During an on-camera interview recently, something just wasn’t right. The person I was interviewing just didn’t look comfortable.
Then I noticed that he had jammed his hands into the pockets of his suit jacket. He was still trying to gesture, but his hands were trapped in his coat pockets. It looked a bit odd – almost like he was in a straightjacket. Definitely not the look I was going for.
We want our interviews to appear as natural and comfortable as possible. If our interview subject is comfortable, they sound natural and appear more genuine.
It’s the number one question we’re asked – “what should I do with my hands?” My response is to do whatever you always do. Be natural, be yourself. We’re talking to you because you have some expertise or a point of view that we feel is valuable to the story we’re telling.
Yes, there’s a camera pointed at you. There are a few lights and a microphone is dangling over your head. It’s not a natural situation. Just remember that you’re talking to another human being, be yourself and you’ll be okay.
Though if you’re this demonstrative we may have to talk:
