How to record a video introduction.

Why employers ask for one

A video introduction lets the people hiring hear how you communicate before anyone books a call. For roles where you’ll talk to clients or customers, that tells them more than how well you can polish a written page.

It is also fairer than it might sound. A good reviewer is listening for clarity, structure and warmth. When we review video intros, we listen for how you communicate, not how you look, what your room looks like or what phone you own.

Plan what you’ll say

Most video introductions run for a minute or two. Ours are 90 seconds. That is shorter than it sounds, so plan three or four points and no more. A simple structure works for almost any prompt:

1. Who you are, in a sentence: your name, where you’re based and what you do now.
2. One relevant example: a moment from your work that shows the skill the role needs. Say what happened, what you did and how it turned out.
3. Why this role: something specific about the job that appeals to you, not a general wish for a new challenge.
4. A clean finish: thank them and stop. There’s no need to recap.

If the application gives you prompts, answer them in order. Reviewers often watch with the prompts beside them.

The example is where most video intros are won or lost. Pick something small and real over something impressive and vague. “A customer whose booking had been lost turned up on the day, and this is how I sorted it” beats “I have excellent communication skills” every time. Keep it to three beats: the situation, what you did and what happened.

Set up in five minutes

You don’t need any equipment. A phone and a quiet room are enough. A few small things make a big difference:

• Light in front of you, not behind. Face a window, or put a lamp behind your phone.
• Phone at eye level. Prop it on books or a shelf so you aren’t looking down into it.
• Quiet over pretty. A plain wall and no background noise beat a nice view with traffic.
• Look at the lens when you can. It reads as eye contact.
• Check the sound. Record ten seconds, play it back and make sure you can be heard clearly.

Dress as you would for a video call with a client. Plain colours sit better on camera than busy patterns, and that’s all there is to it.

Record it

Do a practice run or two to get the timing right, then record for real. Speak a little slower than feels natural, because nerves make most people rush. Smile as you start. It changes how your voice sounds.

Don’t read from a script. Reviewers can tell, and it flattens your voice. Keep a few dot points out of shot if it helps, then talk to the camera the way you would talk to a client: clear, warm and to the point.

One take is fine. A small stumble that you recover from calmly is better than a perfect recording that sounds rehearsed. If you’re on your fifth attempt, stop, take a break and come back to it later.

What reviewers listen for

• Clarity: can they follow you easily?
• Structure: do you get to the point and stay on it?
• Warmth: do you sound like someone a client would be glad to hear from?
• Relevance: does your example connect to the job?
• Confidence: not loudness, just a sense that you believe what you’re saying.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Going over time. Practise until you finish comfortably inside the limit.
• Reading your resume aloud. They can read it. Tell them something it doesn’t say.
• A generic answer to “why this role”. Mention something specific from the listing.
• Recording somewhere noisy or dark.
• Waiting for the perfect moment. If the application lets you save your spot and come back, use it, but don’t miss the closing date.

If you’re nervous on camera

Most people are, and reviewers know it. A few nerves come across as caring about the job, which is no bad thing. Talk to one imagined person rather than an audience, keep your example to something you know well and let yourself pause between points. A short pause sounds far more confident on video than it feels while you’re recording.

If a video is hard for you

If a disability, a health condition or your circumstances make recording a video difficult, get in touch with the employer or recruiter before the closing date and ask whether there’s another way to show the same things. Asking early gives them time to sort something out.

Before you send it

Watch it through once. Check the sound is clear, your face is visible and you answered the prompts. Then send it and let it go. The people reviewing it are hoping you’re good, because finding a great person is the whole point of their job.