most professionals is to get over their initial nerves and embrace the challenge of being on camera. Not only can it be fun, but it opens up a new world of opportunities.
Need an additional push to get outside your comfort zone? Work It Daily can help!
By joining our career growth club, you'll get access to one-on-one career coaching, resume and cover letter reviews, online tutorials, and unlimited networking opportunities—all in your back pocket!
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Need help finding the right job?
Check out Work It Daily's Incredible Companies page to see snapshots of companies hiring. Work It Daily also highlights job opportunities on a daily basis on TikTok.
